Last August, Mr. Akhmetzhan Yessimov, a man with a great economic and diplomatic experience and former Akim (Mayor) of Almaty, appointed Chairman of Astana EXPO-2017 by the President of Kazakhstan. For the energy rich Central Asian country, EXPO-2017 is more than just an exhibition. It is an event that will put Kazakhstan in the international spotlight throughout the whole of 2017. Mr. Yessimov explained in an exclusive interview with Modern Diplomacy, his personal vision on Expo 2017 and the ways Astana Expo will improve the public image of Kazakhstan.
What is your personal vision on Expo 2017 and how will this important event affect the infrastructural development in Astana?
Kazakhstan is the first country of Central Asia accepting the exhibition with a century of history. Holding of EXPO in Astana will give an impulse for development of upper levels of economy – science and knowledge-intensive industries. For Kazakhstan holding of EXPO is primarily economic and infrastructure project.
All progressive ideas and innovations in the field of new energy from the planet will be concentrated at the same venue in Astana. We expect a great number of participants as the theme “Energy of the Future” combines two the most pressing challenges for mankind, ecology and traditional power relief actions in global economy.
Presently 51 countries including France, Germany, the Great Britain, China, Japan, and India confirmed their participation in the exhibition. We expect more than a hundred. The most densely populated regions of Southeast Asia with great number of “tourist mobile” residents showed interest to EXPO-2017. Eleven international organizations, including the World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO, IAEA and others confirmed their participation.
Great interest to EXPO in Astana is shown by the innovative companies of the USA Silicon Valley as Google Earth, Stanford Global Thermostat, Obscura Digital, and Planet Labs. Holding of EXPO will be included into a triad of events, historically important for Kazakhstan, along with the 25th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the 20th anniversary of the capital of Astana. Due to existing hydrocarbon dependence in the world, shift to alternative energy sources is inevitable. Developed and developing countries equally need “green” technologies. We are for universal development of alternative energy sources. EXPO will acquaint the world with more flexible, economic and effective power sources, against the background of negative processes currently proceeding in power field.
At the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan suggested to make the country a world hub for distribution of green technologies after closure of the World Fair EXPO-2017. EXPO on the theme “Energy of the Future” in Astana will entirely support the initiative of the UN “Sustainable Energy for All”. Healthy global ecological environment is essential for mankind. EXPO-2017 in Astana will bring up a concern of climate change and reduction of environmental emissions.
The exhibition will move up the sphere of rendering services to the international quality standards. We prepare complex infrastructure optimization for the exhibition – land and air transport systems as well as all city services will be ready to accept a large stream of guests. Our objective is not only to pay back invested funds, but also to create perspective infrastructure which will be useful for the city and the country after the exhibition. One cannot write off image-based benefits for further promotion of Kazakhstan initiatives in the world.
In what ways will Astana Expo improve the public image of Kazakhstan? How do you plan to promote Expo2017 and attract participants and visitors around the world?
Kazakhstan, the ninth country in the world with variety of natural landscapes has enormous tourist potential. When 2011 Asian Winter Games took place in Almaty I was Akim of the City, and I am familiar with details of administrative work at outstanding events. After Aziada a stream of foreign tourists increased several-fold, for example, to Shymbulak, a ski resort. I can tell with confidence that we have a developed tourism cluster in large cities belt. In 2016 we will enter an active phase of attraction of member countries to the exhibition.
The exhibition will accept 2.5 million people and over 5 million visits.The effect from visiting EXPO-2017 will replicate on expansion of tourist opportunities of the regions of Kazakhstan.
We have already signed contracts with the largest world international tour operators, including Indian Skyway International Travels, STIC Travel Group, and Chinese CITS, and we are also intended to work with German TUI Group and others.Guests will be able not only to visit the exhibition, but also to see all tourist variety of Kazakhstan.We will provide tour packages as “EXPO + Burabay”, “EXPO + Baykonyr”, “EXPO + Alakol”, “EXPO + Charyn”, “EXPO + Karkaralinsk” and others. We have presented the program “Recommended by EXPO-2017” which would provide the tourists only with the best goods and services during their stay in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan EXPO-2015 pavilion in Milan was among the top three of the most visited ones and was ready to accept the millionth visitor. Pavilion of Kazakhstan in Milan was quintessence of national traditions and modern achievements of the country.
How important is the sustainable energy policy and its promotion for the Astana Expo 2017 and for the international recognition of Kazakhstan itself?
Kazakhstan possesses serious raw materials and energy resources.At the end of the last century the Republic joined the world leaders in oil export. Despite advantages, in long-term prospects it is not the most favourable scenario for development of economy. Dependence on hydrocarbons will result in gradual stagnation of economy.Substantial adherence to prices for oil and gas, negative consequences from fluctuations in the raw market have already collapsed economies of a series of countries.The perspective to shift to alternative energy sources is particularly acute around the world.
In the last decades problems in power field became sources for global crises.New energy is interesting for the countries which are concerned in diversification of economy. Nowadays focus is shifted from obtaining oil and gas dividends to new, more flexible sources of power and income. Ecological aspect is also important. Presently our objective is to reconcile industrial development with requirements of nature conservation.We need to expand utilization of low-carbon technologies with maximum possible methods of recycling.
Kazakhstan is intended to become a world hub for development of green power. New energy has to become a tool to start up economy of the future. EXPO-2017 will give a new direction for development of power field in Kazakhstan and all over the world. Kazakhstan is ready to actively join in this process.
How will you use the buildings and infrastructure after the event has finished?
Post-exhibition integration of EXPO-2017 facilities into city architecture and economy is a difficult but resolvable issue. In this matter we considered organizational errors of some fulfilled exhibitions. Kazakhstan EXPO structures are constructed with due account for all post-exhibition risks and are already designed for future owners. Today I can state that International Financial Center (IFC) will be located at particular part of exhibition territory. The curator of IFC construction is the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Akimat (Administration) of the City of Astana. At the moment the task team is created to work over issues connected with construction of IFC. The International Financial Center will be working according to the principles of English law. Attractive tax conditions, privileges and preferences will be provided for the members of IFC.
I can assure that the territory of the exhibition will be almost completely integrated into the city infrastructure. Astana is a new center, which constantly require various social facilities and in this context exhibition structures will be foremost applied.
