Kazakhstan’s social and economic development strategy, projected to cover the coming years until 2050, aims to turn the country into the logistics hub of the Central Asian region, complete with related infrastructure, Ambassador of Kazakhstan HE Galimzhan Amirov said at a logistics conference on bilateral relations held in Budapest.

The total volume of trade between the two countries decreased in 2012, as Hungarian exports surged over the past year by more than 30 percent and imports from Kazakhstan fell by more than half, Minister of State for Economic Regulation Kristóf Szatmáry pointed out in his keynote speech.

In November last year, Hungarian exports to and imports from Kazakhstan totalled USD 195.8 million and USD 46.1 million, respectively. Hungarian exports were mainly composed by machinery, food and medicine products, the Minister of State said adding that Kazakhstan is Hungary’s third largest trade partner in the Commonwealth of Independent States, following Russia and Belarus.

The Minister of State stressed that Hungary and Kazakhstan are both situated in the heart of large regions and have massive east-west and north-south infrastructures.

Kristóf Szatmáry presented in detail the Hungarian Government’s “new, independent and successful” economic policy. The country, he added, is expecting investors with highly skilled labour force, highly developed infrastructure, a favourable tax regime and predictable economic policy. He also mentioned advanced level logistics training courses among the new elements of partnership.

The Ambassador provided an overview of Kazakhstan’s development since the country gained independence in 1991. Among key economic data he mentioned that the unemployment rate is 5.2 percent, inflation is 4.8 percent and FDI to the country has hitherto totalled USD 160bn. He called it a great honour that his home country will host the World Exhibition in 2017.

Galimzhan Amirov also stated that Kazakhstan has launched two economic and social development programmes, one ending in 2030 and the other in 2050. By the end of the second, Kazakhstan aims to belong to the world’s top 30 most developed countries. To achieve this goal, the country has to increase GDP by 4 percent each year (on average) and by the end of this period SMEs have to produce half of GDP. As a result, per capita GDP will increase from the current USD 13 000 to USD 60 000 a year. One of the principal objectives is to establish an industry requiring low raw materials and high knowledge input. Currently, some 50 Hungarian enterprises or joint ventures are active in Kazakhstan, among them Mol, Olajterv, Richter, Egis, as well as Atom Invest.

Head of Logistics Department of the Kazakh Transport and Communication Ministry Kemengger Maksut held a presentation on transport infrastructure. He emphasised that the Ministry aims to increase the volume of transported goods two-fold until 2020 and ten-fold until 2050. To this end, 7 thousand kilometres of new roads will be built and 30 thousand existing roads will be renovated. The construction of 250 motels alongside these roads is planned. The projected length of new railways is 1200 kilometres. Among the projects he singled out the renewal of the old Silk Road, the 70 percent of which -- linking Western China and Europe as a motorway -- has already been completed. Given the fact that, except for the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan has no sea shore, a railroad has been constructed to reach the Persian Gulf via Iran.

As far as air traffic is concerned, 75 new international routes are planned and 11 out of the altogether 18 airports have already been modernized.

(Ministry for National Economy)