ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated a selection of articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes topics such as the national referendum on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, the Middle Corridor, a Kazakh film at the 2025 Oscars and more.
Near Almaty. Photo credit: Shutterstock.
Why Kazakhstan is pursuing its own nuclear power programme
South China Morning Post published an op-ed by Akan Rakhmetullin, the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan. The article argues that Kazakhstan has good reason to consider nuclear energy, in service of both its own interests and adding to global climate change efforts.
“Our country has several reasons to consider nuclear energy. A primary factor is the rapidly growing energy consumption. In 2023, Kazakhstan became a net importer of electricity as it struggled with a power deficit. While we continue to develop renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, only nuclear power can provide the large-scale, stable supply needed,” the article notes.
According to the author, Kazakhstan has a strong reputation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and is a reliable partner in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. “We closed the Semipalatinsk test site in 1991 and voluntarily relinquished what was then the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, which was stationed on our territory,” the article reads.
Kazakhstan’s nuclear power will be a step in the right direction
Kazakhstan is just a step away from reducing harmful carbon emission and achieving a cleaner environment as it prepares to hold a national referendum on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, according to an article published by Times of Oman on Sept. 21.
The article informs that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that the referendum, which is scheduled on Oct. 6, is a clear example of the ‘Listening State’ concept, aimed at seeking the approval of his compatriots. In his traditional Address to the Nation, President Tokayev emphasized the need for nuclear power, citing the growing global energy deficit and the country’s demand for reliable, clean energy sources.
Currently, nearly 80% of electricity in Kazakhstan is generated by burning coal, approximately 15% is produced by hydropower, and the remainder comes from renewable energy sources. Adding nuclear power to the current energy mix will certainly be a step forward for future development of the country.
Oscars 2025: Kazakhstan picks Bauryna Salu for International Feature Race
Submissions for the 97th Oscars in the Best International Feature category are coming in thick and fast as countries rush to submit their entries before the Nov. 14 deadline. Kazakhstan is the latest to pick a national contender, selecting Askhat Kuchinchirekov’s coming-of-age tale Bauryna Salu, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter on Sept. 23.
Bauryna Salu focuses on a young boy in rural Kazakhstan who is handed over to his grandmother at birth, in accordance with the nomadic tradition of Bauryna Salu, where a close relative, rather than the child’s birth parents, is tasked with raising the child to adulthood.
Singapore and Kazakhstan discuss collaborative outcomes from recent state visit
In Diplomacy published an article on Sept. 26 about the meeting between Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu.
“Balakrishnan discussed the critical importance of quality and timely execution of tasks related to the outcomes of the state visit by the President of Kazakhstan to Singapore in May. This discussion aimed to ensure that the agreements and directives established during the visit were effectively implemented,” the article notes.
The talks emphasized the need for both nations to collaborate closely to fulfill the instructions resulting from the state visit, which aimed at enhancing bilateral relations and fostering cooperation across various sectors. Both officials acknowledged the significance of maintaining momentum in their partnership and highlighted areas where swift action is necessary to realize the mutual benefits discussed during the presidential meetings.
Kazakhstan and China to increase cargo transportation along Trans-Caspian Route
The Times of Central Asia released an article on Sept. 26 about the first meeting of the Kazakh-Chinese working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, connecting China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the members agreed on the projected volumes of cargo transportation from China to Europe and in the opposite direction along the TITR until the end of 2029.
Kazakhstan and China plan to increase the volume of cargo transportation along the TITR to 600 container trains per year in 2025 and 2026. By 2027, this number will rise to 1,000 container trains, and by 2029, it will reach 2,000.
Kaka: This was Kazakhstan’s greatest futsal victory
Head coach of the Kazakhstan national futsal team and former Brazilian professional footballer Ricardo Kaka reacted to Kazakhstan stunning victory over Portugal to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024 on Sept. 26, as reported by FIFA.
“I think it was Kazakhstan’s greatest futsal victory,” coach Kaka told FIFA. “I think given the team situation, with injuries and [Leo’s] suspension, today’s win is the most important in the history of Kazakh futsal. We have to keep going. We have to think about bigger things. Now we have to stay focused, not get carried away by emotions, and have enough energy to prepare for the quarter-finals,” he said.
