ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s reflections on global stability, a historic Olympic triumph by Mikhail Shaidorov, Almaty’s selection to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games, deepening UK-Kazakhstan economic ties, and more.
Photo credit: The Astana Times
Reliability is the new power
The National Interest released an article by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Feb. 18.
“The world is entering an era where stability has become one of the rarest strategic resources. Conflicts are multiplying, geopolitical rivalry is sharpening, and international institutions are increasingly strained by gridlock, polarization, and declining public trust.
For decades, global politics was shaped by a version of globalism that was not inherently flawed. Its stated ambition – to build an interconnected and inclusive international order – was, at least on paper, rational and constructive.
However, over time, that concept became distorted. It evolved into a model built on excessive ideological assumptions: inclusiveness without responsibility, freedoms without limits, and moral superiority (or exceptionalism) that dismissed the views of sovereign-minded societies, pragmatic policymakers, and those guided by common sense,” reads the article.
Mikhail Shaidorov’s triumph marks historic Olympic figure skating gold for Kazakhstan
Reuters reported on Mikhail Shaidorov’s victory in the men’s figure skating final at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 13.
“Sitting in the leader’s chair, Mikhail Shaidorov watched one contender after another falter, each mistake sharpening the sense of an upset unfolding, the realisation dawning that the Olympic title was shifting, unmistakably in his direction.
The 21-year-old from Kazakhstan delivered the performance of his life to win the men’s figure skating title at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Friday – a colossal upset in an event that many believed had been all but decided,” reads the article.
Kazakhstan to host 2029 Asian Winter Games
Almaty has been named as the new venue by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), reported the BBC on Feb. 5.
The decision was announced at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, where OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Kazakhstan for its commitment to developing winter sports.
“We have no doubt we will build on this legacy and deliver an unforgettable Games in 2029,” he said.
Why UK-Kazakhstan economic cooperation matters today
IntelliNews released an article on Feb. 19 by Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev assessing UK-Kazakhstan cooperation.
“Economic relationships that endure are those anchored in substance: trade, investment, production, skills and shared standards. The partnership between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom increasingly reflects this practical foundation. More than three decades after the establishment of diplomatic relations, our cooperation is defined by measurable economic engagement and institutional depth.
For Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom, this means moving towards a partnership that aligns capital, standards and long-term economic priorities.
The scale of our engagement is growing. In 2025, bilateral trade turnover reached $1.62 billion, an increase of 83.6% compared to 2024. Kazakhstan’s exports to the UK rose by over 190%, reaching $1.22 billion. Since 1993, cumulative British foreign direct investment into Kazakhstan has reached approximately $23 billion, placing the United Kingdom among our top ten investors. In 2024 alone, UK investment totalled $723.7 million, with a further $471.5 million invested in the first nine months of 2025. Today, 516 enterprises with British participation operate in Kazakhstan,” the article reads.
Kazakhstan launches pilot rice export to Belgium via TITR
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ), has achieved a remarkable milestone by executing a pilot export delivery of Kazakh crushed rice to the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, utilizing the efficient Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR or Middle Corridor), Trend reported on Feb. 18.
“The transportation was arranged in a multimodal format, utilizing a combination of railway infrastructure and maritime lines across the Caspian and Black Seas. The logistics chain is structured along the route “Kyzylorda–Port of Aktau–Port of Poti–Port of Antwerp.”
The maritime leg of the journey between the ports of Poti and Antwerp is carried out in collaboration with the international shipping giant CMA CGM Group.
Previously, cargo deliveries in this direction were primarily conducted via a land-based route through the Semiglaviy Mar border crossing, with subsequent transit through Brest and Duisburg,” reads the article.
