NCE RK "Atameken" conducts a forum "Uly Dala Eli" and the exhibition "The Best Product of Kazakhstan"

"The head of state gave us an idea to name our a country figuratively the Country of Great Steppe - Uly Dala Eli. "Atameken", as a consolidating organization of the business community of the country, must implement this challenge. For the first time, we took a great responsibility to hold this forum under the banner "Uly Dala Eli". I am sure that the domestic business, while carrying out the President's instructions, in terms of integration and competition, will do it on a high level and will fulfill the dream of our ancestors - to glorify the great Kazakh steppe", - said chairman of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan "Atameken" Ablay Myrzakhmetov, opening the event.

First Deputy Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev expressed confidence that suppliers and customers will be able to establish cooperation within the frames of the forum. "We have seen everything at the exhibition. Much has been done. We can state openly that we are proud of our producers and we shouldn’t be ashamed of what we produce. There are things, the quality and design of which is not inferior to foreign analogues, we just have to change our mindset, our psychology that imported staff is better", - he said.

Sagintayev was pleased with a variety of domestic products at the exhibition. "Today we haven’t just seen domestic commodities, which we are used to seeing - saukele, shapan or something else, we got to a quite different level, we have seen food machinery, medical equipment, which is not inferior to analogues, made by Siemens and Philips. Unfortunately, by inertia we buy things that we are used to. But I think this is just the beginning, we have to pass a long way", - he said, giving the participants of the forum optimism.

Vice Prime Minister also touched upon the urgent problem of long-term contracts with domestic producers companies of "Samruk-Kazyna", he noted that the letter heard a lot of unflattering comments from him in their address. However, the situation has changed for the better. "I can say today that during the period from March to November, we were able to move to one trillion tenge. That is, if at the beginning of the year 3.3 trillion. tenge were envisaged by the plan, we have brought this figure up to 4.2 trillion. I think that at the end of the year, this amount will increase, and this work continues", - he said.

Besides, Bakytzhan Sagintayev raised another problem. According to him, there are some Belarusian dairy producers that make the design of their products in the Kazakh style and write in small print "Made in Belarus". "We must raise these issues at Board meetings of EEC. What matters is that you prompt us by saying where there are violations", - said the official.

All speakers at the forum in their speeches talked about the domestic manufacturers in the WTO. Deputy Chairman of the Board of NCE RK Nurzhan Altaev hastened to reassure businessmen. "The WTO terms prohibit provision of support measures aimed at the development of local content, but at the same time, studying international experience, we still came to the unequivocal conclusion that all WTO members in varying degrees still maintain local content. Our entrepreneurs are concerned with this issue, they all say that because of the accession to the WTO, it is likely to no support will be provided to domestic producers since 2016. In fact it is not so", - he said.

Altaev also said that after the end of the forum will be announced the creation of a national brand "Uly Dala Eli". According to him, it won’t be easy to get this title. The company should at least meet the following three criteria: firstly, it must manufacture goods in Kazakhstan; secondly, it should meet quality standards and, thirdly, the manufacturer should be recognized among Kazakhstani population. "Not all companies can be promoters of the national brand. Only recognized companies, such as the airline "Air Astana" or confectionery factory "Rakhat". We expect that next year, much work will be done upon the receipt of applications. We will conduct an audit of the applicants and not more than 4-5 companies will get the title", - said the representative of NCE RK.

First Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Investment and Development Albert Rau began his speech with the good news. "This year, despite all the difficulties, largely due to the understanding that we have, according to preliminary estimates, the share of Kazakh content in all procurements has increased by 2.8%. We must praise our companies for this", - he said.

Vice - Minister added to his speech a spoonful of tar. "The family has anomalies. I do not cease to criticize "ArcelorMittal". Think yourself, they have stopped the production at their own Lisakovsk plant, because they started to buy iron ore from Mikhailovsk mining and processing complex, the center of Russia. How can they look into the eyes of their team? At the same time, they constantly address to us and to NCE RK: help us to sell our valves at the domestic market. And we help", - he said.

Then Rau returned to the very topical issue - the conditions of the WTO. "As for subsoil use upon accession to the WTO, we have managed to agree to retain the current rules until 2021. But I would like to take use a moment and to address again to our producers and to remind them that 6 years will fly by very quickly. And if the WTO limits us in this aspect, no one limits support measures related to education, training, auditing, modernization, everything that is aimed at increasing productivity. And by the way, there are all these tools at the Kazakhstani Industry Development Institute. I urge to use it. Once again I want to say that the state gives us this year not to sit idle, but to use this time", - said the official.