August 15-19, 2011 Group of the World Bank in association with Project Management Consultant made assessment of the progress for construction works and provision of Consultant Services within Project implementation “Western Europe–Western China” in SKO.

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References:  Decision for Project implementation was adopted by the Government of the RK aiming at modernization of one of the key road Corridor in Kazakhstan. Within the Project it is planned to improve the condition of the road sections with the length of 2 800 km, linking China with Russia and Western Europe and also passing through southern and western part of the country. World Bank, through provision of the loan for USD 2.125 billion, finances reconstruction of the road sections in Kyzylorda, South-Kazakhstan and Almaty regions. This is the largest loan in the history of the Bank.

As it was mentioned before by Managing Director of the World Bank, Mrs. Ngozi Okondjo Iveala, during her official visit to Kazakhstan in May of the current year, modification of this key infrastructure already demonstrates the fact that it can serve as a considerable stimulus of growth for the economy, creating new working places, providing more efficient movement of goods and people, increasing traffic safety and strengthening of industrial, agricultural and commercial activity along this historical road.

The main purpose of the Group of the World Bank, arrived in Kazakhstan including Director of the Project Department, Mr. Jacque Bure, Leading Specialist for Matters of Social Development, Mr. Wolfheart Pole, and representative of the Bank in Astana, Mr. Bakhyt Arystanov, was to conduct assessment of the works for Consultants and Contractors, working in two regions of the Republic: South-Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda.

During this visit to the sites of South-Kazakhstan, as well as the conducted meetings and workshops, supervisory pilots were interested in the matters for provision of the use for integrated technical standards, the use of integrated principles regarding environment and social protection, monitoring for implementation of the Resettlement Actions, the received Grievance and Appeals Redress. All these criteria of assessment were officially recorded in Memorandum about mutual understanding between the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the RK and the World Bank. 

During the mission held the representatives of the Financial Institution have conducted a number of meetings with socially vulnerable layers of people and the owners, whose interests have been affected by the Project. Also they have familiarized with the progress of implementation for resettlement actions in the region, aimed at overall compensation for all negative consequences because of reconstruction, i.e. with solving problems, related to the loss of the land plots, which are the source of profit, as well as houses and plots, adjoining the house. Supervisory pilots paid special attention to the activity of non-governmental Organizations of the region.