The country is busy preparing for EXPO-2017 in Astana

In Finland began an active and large-scale preparation of projects, which are presented at the International specialized exhibition "EXPO-2017" in Astana. Finnish Pavilion promises to enter the top five, and this confidence is not accidental. Innovative scientific developments in the energy, environment, housing, and education of the Nordic country are recognized as one of the best in the world.

"Finland aims to reduce the use of oil and coal in the energy and transport sectors. By 2030, we plan to abandon completely the traditional forms of energy in favor of biofuels. We are already successfully substituting oil and coal through the use of biomass. In the long term we will use coal only in emergency cases, and oil - only for the production of polymers and plastics, which, in turn, we supply for re-export. The effect on investment in the energy sector will amount to 4.5 billion euros and will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs", - he said during a press tour of Kazakh journalists to Finland the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland Kai Mykkänen.

It is expected that its ideas at EXPO-2017 will present such giants of the "green economy" in Finland, as a paint factory Tikkurila, Furniture Consortium Isku, the largest producer of drinking water, paper and petroleum products Kemira, a global leader in the construction of environmentally friendly housing Honkarakenne, manufacturer of industrial heat pumps and solar heat collectors Oilon, an expert in climatology Vaisala and many others.

"On the basis of the negotiations, we also expect the opening of direct flights between Kazakhstan and Finland (Almaty-Helsinki-Almaty). On 19^th of June 2017 is scheduled the launch of "Finnair" flights between Astana and Helsinki. In March 2016 Kazakhstan was visited by a delegation “Team Finland”, which was accompanied by representatives of the largest railway junction of Finland city of Kouvola. Now the sides (Finnish and Kazakh railway carriers) are negotiating on the logistics of goods and the possible opening of direct means of communication through the territory of the Russian Federation", - said the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Finland Murat Nurtleuov.

Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Finland in January-October 2016 amounted to 268.3 million USD (exports - 163.1 million USD, import -105.1 million USD). In 2015, turnover amounted to 466.9 million dollars (exports - 287.6 million USD, imports -179.3 million USD), which is 59.6% less than in 2014. The gross inflow of direct investments of Finland to Kazakhstan from 2005 to 2015 is estimated at 286.9 million USD.

In Kazakhstan, there are more than 70 enterprises with the participation of the Finnish capital. The main items of Kazakhstan's exports are oil and oil products, coal and briquettes, passing gas, wheat and meslin. Imports from Finland mainly formed of industrial equipment and machinery, paper and cardboard, oil products, chemicals, medicines, medical equipment, cosmetics.

The most significant are joint projects. In April 2015 the Finnish company “Tikkurila” opened a plant for the production of paints and varnishes in the Almaty region. The company is unique, thanks to the technology of non-waste production and environmental protection. The volume of Finnish investments in the project amounted to more than 1 million US dollars. Since July 2015, the North-Kazakhstan region established a joint production of combines and tractors of various modifications of the Finnish technology. The total cost of the project, implemented by the company “Sampo Rosenlew” and “Samruk-Kazyna Invest", is estimated at 8 million euros. Work is continuing on the creation of joint ventures in NKR with the Finnish company “General Finland”, whose main activity will be woodworking industry and fisheries. The company is also conducting negotiations on the construction of a plant for the production of forest machines. The company “General Finland” plans to manufacture in WKR doors and windows with the use of energy-saving technologies and implementation of the projects in the field of processing of agricultural production. The Finnish company “ICM Recycling” signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Akimat of Uralsk in the amount of 1.4 billion tenge for the implementation of the project "Modernization of the waste management system of Uralsk" by advanced European technology. Since 2015 the Finnish company Lamor participates in a project to clean up soil contaminated by oil spills at the Kashagan field with the use of technology EKO / GRID, which uses electrical impulses to separate hydrocarbon compounds into water and carbon dioxide. The technology requires minimal investment and operating costs.