Per-capita gross domestic product in the oil-rich republic increased in 2005 by an estimated 9.4 percent to $3,620 year on year, and is up by 30 percent since 2003, RIA Novosti quoted the Kazakh prime minister, Danial Akhmetov, on 15 February as saying.  Delivering the government's program for 2006-2008 at a joint sitting of parliament, Akhmetov said his government's main goal will be to create favorable institutional and economic conditions required to increase the country's competitive edge worldwide and raise living standards. According to the prime minister, per-capita GDP will expand another 34 percent to $5,450 by 2008. (www.rian.ru, February 15)