Efficient and transparent access to justice services for the population
ASTANA, April 29, 2014 – Today, the Government of Kazakhstan signed a $36 million loan agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to support institutional strengthening of the justice sector in Kazakhstan.
The loan agreement was signed by Bakhyt Sultanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Sebnem Akkaya, Country Manager for Kazakhstan, for the World Bank (IBRD).
Kazakhstan has taken measures to modernize its justice system to increase institutional capacity, operational efficiency, service quality, and public trust. Today, the country sharpens its focus on responsiveness and transparency of Kazakhstan’s core justice sector entities across the judiciary and executive.
"Funds allocated for the project will ensure further modernization of the legal system of Kazakhstan aimed at strengthening the institutional framework and support of the ongoing legal reforms," said Bakhyt Sultanov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The new Justice Sector Institutional Strengthening Project is aimed to improve the key legal arrangements governing the relationship between the state, businesses and citizens, as well as to improve the efficiency, transparency, and access to justice services in Kazakhstan.
“An effectively functioning justice system with the appropriate skills mix is key to an investor-friendly business climate and access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized population,” highlighted Sebnem Akkaya, World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan. “The new project is designed to help strengthen the implementation of key elements of the legal and institutional framework. This will help facilitate development of the private sector, enable self-regulation of professional bodies, and introduce modern and transparent dispute resolution systems.”
The project is envisaged as a technical assistance to provide capacity-building and monitoring and evaluation support over a 5-year period.
On March 19, 2014, the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved a US$ 36 million loan to co-finance the Project totaling US$ 60 million. The IBRD loan carries a 5-year grace period, and a maturity of 15 years.
The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan is responsible for servicing and acquittance of the loan from the state budget, according to the financial terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement. The project will be launched once ratified by the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
