Paddling Yessil With Astana’s Growing SUP Community 

On summer weekends, stand-up paddleboards have become an increasingly familiar sight on the Yessil River and waterways beyond the capital. Some people come for an easy evening...


From Paris to Mangystau: Kazakh Cinema Goes Global 

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s film industry is strengthening its international presence as local filmmakers expand cooperation abroad while the country attracts major international productions. Two projects this summer...


Shanghai Spirit at 25: New Model for Multilateral Cooperation

Andijan’s train station sits on the eastern edge of Uzbekistan’s rail network and is gearing up for a larger role in regional connectivity. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is...


DELF 2026: Hong Kong Advances AI Integration Across Arts and Entertainment

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong SAR government is moving from AI strategy planning to active execution focusing on infrastructure expansion and application-driven development. This was announced...


China Consolidates Position as Kazakhstan’s Top Trading Partner

ASTANA – China is strengthening its position as Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner, overtaking Russia in the country’s foreign trade structure. In January-June, China accounted for 23.2% of...


News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Global Ties, Economic Outlook, Abai’s Legacy and More 

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Singapore-Kazakhstan relations, political and economic developments, energy...


Experts Say Kazakhstan’s New Kurultai Leadership Reflects Diversity, Faces Heavy Legislative Agenda

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new unicameral legislature, the Kurultai, elected its leadership and heads of eight standing committees during the first session of its first convocation on Aug....


Summer Takes Final Bow With Music, Theater and More

ASTANA – Summer is slipping away, but the cultural calendar is not going quietly. Across Astana and Almaty, the final weekend of August brings live music, theater,...


Why Data Is Becoming Next Fuel-Saving Tool for Central Asian Airlines

ASTANA – Airlines are expected to spend around $350 billion on fuel this year, nearly one-third of their operating costs, as global industry profitability comes under pressure...


Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Takes on Legislative Modernization and Institutional Reform

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has outlined a broad legislative and institutional agenda for Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai, calling on deputies to modernize national legislation, strengthen the quality...


Semipalatinsk Legacy 35 Years On: Can Research Translate Into Care?

ASTANA — Thirty-five years after Kazakhstan closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, researchers and community advocates say its legacy still shapes health, science and policy. As evidence...


Singapore’s Lee: Nations Must Keep Reinventing to Stay Competitive

ASTANA – Singapore’s experience shows that countries seeking long-term economic competitiveness must be prepared to adapt their policies and institutions to changing circumstances continuously, Senior Minister Lee...


Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Session Begins in Astana

ASTANA – The first session of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai of the first convocation began on Aug. 28, marking the start of work of the country’s new unicameral legislature....


AI Can Do More, Humans Still Matter, Experts Say

ASTANA – As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into business and government processes, human expertise remains critical to ensuring effective decision-making, experts said at an Aug. 26...


35 Years After Semipalatinsk: From Nuclear Tragedy to Global Responsibility

On Aug. 29, 1991, Kazakhstan made a decision that would shape not only its own history, but also its place in the world. By decree, the Semipalatinsk...


Kazakhstan Seeks to Expand Non-Commodity Exports to South Korea Through Direct Business Ties

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is seeking to turn growing trade with South Korea into broader opportunities for domestic producers, with more than 200 representatives of businesses and government...


Samruk Kazyna Posts Strong Financial Results, Increases Support for Domestic Producers

ASTANA – Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund reported financial results above its targets for the first seven months of 2026, while increasing procurement from domestic producers as...


Key Appointments, New Government: What Comes After Kazakhstan’s Kurultai Vote

ASTANA – With Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election concluded and the new unicameral Parliament set to convene for its inaugural session tomorrow, attention now turns to the institutional...


Kazakhstan Expands Air Connectivity as New Routes, Digital Border Controls Reshape Travel

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity while investing in digital technologies designed to make border and aviation services faster, signaling a broader effort to...


Adventure Tourism and Global Events Can Put Kazakhstan at Central Asia’s Tourism Center

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is positioning tourism as more than a source of visitor spending, seeking to build a regional hub that connects adventure travel, international events and...


Experts: Political Trust Sets Stage for Next Phase of Kazakhstan-Singapore Partnership

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Singapore need to translate strong political ties and mutual trust into tangible economic outcomes, including more investment, joint projects and technology exchange, as...


Kazakhstan Makes 50 Government Services Available Through eGov GPT

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has made 50 government services available through eGov GPT, allowing citizens to access them through a chat-based interface without visiting a Public Service Center...


Resources Are Not Enough: How Energy Routes Are Becoming Geopolitical Battleground in Eurasia

ASTANA — For decades, the geopolitics of energy was largely understood through a familiar map of resource abundance: the Persian Gulf held vast oil and gas reserves,...


Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai: New Chapter for Parliamentary Institutions

The election of August 23 should be understood as more than just the beginning of a new parliamentary term. It represents an important institutional founding moment. The...


Can Kazakhstan’s AI Strategy Deliver Both Growth and Smarter Governance?

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving toward a broader AI-driven transformation of the economy and public services under a government action plan that sets measurable digitalization targets through...


262 Foreign IT Specialists Receive Digital Nomad Status in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – A total of 262 foreign IT specialists have received residency or visa statuses in Kazakhstan under the Digital Nomad Residency and Digital Nomad Visa programs,...


Central Asia Explores Islamic Finance as Path to Greater Financial Connectivity

TASHKENT – Islamic finance is emerging as a potential new channel for connecting Central Asia with global capital, as Uzbekistan works to build regulatory and market infrastructure...


Experts: Kazakhstan’s Oil Export Strategy Faces Growing Need for Diversification

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s decision to cut its 2026 oil production target from 98 million tonnes to 96 million tonnes after disruptions affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)...


AqylSu: Turning Kazakhstan’s Shanghai AI Vision Into Working Water Platform

Kazakhstan boasts to have an AI diplomacy and a digital-government track record. What it is missing is a platform that turns both into water reaching the people...


What Will Drive Next Wave of Investment in Central Asia

TASHKENT – Investors increasingly want predictable policies, credible financial regulation, functioning capital markets, digital infrastructure, a talent pool and transparent governance, as Central Asia seeks to strengthen...