Kazakhstan

Economic growth slowed in 2012 due to capacity constraints in the oil sector, weaker global demand for metals, and unfavorable weather conditions affecting crop production.... Show More + Overall, industrial output expanded by 0.5 percent in 2012, with negligible contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the year. Against the decline of agriculture, and little change in industry overall, real GDP growth was supported by a 10 percent year/year growth of the services sector in 2012. Higher export revenues supported strong domestic demand for trade and transportation, as well as for other non-tradable services. High oil prices continued spurring domestic consumption while fixed capital investments remained depressed. Private consumption remains the main contributor to GDP growth as it has been growing by 9-10 percent a year since 2010, supported by favorable commodity prices and high oil export revenue. Exports of oil largely influence the composition of Kazakhstan's trading partners, while membership in the customs union appears to be affecting composition of imports. The European Union (EU) maintains the first place among trading partners of Kazakhstan, mainly due to large imports of oil and other mineral resources from Kazakhstan. Overall, employment creation continues to be driven by the services sector. Kazakhstan growth has been pro-poor, driven by job creation and real income gains. However, income disparity, which had improved up to 2009, has worsened slightly due to the crisis. Show Less -

This tenth edition of Doing Business sheds light on how easy or difficult it is for a local entrepreneur to open and run a small to medium-size business when complying... Show More + with relevant regulations. It measures and tracks changes in regulations affecting eleven areas in the life cycle of a business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency and employing workers. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 185 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. The indicators are used to analyze economic outcomes and identify what reforms have worked, where and why. This economy profile presents the Doing Business indicators for Kazakhstan. To allow useful comparison, it also provides data for other selected economies (comparator economies) for each indicator. The data in this report are current as of June 1, 2012 (except for the paying taxes indicators, which cover the period January - December 2011). Show Less -

This report is structured as follows. Chapter one analyzes the performance of Kazakhstan’s trade. Chapter two presents an overview of recent developments in Kazakhstan... Show More + regional and international trade integration. Chapter three examines in detail key issues related to market access, focusing on non-tariff measures and trade facilitation and logistics. Chapter four examines the services sector and offers a roadmap for actions to enhance its competitiveness. Chapter five addresses building institutional capacity for the trade and competitiveness agenda. The report’s recommendations are summarized in the following table. In order of the four main messages of the report, they cover balancing regional and international integration efforts, measures to improve access to inputs and export markets by reducing non-tariff barriers and through trade facilitation measures, raising the quality and efficiency of the services sector, and strengthening institutional capacity to implement an effective trade policy and competitiveness agenda. Show Less -

Since 2001 Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) has been providing technical assistance to the government of Kazakhstan in the water and telecommunications... Show More + sectors and to build capacity on public-private partnerships (PPPs). In 2001, the government of Kazakhstan requested PPIAF support to involve the private sector in the management, operation, and maintenance of the water supply systems in medium-size cities in Northeast Kazakhstan using a transparent and competitive process. The support required was for: consensus building activities to determine the preferred option for private participation in the provision of water supply services; and legal assistance to prepare a model management contract. PPIAF funded the following activities: 1) a series of seminars and workshops carried out in 2001 and 2002 in Astana and Atyrau with representatives of the oblasts, cities, Vodokanal, and the central government during which the stakeholders agreed on a performance-based management contract option, with a single contract for all participating municipalities and a single contract for a supervision unit; 2) the drafting of procurement documents for the management contract, including the corresponding request for proposals; 3) a study tour for key water sector staff and decision-makers in Poland, Czech Republic, and France, which took place in November 2002 and where participants were able to learn more about implementing management contracts from the water utilities in those countries where similar contracts had been used; and 4) training in international competitive bidding for the selection of international utility operators for the management contract in Astana on January 17-18, 2002 including procurement activities for contracting the private sector to manage and operate water and wastewater supply systems. Show Less -

In accordance with World Bank policies on environmental assessment (OP/BP 4.01), the project has been rated category 'A'. The environmental assessment has been prepared... Show More + by the borrower and the circulation of the summary does not signify evaluation or endorsement by the Bank. The environmental assessment is subject to final review and possible changes during the appraisal process. Show Less -

Doing business sheds light on how easy or difficult it is for a local entrepreneur to open and run a small to medium-size business when complying with relevant regulations.... Show More + It measures and tracks changes in regulations affecting 10 areas in the life cycle of a business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. In a series of annual reports doing business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. This economy profile presents the doing business indicators for Kazakhstan. To allow useful comparison, it also provides data for other selected economies (comparator economies) for each indicator. The data in this report are current as of June 1, 2011 (except for the paying taxes indicators, which cover the period January December 2010). Show Less -

A World Bank mission visited Kazakhstan from July 15-23, 2010, to undertake a comprehensive assessment of debt management operations using the Debt Management Performance... Show More + Assessment tool (DeMPA). The DeMPA report provides an overview of strengths and weaknesses in government debt management in Kazakhstan, as evaluated at end-July, 2010. The scores demonstrate that areas of strength clearly outnumber areas where policies and practices fall short of minimum standards for effective debt management. Areas of strength include the legal framework, governance, and operational risk management, coordination with fiscal and monetary policies, as well as debt recording and reporting. Such strengths are impressive, taking into account the relatively low debt level and modest recourse to both domestic and external borrowing. However, many areas displaying relatively low scores would benefit from attention and reform. This need is most pressing in the context of developing a medium-term debt management strategy, which would involve outlining the preferred composition of debt based on cost-risk analyses, and would provide guidance not only for the government’s borrowing but also for market development. Show Less -

Building upon the transport governance filter developed by the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) transport team, which identified several thematic principles and actionable... Show More + indicators on the governance of the transport sector at large, this paper seeks to assess the overall governance performance of the road sector as well as the concrete issues that road administrations should address in order to improve sector governance. A pilot survey was conducted in Armenia and Kazakhstan, in which road sector stakeholders were asked to evaluate more than seventy questions structured along four governance dimensions: (i) transparency, disclosure and accountability of the road agency; (ii) transparent and accessible procurement processes; (iii) financial management system; and (iv) administrative procedures and anticorruption effort. This report starts with an overview of the existing approaches to governance and corruption with a particular focus on the road sector. It then outlines the methodological framework developed under the study to assess the governance challenges facing the road sector, and report the governance challenges in Armenia and Kazakhstan using the methodology developed. The report will conclude with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodological approach used and concrete suggestions to strengthen governance in the road sector of Armenia and Kazakhstan. Show Less -

New enterprise surveys data indicate that firms in Kazakhstan are more likely to face corruption and are less integrated in global trade when compared to the rest of... Show More + the countries in the Easter Europe and Central Asia region (ECA). The duration of power outages is high relative to the ECA region, and Kazakhstan businesses report large losses due to crime. However, the amount of senior management time spent dealing with government regulation is notable low compared to other ECA countries, and the share of financing by Banks in firm investment has risen over time. Show Less -

Doing Business 2011: making a difference for entrepreneurs is the eighth in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those... Show More + that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. A set of regulations affecting 9 stages of a business's life are measured: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and closing a business. Data in Doing Business 2011 are current as of June 1, 2010. The indicators are used to analyze economic outcomes and identify what reforms have worked, where, and why. The paper includes the following headings: overview, starting a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and closing a business. Show Less -