Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting on the protection of investors’ rights, the elimination of barriers in the implementation of investment projects, and the enhancement of efforts to attract foreign capital, in line with the instructions of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The meeting was attended by heads of state bodies, the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken, JSC NC Kazakh Invest, representatives of the quasi-state sector, and the business community.

“The Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays priority attention to improving the business climate and sets specific tasks for the Government. Just last week, the President signed a Decree on improving migration policy aimed at creating a better environment for attracting investors, entrepreneurs, and highly qualified specialists. This document is another important step in forming a favorable investment environment in the country and creates new institutional conditions for attracting quality foreign human capital,” Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

“On the instruction of the President, the General Prosecutor’s Office is carrying out comprehensive work to protect investors’ rights. The focus is on shifting from response measures to systematic preventive work to identify and eliminate the root causes of problems. Cases of unlawful involvement of businesses in criminal proceedings are being preemptively suppressed. Over the past three years, the number of criminal cases against businesses has decreased by 4 times, or by 71.5%. We are supporting more than 3,000 investment projects and maintaining constant direct contact with investors and the business community,” Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan Berik Asylov said.

On the instruction of the President, the Government, together with the General Prosecutor’s Office, is implementing comprehensive measures to protect investors’ rights within a multi-level support mechanism. The recently established Committee for the Protection of Investors’ Rights under the General Prosecutor’s Office, together with state bodies, is actively and substantively involved in the prompt resolution of issues concerning businesses. The Investment Headquarters under the Government operates in a proactive mode: in the first quarter of this year, 44 projects worth $25.5 billion were reviewed. The General Prosecutor’s Office monitors the implementation of the Investment Headquarters’ instructions.

In addition, headquarters headed by akims with the participation of prosecutors operate in all regions. Akimats have introduced the practice of quarterly strategic sessions where problematic issues are discussed and “investment orders” are jointly approved with businesses. Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, Atyrau, Aktobe, Kyzylorda regions, Ulytau Region, and Almaty city demonstrate a high level of preparation of materials, including 100% approval.

Within the framework of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Prosecutor’s Office, a Roadmap for the support of investment projects has been developed. Work is underway to improve the procedures for concluding and supporting contracts, optimizing the provision of land plots, and developing investment curation.

At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that issues requiring a systemic approach and more prompt response from state bodies and organizations still persist. There are cases of a formal approach and administrative delays at the local level when considering appeals from investors and business representatives, which is unacceptable.

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev reported on the current situation. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 273 appeals were registered in the first quarter of this year from investors listed in the Register, with about half resolved favorably. The majority of them concern tax administration, customs procedures, land-use planning issues, and others.

Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of Investors’ Rights under the General Prosecutor’s Office Baurzhan Yeraly reported that issues were resolved for 213 business appeals in the first quarter of this year. Of these, 40% were fully satisfied, and legal clarifications were provided for 50% of entrepreneurs. According to the Committee, the rights of 600 investors have already been protected this year, with every appeal now being considered without redirection.

Among the positive decisions are the inclusion in the Register of Domestic Producers of a diversified paper products manufacturing company in Almaty Region, as well as ensuring access to utility networks for an investor implementing a major energy project in Atyrau Region.

“Every incoming request from an investor is essentially a signal behind which lie decisions on capital placement, opening new and expanding existing production facilities, and creating new jobs. Therefore, the prompt resolution of investors’ issues is an indicator of the effectiveness of the state apparatus in attracting investment. The strictest measures will be taken against officials of state bodies who engage in formal replies and shifting responsibility. This also applies to the heads of national companies and quasi-state sector entities. There should be no ambiguity — every investor’s appeal requires a specific and objective solution,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

The Prime Minister pointed out the systemic nature of the reasons hindering the implementation of investment projects. It was noted that the key problems are related to insufficient coordination between state bodies, blurred delineation of responsibility, violation of regulated deadlines for providing public services, and weak control at the local level.

Special attention was paid to the work of akimats. Regional leaders were instructed to personally accompany key investment projects, promptly eliminate emerging barriers, and prevent a formal approach when providing investors with land plots, infrastructure, and permits.

Slow progress in populating the National Digital Investment Platform was also noted. Currently, more than 3,000 projects worth about 100 trillion tenge have been included in the NDIP. More than 400 projects have not yet been uploaded to the system, which distorts the real picture in the regions.

“In the context of global competition for investment and in accordance with the tasks set by the President, we must ensure a stable and favorable investment climate. Therefore, we must continue to systematize the process of attracting investment into the national economy and supporting the implementation of investment projects. In this context, the digitalization of processes is one of the key tools,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms Aset Irgaliyev presented approaches to identifying and eliminating administrative barriers for businesses. As part of the National Plan, the Agency is conducting a review of legislation using artificial intelligence and developing a regulatory intelligence platform. It will allow, based on entrepreneurs’ appeals, the identification of excessive and duplicative requirements, delays in deadlines, ambiguous application of norms, and lack of coordination among state bodies. Based on the analysis, proposals will be formed to simplify procedures, reduce timelines, digitalize processes, and increase transparency of law enforcement.

Advisor to the Prime Minister Alisher Kozhasbayev put forward proposals to improve interaction with investors. The need to strengthen the “single window” function for domestic investors and closer coordination between the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken” and state bodies, organizations, and regions was noted.

Chairman of the Board of JSC NC Kazakh Invest Sultangali Kinzhakulov reported on approaches to strengthening the external perimeter within the new architecture of the investment cycle. The company has established a full-fledged presence in seven key countries — the USA, Germany, China, Russia, Turkey, Malaysia, and Qatar. The representative offices will be transformed into investor support centers operating on the “single window” principle abroad. At the same time, the investor will not need to come to Kazakhstan at the project development stage — issues will be handled on-site through foreign offices.

Following the meeting, the Prime Minister issued a number of instructions:

• On the implementation of investment projects: Conduct a review of legislation to identify and eliminate administrative barriers. Based on the analysis of appeals, take measures to improve regulatory legal acts based on identified patterns and institutional constraints.
• On investors’ appeals: Establish a systematic monitoring system based on the “single digital window” principle and prompt response using artificial intelligence tools. Complete the inclusion of all investment projects in the NDIP and accelerate the launch of the platform’s mobile application with a messaging function between investors and state bodies. All implemented and ongoing investment projects in the country must be consolidated in a single digital contour.
• On strengthening external efforts: Kazakh Invest, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was instructed to promptly resolve organizational and personnel issues for the full launch of foreign representative offices and to ensure standardization of the work of all overseas offices of Kazakh Invest.
• On investment contracts and land issues: Permitting documents for investors should be provided on a package principle, with a drastic reduction in the time for approval and signing of investment contracts. It is also necessary to integrate disparate information systems for land resource management into a single digital contour.
• In all Public Service Centers (PSCs), specialized windows for serving investors must be opened, providing public services on a priority and accelerated basis. Directors of regional and district PSCs should be included in the composition of regional investment headquarters.
• The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken must approve a unified regulation for interaction with state bodies, organizations, and domestic investors.
• A task was set to develop approaches to granting tax preferences to investors based on the principles of targeting, economic feasibility, and non-fiscal state support measures already provided.

#Olzhas Bektenov #Investments #President's instruction

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