Kazakhstan

Energy efficiency should become the main trend of Kazakhstan's Energy Strategy being developed by our association, the chairman of the KAZENERGY Association Timur Kulibayev said at a meeting with representatives of national companies, interested ministries and foreign experts.

"Energy efficiency is the main and primary trend in the development of the national energy strategy. The goals for 2020 should be defined clearly. Achievement of a 30 per cent reduction of energy consumption in the country by increasing energy efficiency which is an achievable figure," Kulibayev said.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev received Deputy Secretary General, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, the presidential press-service reported on Thursday.

The parties discussed the key aspects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN organizations in a wide range of areas.

Tokayev informed the President about the current activities of the UN Office in Geneva, and work aimed at conclusion of multilateral agreements in the field of arms control and disarmament.

Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov has instructed akims (governors) of the country's regions to monitor the use of each hectare of agricultural land.

"I instruct the Ministry of Regional Development to continue the inventory and the regional akims to take steps for the usage of each hectare of unused agricultural land and to continue work on the organisation of the use of remote pastures, addressing the question of water provision," Akhmetov said at a government meeting.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will increase the amount of financing for modernisation of the wastewater treatment facilities in the city of Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan, EBRD reported on Monday.

The new 10.3 million euros loan will be added to earlier financing of €13.6 million to Water Resources Marketing, a private water utility company in Shymkent, the report said.