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 legacy of Abai Kunanbaiuly, Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala conservation initiative, new private museum in Almaty and more.
Astana. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Discovering Abai Kunanbaiuly: The legacy of Kazakhstan’s poet, philosopher and musician
In the latest Modern Nomads episode, released on Nov. 27, Euronews explored the enduring legacy of Abai Kunanbaiuly, Kazakhstan’s greatest poet, philosopher and cultural figure. From literature to opera, his influence continues to shape Kazakhstan’s modern identity.
“A prominent figure in the history of Kazakhstan, Abai Kunanbaiuly forged a bridge between Eastern and Western thought through his poetry, philosophy and music.
Known as the founder of Kazakh literature, his writings on love, justice and society remain influential today.
His work, still studied at institutions such as Nazarbayev University, has inspired modern Kazakh poets. Abai’s legacy lives on in the opera Abai, which blends traditional Kazakh music with European opera, showcasing the timeless fusion of cultures he championed,” the article reads.
Ice Age antelopes surge back from the brink of extinction
The Economist published an article on Nov. 28 about Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative that earned the 2024 Earthshot Prize in the Protect and Restore Nature category for protecting the critically endangered saiga antelope.
“The long-nosed saiga antelope, a rare species that roams the steppes of Kazakhstan, is having a moment. Boasting majestic ridged horns that are prized in Chinese medicine, it was once hunted to the brink of extinction. But conservation efforts have been so successful that saiga numbers have rocketed by 6,900% in just under two decades to reach 2.8 million, compared with fewer than 40,000 in 2005. Some 95% of these prehistoric-looking beasts-which were contemporaries of long-extinct species like the woolly mammoth and the sabre-toothed tiger back in the Ice Age—are found in Kazakhstan,” the article notes.
Major new museum to open in Almaty, showcasing Kazakh and Central Asian art
Euronews released an article on Nov. 28 about the Almaty Museum of Arts – the first private museum of regional modern and contemporary art in Central Asia, which will open in summer 2025.
“Kazakh automotive magnate, philanthropist and avid art enthusiast Nurlan Smagulov has built up a collection of over 700 artworks: from seminal Kazakh and Central Asian artists including Almagul Menlibayeva and Shaimardan Sariyev to acclaimed international figures like Alicja Kwade, Yinka Shonibare and Richard Serra. Soon this artistic bounty will be on show to the public at Almaty Museum of Arts, and belong to the city itself,” the article reads.
Set to be the first museum of its kind in the region, the Almaty Museum of Arts will focus on presenting and preserving modern and contemporary art from Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The museum and its collection will be gifted to the city of Almaty – Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis and former capital.
Central Asia’s Green Transition Goals Highlighted at COP29
The Diplomat published an expert article on Nov. 26 on COP29, noting that as the most industrialized of the Central Asian states, Kazakhstan has reaffirmed its commitment to a green transition. The country adopted a Green Economy Plan in 2013 with the aim of generating 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2050. It has also adopted a strategy to become a carbon neutral country by 2060 with an interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030.
“At COP29, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that Central Asia, despite contributing just 1% of global emissions, faces significant climate risks. He emphasized the need for advanced technologies, such as AI and satellite monitoring, for more effective land and water management.
Special Representative for International Environmental Cooperation Zulfiya Suleimenova announced that Kazakhstan will strive to complete the development of regulatory acts on methane, aiming to reduce non-emergency methane venting and promote leak detection and repair in the oil and gas sector, as well as to finalize the National Program for Methane Emissions Reduction by COP 30 in 2025,” the article reads.
Putin says Russia ready for new large-scale projects with Kazakhstan
Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted “good prospects” for cooperation between Moscow and Astana in fields such as alternative and clean energy, environmental protection, and climate change, Anadolu Ajansi reported on Nov. 27.
Putin emphasized that his country is ready for new large-scale projects with Kazakhstan.
Calling Russia one of Kazakhstan’s largest economic partners, Putin said Moscow and Astana are engaged in constructive cooperation in the oil and gas sector, with more than 80% of the Central Asian nation’s exports passing through Russian territory.
Kazakhstan intends to increase capacity of TITR and North-South transit corridors
Kazakhstan intends to increase the capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, and the North-South corridor, Azernews reported on Nov. 29, citing the Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev.
It was noted that in the first 10 months of this year, traffic along the TITR increased by 68%, reaching 3.8 million tons.
He added that “due to changes in global logistics routes,” the importance of the North-South corridor is growing every day.
The minister noted that a roadmap for the synchronized development of the corridor with Iran, Turkmenistan and Russia was signed in July. To attract more cargo traffic along this corridor, Kazakhstan has introduced special tariff discounts of 50% for transit transportation. Additionally, efforts are underway to establish a Single Logistics Operator on the eastern North-South route, similar to the United Transport and Logistics Company (UTLC).
Kazakhstan is getting ready to become a world-class tourism destination
The World Tourism Network (WTN) has expressed its readiness to help Kazakhstan position tourism as a strong pillar of its economy, alongside its oil and gas wealth, eturbonews.com reported on Nov. 26.
Visit Almaty invited the WTN to participate in a government tourism training session in Kazakhstan.
