ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 21. Kazakhstan and the World Bank have discussed cooperation in the public utilities sector, Trend reports.
Discussions on this topic took place between the Vice Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan Kuandyk Kazhkenov and representatives of the World Bank.
As Kazhkenov noted, the Ministry is implementing the "Program for the construction and reconstruction of sewerage treatment facilities." Of the 89 cities, 69 require the construction and reconstruction of sewage treatment facilities.
In order to develop a "Strategy for the Reuse of Treated Wastewater and Residual Sludge in the conditions of Kazakhstan”, an extradepartmental working group was created together with the World Bank Group, industry, government bodies, and experts in this field. The working group will work on technical, regulatory, and potential aspects of the use of treated wastewater in the industrial and public utilities sectors.
"Cooperation with the World Bank in the public utilities sector is a significant and promising initiative. Taking into account the international experience of the organization in this area, it is possible not only to modernize the infrastructure, but also to improve the environmental situation," Kazhkenov noted.
At the end of the meeting, WB representatives spoke about ongoing projects, the process of issuing loans, and opportunities for co-financing projects.
Notably, the World Bank's total loan amount for Kazakhstan exceeds $9.17 billion. Kazakhstan took 23rd place among the countries with the largest volume of the loan portfolio from the WB.
The World Bank's cooperation in Kazakhstan spans more than 30 years and is presently governed by the Kazakhstan Country Cooperation Framework (CPF 2020–2025).