Kazakhstan Invites Investors

By The Moscow Times

April 18, 2013

Kazakhstan on Thursday lifted a moratorium on issuing new mineral exploration licenses to develop new deposits in the non-oil sector and invited investors to submit bids for rights to develop its vast mineral riches.

"The Industry and New Technologies Ministry officially announces the beginning of accepting bids from potential investors in an open tender for rights for subsoil use at a number of license areas," the ministry said in a statement.

It did not name these areas or the timing for the auction.

Kazakhstan, a resource-rich Central Asian nation five times the size of France, imposed a four-year moratorium on issuing new licenses for subsoil use in 2008 as it was adopting a new tax code, saying it needed "to put this sector in order."

(Reuters)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue