Kazakh President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev launched the Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan April 15. The ceremony was attended by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Some of Kazakhstan’s brightest stars, including Dimash Kudaibergen, Medet Chotabayev, Nurlan Bekmukhambetov and Maria Mudryak, performed at the concert. The Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan is meant to boost cultural ties between the two countries, among the goals agreed to by Mirziyoyev and Tokayev during Tokayev’s recent state visit to Uzbekistan. Last year was the Year of Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan.
The Astana International Financial Centre will partner with Hong Kong-based investment group Raffles Partners Asset Management to launch professional training for Kazakh specialists, giving them a chance to learn more about attracting investments and preparing companies for initial public offerings (IPOs). To select the candidates, the Continuing Professional Development Bureau at the AIFC will conduct a month-long pre-IPO training session in the Kazakh capital open to all specialists. The best candidates will start a month-long internship in Hong Kong July 8.
A Kazakh delegation took part in the High-Level European Union Conference for Central Asia “Connectivity for Sustainable Development” April 15 in Bucharest. Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko emphasised the need to boost connectivity in the broadest sense and use transport and logistics projects to promote greater economic integration. He informed the gathering on Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics development through its Nurly Zhol programme and the Belt and Road initiative. “Synergies between these programmes create good conditions to attract foreign investments, advanced technologies and promote Kazakh exports. Being the first country on the route of the Chinese initiative to Europe, we are connecting China to Europe and serve as a key component of the Eurasian continental bridge,” he said.
Kazakh tourism companies are taking part in the China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM) exhibition. Eleven Kazakh companies seek to familiarise Chinese visitors with activities in Kazakhstan, tourist routes and Kazakh products. The participation of Kazakh companies was made possible by the support of Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports. “Starting April 1, Chinese citizens can use Kazakhstan’s electronic visa system. For that, the Chinese tour operator has to receive an invitation from a Kazakh tour operator. The invitation number is typed into the website, an electronic payment of $60 is sent and the visa is printed. With this visa, Chinese tourists can fly to Nur-Sultan and Almaty. This is a huge achievement,” said Eurasian Tourism Association head Rysty Karabayeva.
The poems of great Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbayev will be translated into Albanian and Macedonian languages, said Chargé d’Affaires of North Macedonia in Kazakhstan Muarem Medziti. The translation is under way, he said. The works will be available at the National Library in Skopje, where two years ago a Kazakh literature and culture centre opened its doors. Macedonian literature is also available to Kazakh readers at National Library in the Kazakh capital. “In 2017, we opened a Macedonian literature corner here in the library. There are books from Macedonia in Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish and English. We handed over 2,700 books to the library,” said Medziti.
