The VIth Astana Economic Forum has been organized under the auspices of the Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists Association in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Kazakhstan and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana on 22-24 May 2013. The Forum is an international platform organized and conducted with the support and active participation of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, annually.

The mission of the forum was to unite economists and other experts, as well as representatives of the public, in discussing and searching for solutions to socio-economical, legal and cultural issues of Kazakhstan and the world’s economic development. In addition, the Forum has provided economic-development, growth and sustainability recommendations to the Government of Kazakhstan and the governments of the countries participating in the Forum and the Group of Twenty (G-20) nations.

It has brought together over 8000 delegates from 100 different countries, including CEOs, leading politicians, journalists, famous scientists, Nobel Prize winners and representatives of business elite. The 2013 Forum offered the global public leaders responsible for decision making an opportunity to discuss topical issues of international monetary system, socio-economic policy, commodity price settings and economic growth in 2013, social development, infrastructure, innovation and technology, global competitiveness, financial systems, risks and policy response, as well as attraction investments and innovations.

Prof. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, addressed the Innovation Congress on “Innovative Business- The Way to Competitive Economy” organized by the National Agency for Technological Development JSC of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Prof. Alpay presented the findings and recommendations of the “Science, Technology and Innovation in Kazakhstan” Report, prepared by SESRIC under the framework of the Atlas of Islamic-World Science and Innovation (AIWSI) Project, in the plenary session on "Development of National Innovation System as a Response to Global Challenges".

In his speech, Prof. Alpay briefed the delegates on some positive trends on main indicators of innovative activities recorded by Kazakhstan over the past eight years. For instance, with around US$ 227 million, R&D expenditure increased in absolute terms by almost 3 times in 2010 compared to the level of 2003. With around US$ 964 million in 2010, the volume of innovative products has increased 2.1 times compared to the level of 2003. Prof. Alpay highlighted that, since the country's independence in 1991 the share of research activity of local scientists in international publications increased by 3 times. He also indicated that Kazakhstan with $27 of R&D expenditure per capita is far below the OIC average and that of OIC member countries such as Turkey with $132, Tunisia with $103, Gabon with $92, Iran with $89, and Malaysia with $79.

The plenary session was moderated by Mr. John Claxton, Deputy Head of Unit, International Cooperation, DG Research and Innovations, European Commission. The welcoming speech was delivered by H.E. Asset Issekeshev, Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan. H.E Trond Giske, Minister of Industry and Trade of Norway, Mr. George Fitzgerald Smoot III, Professor of physics in University California at Berkeley and Nobel Prize Laureate on physics, Mr. Kenzhegali Sagadiyev, Chairman of the Board, JSC “National Agency for Technological Development”, Mr. Michael Schlicht, Director, Cooperation with Russia and CIS, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and Mr. Byoungsoo Kim, Director of Corporate Development and International Cooperation Department, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning were among the speakers of the session.

Documents

Agenda (English)

Speech

Speech of Prof. Savaş Alpay, Director General, SESRIC (English)

Photos