By empty (2/10/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The Kazakh government is satisfied with the country\'s economic performance in 2002, Prime Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov said on Tuesday. \"Last year\'s developments followed the best-case scenario for our country\'s economy. That is why many of the government\'s goals were met,\" Tasmagambetov said opening a Cabinet session on the results of the country\'s socioeconomic development in 2002.
The Kazakh government is satisfied with the country\'s economic performance in 2002, Prime Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov said on Tuesday. \"Last year\'s developments followed the best-case scenario for our country\'s economy. That is why many of the government\'s goals were met,\" Tasmagambetov said opening a Cabinet session on the results of the country\'s socioeconomic development in 2002. Kairat Kelimbetov, the Economy and Budget Planning Minister, told the session that Kazakhstan\'s GDP in 2002 increased 9.5% from 2001. \"The high rate of economic growth was mainly prompted by increases in goods and services production. Thus, goods output went up by 13% in 2002, while the services sector rose 9.3%,\" he stressed. Kelimbetov said that the country\'s industrial production was up 9.8% in 2002, while the mining sector\'s output increased by 14.7%. The foreign trade surplus stood at $2.2 billion in 2002, compared to $1.3 billion the year before. He also noted that the United States\' and the European Union\'s recognition of Kazakhstan as a country with a market economy helped increase the country\'s foreign trade. (Interfax-Kazakhstan)