Kazakhstan to send $350 million to starving African countries

Kazakhstan will send $350 million to starving African countries, KazTAG reports citing chairman of Kazakhstan Majilis (lower chamber of the Parliament) Ural Mukhamedzhanov as saying at the meeting with the president of the National Council of the Parliament of Switzerland Jean-René Germanier in Bern. "Mukhamedzhanov outlined the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Rendering humanitarian aid to African countries is a high priority practical goal for Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan managed to raise over $350 million for food, humanitarian and economic aid to African countries suffering from famine,” Majilis press-service's message states. According to the Majilis speaker, Switzerland has high international standing and broad experience in rendering economic and humanitarian aid to poor countries. "We are counting on Switzerland's support to Kazakhstan's initiatives aimed at solving economic and humanitarian problems via international institutes and organizations,” Mukhamedzhanov said. Talking about Kazakhstan's national Program on Accelerated Industrial-Innovative Development, the Speaker emphasized that Kazakhstan and Switzerland should unlock the potential of mutually-beneficial economic cooperation in new technologies, transport, small and medium business. "Considering that Switzerland is one of the leading European centers in education, we are interested in educating our youth in leading Swiss universities under Bolashak education program (governmet-sponsored education scholarships). We are counting on support of the Swiss government in educating young Kazakhstan professionals in Swiss universities in technical majors,” he said.