The 26th Plenary Session of the Foreign Investors’ Council (FIC) chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the investors’ contribution to innovative-technological development of the Republic of Kazakhstan took place on May 22, 2013 in Astana.

The main speakers on the 26th Plenary Session’s topic was Mr Asset Issekeshev, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan from the Kazakh side and Sir Suma Chakrabarti, the President of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from the foreign side.

The top executives of the following companies also delivered speeches at the FIC Plenary Session: Asian Development Bank, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), Baker&McKenzie, Sberbank, BG Group Plc, General Electric, LUKOIL, Cameco, Shell and others.

During the Session the main topic was discussed and the issues related to the enhancement of the investment climate of the Republic of Kazakhstan were raised.

The official minutes, which will be drafted based on the results  of the Session, will cover specific instructions by the Head of the State to the Government of Kazakhstan. These will be executed during the next reporting period ending with the 27th FIC Plenary Session, which will take place in May next year.

Since the foundation of the FIC, 25 plenary sessions chaired by the President of Republic of Kazakhstan have been held during which a wide range of issues were discussed, including: improvement of the legal environment for FDI in the country; the judicial reform in the Republic of Kazakhstan; optimization of taxation and tax administration system; education and human capital development, foreign manpower engagement; and Kazakhstan’s investment image enhancement.

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The Foreign Investors’ Council (FIC) chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is an advisory body established by the Order of the Head of State in 1998, to promote direct dialogue between the Government of Kazakhstan and foreign investors in order to efficiently address key issues related to their investment activities in the country, to improve the investment climate of Kazakhstan for the benefit of foreign investors, local and national companies, the economic development and wealth of the country and its people. 

The main objectives of the Foreign Investors’ Council include developing and providing recommendations to the President and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on key investment and economic development issues and analyzing and discussing other core investment policy issues upon the instruction of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Currently there are 35 heads of foreign and international organizations in the Council.