World Monitor Magazine #1 WM march 2018 (1) | Page 11
DESTINATION KAZAKHSTAN
large and solid investors (from the
Forbes list 2000) entered the non-
primary sector of our country. They
are: GE, Alstom, ToyotaTsusho, Danone,
Vicat, Knauf, Posco, Heidelberg and
many others.
What is the goal for creating the
Investment ombudsman and what
kinds of issues are being resolved
through it?
There is the institution of Investment
ombudsman for a rapid solution of certain
issues during post-investment period.
Every investor problem is jointly regarded,
reviewed and studied. Recommendations
to solve the issues are developed on the
basis and platform of an interdepartmental
working group.
Creating the Investment ombudsman
to consider the problems and issues
facing the investment activities of
the foreign investors has become a
positive practice in many countries.
The ombudsman for foreign investors
in South Korea has been in action since
1999. The ombudsman functions for
investors in the USA are undertaken
by Select USA. The analogues of the
investment ombudsman exist and
operate in many other developed and
developing countries.
In 2017 somewhere around 51 new
applications from local and foreign
investors were regarded and reviewed
in Kazakhstan.
For instance, there was a company
that couldn’t resolve issues in ecology,
but after applying to the Investment
ombudsman figured out all was
satisfactory. There are many examples
like this. This kind of system is built
for the purpose of making the overall
investment climate better. We always
keep track of the current situation
and try to help, therefore we suggest
that foreign investors refer to the
Investment ombudsman with various
inquiries.
What inquiries do the investors
mainly apply with to the service
center for investors? Is the work
being accomplished successfully?
As you know big investors and TNCs
that we bring in Kazakhstan are
not only capital and work spaces,
which is an absolute priority, but
also technologies, innovations, and
corporate culture. So, to provide the
addressed work with the targeted
companies, we introduced a vertically
integrated system for investors’
escort and maintenance.
While planning an investment project
multiple ‘how’ questions arise: How to
register a company? How to obtain or
gain permission? How to employ staff?
How to set up communications? Our
procedures for receiving state services
are not always clear and transparent
for investors. A ‘Single window’ (one-
stop shop) for investors is supposed to
eliminate gaps, explain the norms of
legislation, and assist in receiving all
necessary state services at one place.
This system supports the investors at
all stages: the external level, centers
and outer regions.
The introduced ‘single window’ system
in Kazakhstan assumes that the
investor attends one place once and
applies with minor document package
and portfolio via one specialist. He
or she then receives the prepared set
of documents with all the necessary
adjustments and authorizations that
give the right to start implementing an
investment project.
So, for the businessman who decided
to contribute to the development of
Kazakhstan’s economy, the ‘single
window’ provides not only convenience
in receiving the state services, but
also accessibility and transparency in
procedures, effectiveness in interacting
with the state bodies.
As per the results of the previous year,
this format became popular: the number
of investors who applied in 2017
was 1,033 persons. Mainly investors
have been applying for consulting
(870 consulting services provided).
They have also been given 163 state
services (registration of legal entities,
applications to receive permits, closing
and signing of investment contracts,
provision of populated land plot for
construction, receiving visa support,
solicitation to get the investor’s visa
and others).
In the past year,
7,322 investors
in total have applied in
the Sectors for investors’ services.
As a result they received
9,822 state services
and 6,711
advisories.
Here are some examples: two well-known
Kazakhstani and Russian companies
signed an investment contract when
they applied to the regional sectors for
investors.
Can you tell more about the active
projects and effectiveness of the
Special Economic Zones created in
the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are the
worldwide experience that has proved
its efficiency. There was constructive
criticism from the head of our country
about the SEZ activities. It is vital to
understand that the infrastructure is not
fully finished, there are many things to
supported by EUROBAK
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