Kazakh-French business ties strong at 25-year mark in relations

ASTANA – In the past two and a half decades, Kazakhstan and France, though separated by a great distance, have maintained friendly, cordial and cooperative relations. This has allowed the two states...


Kazakh finance minister pledges to cut red tape for business

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Finance is planning to reduce inspections and ease the bureaucratic pressure related to doing business in the country. The information came from Finance...


Kazakhstan, Russia reaffirm nuclear energy development cooperation

ASTANA ­– Kazakhstan and Russia last October signed an updated memorandum of understanding to cooperate on nuclear energy projects during a meeting in Astana. The memorandum focuses on cooperation...


Philanthropy indicator of society’s maturity, say corporate charity forum participants

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the first corporate charity forum Feb. 24-25 organised by Samruk Kazyna Trust social development foundation. The event served as a unique dialogue platform for activists,...


Kazakhstan finishes fourth in Asian Winter Games

SAPPORO – Kazakh athletes took fourth place in the team standings at the Asian Winter Games (also known as Asiad), held Feb. 19-26 in Japan. In total, Team Kazakhstan...


Kazakh President, ATOM Project Hon. Ambassador nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Honorary Ambassador of The ATOM Project Karipbek Kuyukov along with the international organisation Global Zero have been nominated for the 2017...


Nazarbayev, Putin note potential for expanding ties during Almaty meeting

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral cooperation and international issues Feb.27 in Almaty. During the meeting, Nazarbayev stressed the close and trusting relationship...


Kazakh Deputy PM notes increased bilateral trade during meeting with Uzbek President

ASTANA – First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and participated in the 16th session of the joint intergovernmental commission on bilateral...


Short film by Kazakh director to be shown at Cannes Short Film Corner

ASTANA – The “UltiO” short film directed by promising filmmaker Dias Azimzhanov has been accepted to the Cannes Short Film Corner, according to the Bolashak Association website. The psychological...


Kazakhstan, Vietnam agree cargo transportation along key international route

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company and Vietnam Railways agreed Feb. 20 to cooperate in container transport along the Vietnam – China – Kazakhstan –...


At UNSC, Kazakh diplomats call for unimpeded food delivery to South Sudan

ASTANA – A Kazakh delegation to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called for unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations to deliver food to South Sudan and offered recommendations to...


Kazakhstan’s commitment to UN remains strong after 25 years of membership

Twenty-five years ago was a time of major change in the United Nations. The break-up of the Soviet Union saw applications from new countries charting their own course in...


Participants upbeat about EXPO 2017 preparation progress

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital brought together delegations from more than 100 countries Feb. 22-23 to touch base on the preparation progress for EXPO 2017, the international specialised exposition....


Pilot programme to teach Kazakh in Russian-language schools to launch in 2018

ASTANA – A pilot programme to teach the Kazakh language in Russian-language schools will launched in 2018, said Minister of Education and Science Yerlan Sagadiyev at a governmental meeting...


Constitutional reform: what can Kazakhstan learn from international experience?

President Nursultan Nazarbayev recently announced Kazakhstan will pursue constitutional reforms. The reforms will give more powers to the parliament and the government while the President will look after national...


Kazakh officer awarded UN medal for peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire

ASTANA – Kazakh Armed Forces Captain Assylkhan Amangaliuly recently received the United Nations Medal for impeccable and exemplary fulfilment of requirements for military observers for a peacekeeping mission in...


New comedy film from Kazakh director tells simple story of difficult relationship

ASTANA – “Kelinka Tozhe Chelovek” (“Daughter-in-law is a Human, too”), a small budget comedy from Kazakh director Askar Uzabayev, was scheduled for a Feb. 23 release. The film tells...


Ust-Kamenogorsk hairstylist wins international competition in Paris

ASTANA – Ust-Kamenogorsk hairstylist Vladimir Dubinin recently won the Haute Coiffure Française (HCF) Trophy 2017, which is an annual international hairdressing competition in Paris. The competition has allowed him...


Marriott’s top chef brings new flavours to Astana

ASTANA – Executive Chef Hery Sudarmanto has introduced a multi-cuisine concept to the Astana Marriott restaurants. His extensive work experience in the Middle Eastern countries such as the United...


UCMAS School in Kazakhstan extends mental math to children with visual impairments

ASTANA – UCMAS (Universal Concepts of Mental Arithmetic Systems) Mental Math School keeps revealing stunning results of children’s cognitive abilities. Kazakh students demonstrate their brain skills to an international...


Kazakhstan launches first ODA project in Afghanistan, with support from UNDP and Japan

ASTANA – A Kazakh delegation presented the country’s first official development assistance (ODA) project to the Afghan government Feb.12-17 in Kabul. The project seeks to strengthen the economic independence...


Kokshetau: the area of blue lakes

ASTANA – Kokshetau is one of the most beautiful cities in Kazakhstan. The administrative centre of the Akmola region, it has a population almost 160,000 and territory of 42,700...


BIE officials, EXPO 2017 organisers and commissioners meet in Astana

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted Feb. 22-23 the EXPO 2017 third international participants’ meeting, the main and final event on the eve of the international specialised exhibition. Three...


Kazakh domestic violence rate decreases

ASTANA – Within the last five years, the number of domestic violence crimes in Kazakhstan decreased by 35 percent, Minister of Internal Affairs Kalmukhanbet Kassymov said during the Feb....


Expert consults citizens on IPO investments as privatisation advances

ASTANA – Forex Club information and analysis centre head Nikolai Ivchenko has advised citizens to invest funds intelligently when purchasing national companies’ shares at initial public offerings (IPOs), specifically,...


Astana airport terminal construction nears completion

ASTANA – The project to build a new 60.2 billion tenge (US$188.7 million) terminal for the capital’s airport is being implemented. However, the terminal construction requires 20 billion tenge...


Kazakhstan offers ‘Astana platform’ as venue to resolve conflicts beyond Syria

NEW YORK – Kazakhstan believes the Astana platform, which recently demonstrated its usefulness in talks on Syria, can be used more widely as a venue for efforts to help...


Day of Gratitude – a celebration of Kazakhstan’s multiethnic society

ASTANA – The Day of Gratitude was celebrated for the first time last year. President Nursultan Nazarbayev established the holiday for people of different ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan...


Barys Astana to Play Traktor Chelyabinsk in First Round of Gagarin Cup

ASTANA – HC Barys finished fifth in the regular season of the Eastern Conference of the Continental Hockey League (KHL) and progressed to the Gagarin Cup playoffs for the...


Kazakh athletes placed fourth following three days at Asian Winter Games in Japan

SAPPORO – The VIII Asian Winter Games are taking place in Sapporo, Japan between Feb. 19 and 26. This Asiad, as the games are also known, is the first...


Parliamentarism is pillar of democratic state

Hayk Babukhanyan, chairperson of the Armenian Constitutional Rights Union Party, deputy of the Armenian National Assembly and deputy chairperson of the Commonwealth of Independent States Inter-parliamentary Assembly (CIS IPA)...


Astana Arlans beat Russian Patriots, Uzbek Tigers in WSB kickoff

ASTANA – The Astana Arlans, the two-time World Series Boxing (WSB) winner, has started the franchise’s new season with two impressive victories – 3-2 over the Russian Patriots in...


Kazakh Boxer Zhanat Zhakiyanov wins WBA (Super), IBO world champion titles

ASTANA – Kazakh professional boxer Zhanat Zhakiyanov recently claimed the World Boxing Association (WBO) title of Undisputed Champion and the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title of world champion in...


Kazakhstan’s Senate Speaker Tokayev addresses Munich Conference, urges security cooperation

ASTANA – Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told a panel discussion at the Feb. 18 Munich Security Conference that it is important to...


Marathon 2010: Kazakh diplomat’s book reflects on OSCE chairmanship experience

ASTANA – Last month the Almaty-based Institute of World Economics and Politics presented a new book by Talgat Zhumagulov, a Kazakh diplomat, which describes the activities of the nation’s...


Prime Minister addresses concerns about EXPO 2017 costs

ASTANA – Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev recently responded to concerns over the high cost of hosting EXPO 2017. “We will host the expo for three months. I understand that...


Kazakh DJ signs contract with Armin Van Buuren

ASTANA – While singer Dimash Kudaibergen is rocking stages in the East, Kazakh DJ Farleon, also known as Sultan Karimov, signed a contract with the world-famous Dutch record label...


Kazakhstan takes 42nd place in Heritage Foundation’s World 2017 Index of Economic Freedom

ASTANA – Kazakhstan took 42nd place on the 2017 Index of Economic Freedom published by The Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC-based think tank. Quantitative and qualitative factors such as property...


EXPO 2017 to offer more than 3,000 cultural events

ASTANA – Minister of Culture and Sport of Kazakhstan Arystanbek Mukhamediuly has announced that the cultural programme of EXPO 2017 in Astana will consist of more than 3,000 events....


National Bank to continue floating exchange rate, other inflation control measures in 2017

ASTANA – In 2017, the National Bank of Kazakhstan will continue its policy of a free floating exchange rate, its strengthening of the base rate on the real sector...


Modernisation at Pavlodar oil chemistry refinery nears completion

PAVLODAR – Kazakhstan’s oil industry is set to mark a significant milestone during the first half of 2017 when a wide-scale modernisation of the Pavlodar Oil Chemistry Refinery is...


Innovative liquefied natural gas station opens in Astana

ASTANA – An opening ceremony of up-to-date Turan liquefied natural gas station and its initial start-up of natural gas was held recently in Astana. Nearby Nazarbayev University became the...


New app makes learning Kazakh language easier

ASTANA – A new app has been launched to make learning the Kazakh language, as well as facts about the country and its history, easier and fun. The app...


Bank mergers: expert opinion and outlook for 2017

ASTANA – Since the fall, the country’s major banks have continued to announce their intentions to merge. The latest, regarding Tsesna Bank’s plan to buy out Bank CentreCredit shares,...


Ministry of Justice and World Bank to strengthen forensic services

ASTANA – A project to strengthen forensic capacity was launched in October by the Ministry of Justice and the World Bank. Introduced at an international convention in December, the...


Justice Ministry amends administrative code to humanise laws

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with non-governmental organisations and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, has developed a draft law “On introducing amendments to the...


Kazakh government services app receives award at World Government Summit

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s eGov.kz mobile application was named the best “one stop app” in the first World GovTechioneers competition at the February 12-14 World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai....


Second round of Syrian talks in Astana adopt mechanism to monitor ceasefire

ASTANA – Another two days of talks on strengthening the ceasefire regime in the nearly six-year-old Syrian conflict ended Feb. 16 in Astana with the adoption of a document...


Spanish ambassador praises relationship on 25th anniversary of bilateral ties

ASTANA – Spanish Ambassador to Kazakhstan Pedro Jose Sanz Serrano praised the relationship between Kazakhstan and Spain Feb. 11 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of bilateral relations....


Kazakh Armed Forces sergeants receive vocational training

ASTANA – More than 40 sergeants from Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces are attending month-long vocational training at the Defence Ministry’s cadet corps, the press service of the ministry reports. These...