Major blizzard shuts down Kazakh capital

ASTANA – Due to a major blizzard, Astana Mayor Asset Issekeshev announced an emergency situation in Astana Jan. 11, asking officials and managers of state institutions, private companies to...


Kazakhstan 2018

A total of 138 out of 193 countries voted in June 2016 for Kazakhstan to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), making its the...


Astana to celebrate 20th anniversary with grand cultural events

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is planning a rich, year-long cultural programme to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its capital. Performances and exhibitions by the Vienna Opera, New York City Ballet,...


Kazakh short track racer to carry flag during 2018 Winter Olympic opening

ASTANA – Kazakhstan short-track player Abzal Azhgaliyev has been named flag bearer and captain of the Kazakh team for the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the National Olympic Committee of...


Akmola akimat: Zerenda resort zone to build visit centre to accommodate tourism growth in 2018

ASTANA – The Zerenda resort zone will build a visitors’ centre this year, the advisor to the region’s akim (governor) announced in a Jan. 4 Facebook post. Furthermore, Marat...


Zhambyl region studies ancient settlements, encourages cultural development

ASTANA – Thirty projects to preserve history and encourage cultural development are being developed in the Zhambyl region as part of the Rukhani Janghyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) programme,...


Internet service providers: parents can control children’s Internet access

ASTANA – The Internet opens wide possibilities for children, however, free access to all websites can pose hazards. While it is technically impossible to make sure a child surfs...


Snow turns dark in Temirtau, working group investigates

ASTANA – Kazakh officials are investigating after the snow in Temirtau city in the Karaganda region recently turned dark from what is believed to be emissions from the city’s...


Astana Opera to perform in Almaty

ASTANA – Astana Opera will be touring to the cultural capital of Kazakhstan – Almaty. The opera plans to present a rich programme featuring world art masterpieces at the...


Club of Rome report paints dire picture of future of fossil fuels

ASTANA – The end of the fossil fuel era is inevitable, and will likely arrive sooner than previously predicted. The cost of clean energy, like solar and wind energy,...


We can contribute to modernising Kazakhstan’s identity, says Belarussian ethno cultural centre leader

ASTANA – Dmitry Ostankovich, leader of Radima Belarus ethno cultural centre, recently noted ethnic Belarussians living in Kazakhstan will make every effort to promote the virtues associated with Kazakhstan’s...


EBRD continues work in Central Asia, returns to Uzbekistan

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) continued to support the Central Asian region in 2017 with a total investment of $1 billion. It has also...


New media production company eager to take Kazakh market to new level

ASTANA – Tochka, a creative video production agency established in October, is trying innovative ideas and approaches in the business and launching several projects this year. In an exclusive...


Kazakh athlete Gabidullina receives special award from International Paralympic Committee

ASTANA – Zulfiya Gabidullina, Kazakhstan’s first-ever Paralympics gold medal winner, is one of the country’s 100 New Faces. The inspirational story of the 52-year-old international class Master of Sports...


Astana cat café invites feline friends to spend holidays with pets, opens first cat hotel

ASTANA – Pet businesses are an emerging trend. While their uniqueness can be both attractive and challenging to find their niche and customers, doing what one loves is one...


Kazakhstan’s new tax code provides simplified regime for SMEs, new principles in administration

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new Tax Code entered into force Jan. 1. The updated code provides for the introduction of some changes in the existing tax legislation, including a simplified...


13 enterprises worth 9.4 billion tenge launched in South Kazakhstan in 2017

ASTANA – Thirteen enterprises were established in the South Kazakhstan region last year under the National Programme of Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development for 2015-2019. The programme aims to...


Kazakhstan and EBRD to continue work on modernisation of economy

ASTANA – The Kazakh government and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently signed a new three-year accord extending cooperation within the Partnership Framework Arrangement (PFA) for...


Uzbekistan to apply Kazakh public service development experience

ASTANA – Uzbekistan intends to adopt Kazakhstan’s experience in developing public services, Kazakhstan’s Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption reported Dec. 22. State Services Department Director Adilbek Mukashev...


Tokyo audience welcomes Kazakh theatre with deeply moving play

ASTANA – A full house of 800, many of whom waited in line for a seat, were recently treated to Almaty’s Auezov Theatre presentation of the play “Ahiko from...


Kazakh foreign ministry beefs up economic presence in Asia, FM tells parliament

ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov recently briefed participants at a government hour at Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) on the country’s foreign policy in Asia, saying...


Kazakhstan launches UNSC presidency with January work programme, new flag raising ceremony

Kazakhstan began its month-long mission as UN Security Council President Jan. 1 presenting the council’s January activity programme and organising a member-state working breakfast hosted by the UN Permanent...


7.1 percent inflation rate recorded in Kazakhstan in 2017

ASTANA – The inflation rate in December 2017 reached 0.7 percent compared to the previous month and 7.1 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the...


Kazakhstan’s first robot surgery, transplantology centre to open in Ust-Kamenogorsk in 2018

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s first robot surgery and transplantology centre will open in the first quarter of 2018 in Ust-Kamenogorsk. The centre is being paid for by the national government,...


Deaflympics encourages Almaty to apply to host 2019 Winter games

ASTANA – The Head of International Committee of Sports for the Deaf Valery Rukhledev recently visited Almaty and encouraged Kazakhstan to submit an application for Almaty to host the...


MyBusiness: business without borders app to aid entrepreneurs doing business in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The “MyBusiness: business without borders” app, developed and created by Chevron, the British Council and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, is a hoped-for way to protect...


Kazakhstan set to assume UNSC presidency Jan. 1

ASTANA – For the first time in its history, Kazakhstan will assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in January as a non-permanent Security Council member for...


Television spot highlights new Nazarbayev Prize for a Nuclear Weapon Free World and Global Security

A 30-second television spot concerning Kazakhstan’s peace keeping efforts and the Nazarbayev Prize for a Nuclear Weapon Free World and Global Security was produced recently. To watch the spot...


Mangistau region intends to boost energy efficiency, build business environment

ASTANA – Construction of wind and solar power plants is underway in an effort to develop renewable energy sources in the Mangistau region in 2018, according to the regional...


26 years of independence: changing trends in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrated its 26th anniversary of independence Dec. 16 this year. During the period, the country made the leap from the economic and political disruption of the...


2017 Kazakh-Turkish trade exceeds $1.5 billion

ASTANA – Trade between Kazakhstan and Turkey exceeded $1.5 billion in the first 10 months of 2017. The recent meeting of Kazakhstan’s State Revenues Committee and Turkish Ministry of...


Kazakh President discusses major 2017 issues in year-end press briefing

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev gave a press briefing to domestic media Dec. 22, discussing Kazakhstan’s digitisation programme, employment, transportation infrastructure, the Kazakh language switch to a Latin-based alphabet...


ATOM project honorary ambassador takes part in Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony

ASTANA – Kazakh artist and Honorary Ambassador of The ATOM Project Karipbek Kuyukov took part in the Dec. 10 ceremony in Oslo, Norway where the International Campaign to Abolish...


Nazarbayev University graduates develop device to lower cost of electricity delivery

ASTANA – Nazarbayev University graduates have developed a device to extend the working capacity of transformers, the press service of the city administration reported recently. The project, named Remote...


Kazakhstan reconstructs 1,300 kilometres of highways in two years

ASTANA – Kazakhstan saw 1,300 kilometres of highways reconstructed in 2015-2016 within the nation’s large-scale Nurly Zhol programme. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the programme in his annual state-of-the-nation...


Kazakh government approves draft law on foreign currency transactions control

ASTANA – The Kazakh government approved Dec. 26 the nation’s draft law on foreign currency transactions control during its weekly meeting. National Bank Chair Daniyar Akishev noted changes in...


Smart city development launches in major Kazakh cities to improve infrastructure, increase urban attractiveness

ASTANA – Smart city technologies are being introduced in the country’s five largest cities –  Aktobe, Almaty, Astana, Karaganda and Shymkent – as part of the Digital Kazakhstan programme,...


Nazarbayev, Jeenbekov enhance cooperation, ink border demarcation treaty in Astana

ASTANA – The new Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov arrived Dec. 25 in Astana for a two-day official visit to meet Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other top officials for...


Yulia Galysheva of Kazakhstan wins gold at Freestyle Ski World Cup in China

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Yulia Galysheva won a gold medal in moguls at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Freestyle Ski World Cup stage  in Thaiwoo, part of China’s northeastern Hebei...


Major international table tennis tournament held in Astana

ASTANA –  The final matches of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour Grand Finals took place in the Kazakh capital Dec. 14-17. Ping-pong lovers watched the world’s...


First Kazakh sports food producer seeks quality, promotes healthy lifestyle

ASTANA – Demand for sports nutrition is rising in Kazakhstan, as people are becoming eager to stay fit and be more involved in sports. Eldar Beldeubayev, Yerzhan Kamzabayev and...


Halyk Bank board of directors approves merger with Qazkom

ASTANA – The Halyk Bank board of directors has approved a merger with Kazkommertsbank (Qazkom). The agreement will be finalised after passing all necessary procedures, including appropriate coordination with...


Kazakh government tests GPS tracking of state-owned vehicles

ASTANA – The Information and Registration Centre is testing a system that would use GPS to track government vehicles, Inform.kz reports. The project will include the use of electronic...


Latest Astana Process Syria talks result in documents on confidence-building measures

ASTANA – The Dec. 22 8th rounds of Astana Process talks in the Kazakh capital to help de-escalate the conflict in Syria resulted in the adoption of a number...


Barys loses to Dynamo Moscow 3:5 in rollercoaster game

ASTANA – In an away match on Dec. 21, Barys lost to Dynamo Moscow 3:5, but managed to at least shred the nerves of the home team in the...


Student literacy in Kazakhstan above international average

ASTANA – The International Association for the Evaluation and Educational Achievement of students (IEA) announced the results of its 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Kazakhstan came...


World Bank names conference hall in Washington after bank’s first female Kazakh employee

ASTANA – The World Bank recently named a conference hall in its Washington offices after the first Kazakh woman hired by the bank. The conference hall was named after...


More than 500,000 Kazakh residents are on travel ban list due to unpaid debts

ASTANA – More than 500,000 Kazakh residents cannot travel overseas because of unpaid debts. As of December 13, 690,529 temporary restrictions have been imposed on travel outside the country,...


President Nazarbayev’s new book presented in advance of Independence Day

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s book “The Era of Independence” was presented in the capital Dec. 15 on the eve of the country’s Independence Day. The work outlines...


Kazakh TV starts broadcasting in new format

ASTANA – Kazakh TV became the first channel in the country and the Central Asian region Nov. 16 to switch to multi-channel broadcasting. Network director Andrei Tarakov spoke about...