From November 15-16 World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn spent two days in Kazakhstan to discuss a new partnership between the country and the World Bank. The main goal of his visit was to meet with President Nazarbayev and his Cabinet on the newly endorsed Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) and agree on specific areas where Kazakhstan and the Bank can work effectively together. “In his address to the nation in March 2004, President Nazarbayev laid out a comprehensive agenda for the country’s development, which identified the right goals and focused appropriately on achieving a diversified and competitive economy. The challenge now is how to implement this vision. The World Bank is ready to help,” Mr. Wolfensohn said. With growth rates averaging around 11 percent since 2000, Kazakhstan has demonstrated impressive economic resilience and boasts one of the best reform records in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). During his visit, Mr. Wolfensohn hailed the country’s economic achievements and the government’s commitment to reform. “Kazakhstan has been blessed with an endowment of oil resources that has driven the economy in recent years. However, it is only a blessing if it is used wisely for the benefit of all citizens of Kazakhstan,” said Mr. Wolfensohn. Currently, wealth distribution in Kazakhstan remains uneven. A recent Living Standards Survey shows that 35 percent of population live below the $4.30 purchasing power parity (PPP) line, and non-income dimensions of poverty, such as poor living conditions and lack of education, affect an additional 28 percent of Kazakhs. “The real wealth that Kazakhstan has been blessed with is not the oil, but its people. Urgent investments are needed in people, particularly, in health and education for all. We must also look at the issues of youth and how we can provide them hope and opportunities in years ahead,” said Mr. Wolfensohn. During a visit to a project of Baspana NGO – winner of the Country Innovation Day grant in 2003 – Mrs. Elaine Wolfensohn witnessed the country’s poverty first-hand. Just 30 minutes outside the modern city of Almaty, Mrs. Wolfensohn saw a district inhabited by former refugees and homeless people. Baspana NGO, assisted by the Bank and other donors, is helping improve the prospects of these people by creating self-help groups and introducing micro-credit schemes. Mr. Wolfensohn’s visit was largely focused on establishing a new partnership model between Kazakhstan and the Bank. Bank lending in Kazakhstan has dropped significantly in recent years and, according to Mr. Wolfensohn, the time has come to apply the Bank’s analytical work to help realize the country’s vision for securing future prosperity. The new Country Partnership Strategy offers an innovative approach to enhancing the competitiveness of the Kazakh economy and diversifying beyond reliance on oil and gas. In this regard Kazakhstan is pioneering a new way for the World Bank Group to work with Middle-Income Countries. The keystone of the new partnership is the Joint Economic Research Program (JERP), co-financed by the World Bank and the Government of Kazakhstan, which is also seen as a model for other Middle-Income Countries. During the visit President Nazarbayev stressed the importance of regional cooperation in such areas as water and energy management, transport and communications, communicable diseases, and praised the World Bank for its guidance and assistance in creating Water and Energy Consortium of Central Asia, and for supporting the first regional HIV/AIDS project. Mr. Wolfensohn’s visit to Kazakhstan also included a visit to the new capital Astana, where he met with Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov and selected members of the Government, and held a lecture at the Gumyliev Eurasian University. After his visit to Kazakhstan, Mr. Wolfensohn traveled to India
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