6th Astana Economic Forum to cost $2 million

The 6th Astana Economic Forum will cost Kazakhstan $2 million, Tengrinews.kz reports citing chairman of the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists Murat Karimsakov. “A little over $2 million has been allocated for this event. These are the money of Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund that is the general sponsor. This amount will also cover holding and organization of a global anti-crisis conference. You know that holding such even is not an easy endeavor. The preparations will take several months. This is not an overly large amount of money. For example, the economic forum in Saint-Petersburg will cost over $30 million,” Murat Karimsakov said. According to him, the UN-supported forum will be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on May 22-24, 2013. The global anti-crisis conference will be held at the same time. Around 1,000 delegates from 60 countries, including around 200 high-ranking persons: 10 Nobel prize winners, over 40 heads of major business corporations, 11 former presidents and heads of governments, 15 ministers and heads of central banks, heads of the international organizations, as well as President of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic and three deputies of the UN Secretary General have already confirmed their participation in the event. “Almost all the work to organize the program has been completed. The Astana Economic Forum will include around 60 different events. They will be separated into sections: prospects of global economic growth and fuel prices in 2013, infrastructure and innovative technologies, competitiveness at international markets, social implications of economic growth, financial systems, global risks and ways to prevent them,” Murat Karimsakov said. The forum will also cover development of tourism, human capital as a resource of the future, gender policies and will include several events on green economy. Events aimed to attract and expand business cooperation platforms will also be part of the Astana Economic Forum: the traditional innovations congress and the Eurasian business congress. “There will be a new event, ASTEX-2013, that is called to demonstrate breakthrough innovative projects in information and communications development. Their will be events dedicated to the Global Leader Discussion. It will include debates and meetings with outstanding politicians and Nobel prize winners on current issues of development of the modern global economy. We are also inviting leading media representatives to this forum. CNN, BBC, Euronews and Financial Times have already confirmed their participation. We have recently signed an agreement with Russian news agency Russia 24,” Karimsakov added. By Baubek Konyrov