Business & Money | Wednesday 18 January, 2017 2:29 pm |

National Company Astana EXPO-2017 and EXPO Dubai 2020 Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit.

The document was signed by the Chairman of the Board of JSC "NC "Astana EXPO-2017" Akhmetzhan Yessimov and Executive Director of EXPO Dubai 2020 Bureau Najeeb Mohammed al-Ali.

"The UAE is one of Kazakhstan's key partners. Given the fact that both countries will be hosting EXPO, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation between the organizers of the exhibitions. We have agreed to share knowledge and experience and provide the maximum support for each other," said Mr. Yessimov.

Preparations for EXPO 2017 are going according to plan; construction works are 95 per cent complete. The pavilions are now being handed over to the participating countries to be filled.

Kazakhstan has made every effort to make the stay of tourists during the EXPO 2017 comfortable and memorable. EXPO will be offering more than 3000 cultural and entertainment events for visitors, and has prepared an intensive business program for the business community.

"EXPO 2017 is a huge infrastructure and business project for Kazakhstan, involving the participation of a large number of companies," said the Director of the Content and Event Organization Department of JSC "NC "Astana EXPO-2017", Marat Omarov.

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, attended the Summit in Abu Dhabi. Speaking at the opening ceremony, he said that in the future the infrastructure of EXPO 2017 will host the Astana International Financial Centre. "We held talks with the Dubai International Financial Centre and agreed to use its experience in Kazakhstan," said Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The President emphasized that at the session of the UN General Assembly he proposed to create the International Center for Development of Green Technologies and Investment Projects under the auspices of the UN on the basis of the EXPO 2017 infrastructure. The joint activities of Astana IFC and the Center for Development of Green Technologies should spur on the development of 'green' bonds and Islamic Finance in the region. The President noted that the initiatives to promote clean energy are a good platform for cooperation.

Kazakhstan, a signatory of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, has been pursuing a serious policy focused on the development of a 'green' economy. It is planned that the share of renewable energy sources in the national energy mix will increase to 10 per cent by 2030 and to 50 per cent by 2050.

In preparation for EXPO 2017, the country is actively working on developing tourism, including a simplified visa regime. The country was recently featured in the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2017” — a leading annual list of tourist destinations. EXPO 2017 was mentioned by its authors as a key event worth visiting.