Ruhani Zhangyru: Nazarbayev’s Model

The recent article by the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, titled “The Seven Facets of the Great Steppe”, which is in the continuation of his earlier article “Ruhani Zhangyru...


Shymkent Oil Refinery completes modernisation, improves fuel and environmental standards

ASTANA – The Shymkent Oil Refinery recently completed a modernisation allowing it to meet Euro-4 and Euro-5 fuel standards while making the refinery more environmentally friendly. The $1.8 billion...


Kazakhstan Highway Research Institute develops new road survey system

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Highway Research Institute (KazNorDII) has developed a road asset management system. Beginning with the East Kazakhstan region, the database will use machines and up-to-date digital...


A new look at Kazakhstan’s history builds bridges to the future

Winston Churchill is among those credited with the observation that it is the victors who write the history books. He was reminding us that the version of history with...


Economy News in Brief

Kazakhstan is having a record year for investments in environmental protection, finprom.kz reports. During the first 10 months of 2018, 61.1 billion tenge (US$163.55 million) has been invested, almost...


Business news in brief

Kazakhstan-based transformer manufacturer Alageum Electric will sign an agreement to purchase goods not yet produced with KEGOC, Chair of Alageum Electric’s directors’ board Yerkebulan Ilyasov told the energy forum....


IAEA purchases low-enriched uranium for LEU Bank in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has signed contracts to purchase low-enriched uranium (LEU) to start operation of a Low-Enriched Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan in 2019. The...


Annual diplomatic Christmas bazaar raises funds for charity

ASTANA – The 11th annual Diplomatic Christmas Charity Bazaar organised by the Ambassadors’ Spouses Association (ASA) took place Dec. 2 in Astana. Forty-six embassies, charity organisations and schools sold...


External News in Brief

Kazakhstan’s Daneliya Tuleshova took sixth place at the Junior Eurovision song contest hosted by Minsk, Belarus. It was Kazakhstan’s debut at the contest, which gathered junior vocalists aged nine...


National news in brief

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed the government to increase pensions 7 percent and social allowances for persons with disabilities and loss of a breadwinner 5 percent from Jan. 1,...


Kazakh President urges larger role for NGOs in Kazakh society

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed at the Nov. 27 eighth Civil Forum of Kazakhstan the importance of reducing barriers to interaction between the state and society. The...


Central Asian self-governance enabled by greater regionalism, say scholars

ASTANA – Central Asia is shedding its image as a mere domain of competition among great powers and increasingly asserting its agency, said a Swedish scholar in a recent...


West Kazakhstan region supports small businesses, productivity growth

ASTANA – The West Kazakhstan region ranks third in the country with a 40-percent share of the medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the gross regional product. This indicator was achieved...


Growing bilateral relationship noted at celebration of Omani National Day in Astana

ASTANA – The ambassador of Oman to Kazakhstan spoke with The Astana Times about political, economic and cultural relations between the two nations during the Nov. 21 celebration of...


Kazakhstan and UAE boost production projects, discuss aerospace industry cooperation

ASTANA – First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan​ met Nov. 25 in Abu-Dhabi  to...


Kazakh Healthcare Ministry proposes reducing confidential abortion age to 16

ASTANA – Kazakh Vice Minister of Healthcare Lyazzat Aktayeva suggested reducing the age when adolescents can have an abortion without their parents’ permission (confidentially) to 16 during a Majilis...


Kazakhs and Cossack communities share historical roots, cultural similarities, says community leader

ASTANA – The Akmola Department of Cossacks serves as the region’s ethno-cultural organisation for Cossacks, who number approximately 100,000 in Kazakhstan. The similar-sounding ethnonyms Cossack and Kazakh in the...


Romania to mark 100th anniversary of Great Union with cultural celebrations

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan celebrates its First President’s Day Dec. 1, Romania will be celebrating 100 years since its Great Union. The date marks the union of all of...


Kazakhstan to streamline rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures

ASTANA – The Kazakh government approved the draft law “On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on improving rehabilitation and bankruptcy procedures” at the Nov....


Sharipova forced to postpone fight for WBC champion belt

ASTANA – Kazakh boxer Firuza Sharipova has postponed her fight with World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Eva Wahlström of Finland originally scheduled for Dec. 22 in St. Petersburg, Russia....


Mangistau region: land of 362 saints and historical monuments

ASTANA – The Mangistau region, located in south western Kazakhstan, is known for a myriad of historical sites. Though the region is better known for its vast oil and...


TEDxAbayStWomen, TEDxYouth@AbaySt promote openness, provoke conversation that matters

ASTANA – Almaty residents and guests will have a chance to immerse in the TED Talk experience, famous for its “ideas worth spreading” mission, as the city will host...


Language policy programme brings positive results, considers Kazakh terminology update

ASTANA – The state programme on language development and functioning is in full swing throughout the country. More than 42,000 people have attended language courses at the training centres...


PetroKazakhstan sponsors open youth tennis tournament in Shymkent

ASTANA – More than 70 children participated in a recent open tennis tournament in Shymkent. The tournament was sponsored by PetroKazakhstan Oil Products (PKOP) as part of an ongoing...


Almaty hosts national electronic sports finals, winners advance towards $5.5 million competition in China

ASTANA – The winners of the Nov. 11 Kazakhstan national final of the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) cybersports world championship in Almaty will participate in the online Central...


Kazakh research institute to enact comprehensive plan to counter cancer mortality

ASTANA – The Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology has prepared a 35 billion tenge (US$93.88 million) action plan to reduce cancer mortality rates for the next year,...


Construction to begin in Astana in 2019 on Kazakhstan’s second World Trade Centre

ASTANA – The World Trade Centres Association (WTCA) will begin construction in late 2019 of Kazakhstan’s second $200-million World Trade Centre (WTC), reports Tengrinews.kz. A WTC is a building...


Local pharmaceutical plants to provide majority of essential medicines, increase production

ASTANA – Local pharmaceutical plants will provide 1,144 essential medicines for free in 2019, according to a Nov. 23 report by the Central Communications Service. The list includes drugs...


Fab Lab at Nazarbayev University promotes material innovation, tech savvy

ASTANA – Nazarbayev University’s Fab Lab (fabrication laboratory), is a place where innovative solutions are nurtured with the help of engineering and fabrications tools. The lab, part of the...


Astana considers designated parking for electric vehicles, introduction of electric buses

ASTANA – Astana’s 2018-2020 comprehensive plan to make the capital a greener city calls for designated parking spaces for electric vehicles at all socially significant facilities, administrative buildings and...


Kazakhstan presents proposals for new EU Strategy on Central Asia

BRUSSELS – The Belgian capital hosted the Nov. 23 European Union-Central Asia ministerial meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and the European...


Kazakh Government to lower electricity, garbage collection tariffs

ASTANA – Tariffs for electricity, natural gas, coal, heating, water, capital house maintenance firms and telecommunication will decrease Jan. 1, 2019, said Kazakh ministers at a Nov. 26 government...


New Turkestan Oblast, beaming with opportunities, set for remarkable growth, governor says

In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Akim (Governor) of the recently created Turkestan Oblast Zhanseit Tuimebayev discusses the significance of the step and the impressive prospects for the development...


Transparency International notes Kazakh progress in countering corruption, official says

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has cut corruption in the form of bribes by one third and the percentage of citizens focused on stopping corruption has doubled in the last three...


Eurasian Intergovernmental Council discusses economic cooperation in Minsk

ASTANA – Prime ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union member states met Nov. 27 in Minsk, Belarus to discuss economic cooperation, the status of previous agreements and future cooperation....


AIFC law conference presents new ways for business cooperation

ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) introduced its services and cooperation opportunities to a local and international audience at its Nov. 23 law conference. The event included...


Kazpost issues stamp commemorating Kazakhstan’s membership on UN Security Council

ASTANA– The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs held Nov. 26 a ceremony marking the issuance of a postage stamp from the memorable and jubilee dates series titled Membership of...


Young artist uses art to draw a connection between Great Steppe and human soul

ASTANA – Young artist Adil Aubekerov opened his personal exhibit “Lines and Destinations” Nov. 22 at TSE Art Destination. The show will continue through Jan. 12. “Adil Aubekerov, an...


Afghan-American activist, entrepreneur presents in Astana comic books centred around characters with disabilities

ASTANA – U.S.-based motivator and activist for people with physical challenges Mohammad Sayed presented Nov. 26 in Astana the comic book he created about a man in a wheelchair....


Spirit of the Great Steppe exhibition displays Kazakh art in Turkey

ASTANA – Mustafa Ayaz Modern Arts Museum in Ankara recently opened the exhibition “Spirit of the Great Steppe” that showcases 32 works of contemporary Kazakh artists. The exhibition features...


KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy appoint new chairmen

ASTANA – Alik Aidarbayev and Sauat Mynbayev were appointed Nov. 20 Kazmunaygas (KMG) and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) chairpersons of the board, respectively, reports the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth...


Zhurekten Zhurekke charity fund founder among Kazakhstan’s 100 New Faces

ASTANA – The Zhurekten Zhurekke (From Heart to Heart) charity fund promotes charitable culture in Atyrau and beyond by helping children diagnosed with severe diseases, people with disabilities and...


Kazakh star Dimash Kudaibergen performs solo concert in London

ASTANA – Famous Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen performed his exclusive “DQ” solo concert Nov. 19 in London at O2 Arena’s Indigo Hall. The concert joined the celebration of Days...


Kazakhstan to modernise police, conduct performance appraisals

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced plans to reform the police and other agencies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the Nov. 18 meeting at the Akorda....


Kazakh boxers improve their BoxRec ranking

ASTANA – Kazakh boxers Daniyar Yeleussinov and Sultan Zaurbek improved their rating on the BoxRec International Boxing Record Keeping Platform after their Nov. 24 wins at the Salle Médecin...


Kazakh PhD students in UK initiate collaboration, research exchanges to achieve SDGs in Central Asia

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s PhD Association in the U.K. will organise the second Central Asian Research Forum on Sustainable Development and Innovation March 18 in Loughborough and April 4 in...


Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science, World Bank initiate project to improve secondary school quality and equity

ASTANA – The Ministry of Education and Science and the World Bank have launched a $75 million education modernisation project aimed at improving the quality and equity of the...


Astana Mayor announces plans to achieve Presidential initiatives

ASTANA – Astana Akim (Mayor) Bakhyt Sultanov shared at a Nov. 22 meeting plans to achieve Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s ideas, which the President put forth in his article...


Modernising judicial system will foster public trust, says President

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev called for additional measures to modernise the judicial system at a Nov. 19 presidential administration meeting. Presidential Administration Head Asset Issekeshev, Supreme Court...


Parliamentarians, experts reflect on Nazarbayev’s role in Central Asian cooperation

ASTANA – The international conference, Astana – A Centre of Global Integration, Security and Peace, gathered representatives of the Kazakh Parliament, international organisations and think tanks Nov. 26 to...