BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 3. Asian Development Bank (ADB) opts for several destinations to promote inclusive growth in Kazakhstan, ADB Country Director for Kazakhstan, Nariman Mannapbekov, told Trend.
"To reduce spatial inequalities, promote transport and trade, provide access to markets for the private sector, and improve access to basic services, ADB will focus on addressing the gaps in its transport infrastructure network by improving (including climate-proofing) major road and railway transport corridors, including transborder trade routes," he said.
To further support the well-being of citizens, the ADB plans to assist in enhancing access to municipal services, healthcare, and education through a combination of sovereign and public-private partnership (PPP) solutions.
As the country director noted, a comprehensive regional inequality study, backed by the ADB, has shed light on the social, economic, and productivity disparities between different regions in Kazakhstan. These disparities pose a risk to the hard-earned development achievements of previous decades.
"Some regions in the country are at risk of economic stagnation by falling into a "development trap," Mannapbekov added.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the ADB will continue its study and provide valuable guidance to public decision-makers. This guidance will focus on fiscal decentralization and the implementation of place-sensitive policies, promoting balanced economic development and ultimately improving the overall quality of life for all citizens.
