EBRD, National Bank to Make $1 Billion Available for Local Loans

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the National Bank of Kazakhstan have signed two agreements that will allow the EBRD to source up to $1 billion...


New Bike Lanes Proposed for Almaty

ALMATY – Bicycle lanes are to be built in Almaty, following the suggestions of Dutch experts engaged in a project to improve the city’s traffic infrastructure. The draft bicycle...


Eco-Friendly Mega Shopping Mall to Open in Summer

ALMATY –A new 100,000-square-metre shopping mall utilising innovative green building technologies will open here on Aug. 1. The new Mega Park Mall, which is part of the MEGA shopping...


CICA Summit in Shanghai Focuses on New Goals for Security Forum

Nazarbayev Proposes Turning CICA into Organisation for Security and Development in Asia SHANGHAI – The Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) took...


Senate Innovates, Ratifies Joint Russian-Kazakh Air Defence System

Kazakhstan’s Senate passed a set of legislation intended to foster innovation and ratified an agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia on creating a joint regional air defence system in a...


Kazakhstan to Become Official EXPO Flag Bearer in June

ASTANA – The official International Specialised Exhibition (BIE) flag will be transferred to Kazakhstan, which has been chosen to host EXPO 2017, during the BIE’s general assembly meeting in...


Kazakh Judokas Do Well in European Cup

Kazakh judo wrestler Zarina Raifova won the Open European Cup in the 78-kilogramme category, which was held May 17-18 in Orenburg, Russia. Raifova defeated Natalya Tuktagulova, Mariam Tovmasyan and...


EXPO 2017 Will Include Astana Botanical Gardens

ASTANA – A botanical garden to be built in Astana as part of EXPO 2017 will become a significant attraction, according to the Astana City Communal Services Administration. The...


ASTEX Conference Gathers E-Commerce Leaders

ASTANA – The international conference ASTEX 2014 opened on May 19 and brought together foreign speakers that included heads of large companies, investors, business trainers, players in the global...


100 Falcons Released into Kazakh Steppe

AKTAU – About 100 falcons brought from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been released into the wild in Kazakhstan. From the airport of Aktau, the valuable cargo was...


Celebration of Kazakh Culture Held in Jakarta

The Taman Ismail Marzuki concert hall in Jakarta hosted on May 13 the ceremonial opening of Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Indonesia. Within the Days of Culture, a...


Nazarbayev Visits China as Countries Sign Investment Deals and Bolster Political Ties

SHANGHAI – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev paid a state visit to China on May 19-20 in advance of the May 21 Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and...


Building Eurasian Economic Union on Consensus, Mutual Respect and Benefit

Kazakhstan has been one of the main initiators of Eurasian integration. The idea and necessity of creating the Eurasian Union was first expressed by the President of our country,...


Government, UNDP Work to Improve Transparency in State Services

ASTANA – Over the past decade, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supported important social changes. In building a new socially conscious government, the UNDP has worked to...


Chevron-Sponsored Awards Given to Young Students for Best Ecological Business Projects

ASTANA – Winners of the Chevron-sponsored School Children’s Environmental Business Projects competition were recognised for their achievements at an awards ceremony in Astana on May 14. The Public Fund...


Kazakhstan Seeks to Increase Hydrocarbon Production and Exports, Says Minister

Kazakhstan, which is ranked in the top 15 countries worldwide for proven oil reserves and top 20 for natural gas, would like to see increased development of its hydrocarbon...


Sidorkin Exhibition Held in Almaty

ALMATY – Gazeeff Art Hall hosted an exhibition of the works of People’s Artist of Kazakhstan Yevgeni Sidorkin on April 24. The exhibit spread awareness of Sidorkin’s life and...


Government Works to Reach Burabai’s Tourism Potential

A recent press tour of the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort organised to promote tourism in Astana provided an opportunity for media representatives to visit the natural oasis and see the construction...


Kazakh Plant Produces Top-Quality Helicopters

ASTANA – Eurocopter Kazakhstan Engineering Company is the only Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) plant for the assembly of EC-145 helicopters. Since its establishment, the plant has supplied the...


26 Construction Projects Will Be Completed for EXPO 2017

ASTANA – Over the next 26 months, 26 construction projects for EXPO 2017 will be completed. Recently, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev laid a capsule at the construction site of...


Festival Attracts Guitar Poetry Lovers to Southern Kazakhstan

SOUTH KAZAKHSTAN REGION – Lovers of guitar poetry from Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan gathered recently in the south of Kazakhstan for the South Wind 2014 festival. The event was...


Rural Entrepreneurs to Utilise Development Grants

KYZYLORDA – Akim (Governor) of the Kyzylorda region Krymbek Kusherbayev held a meeting in late April to discuss the implementation of the Akniet programme by the Russian company LUKOIL,...


IT Hacks Compete in Night of Creative Insomnia

ALMATY – More than 1,000 young developers, programmers, designers, directors, video bloggers and media specialists from all regions of Kazakhstan participated in the Fourth International Competition Hack Day on...


Company Plans to Launch Recreational Fishing Pond near Astana

AKMOLA REGION – Head of the company Sarkrama 2006 Kanat Adilbekov has decided to establish a pond fish farm near Astana. Kazakhstan is rich in fishable waters and therefore,...


Arab, Central Asian Countries and Azerbaijan Agree to Bolster Economic Ties

RIYADH – The countries of the Arab League, Central Asia and Azerbaijan have made a major step towards bolstering their ties and recreating the commercial links characteristic of the...


Economic Impact of Ukraine Crisis Could Affect Neighbours, EBRD Says

The crisis in and around Ukraine involving Russia and the resulting economic downturn is predicted to hinder the growth of many of the countries’ neighbours in Central Asia and...


One company’s IT solutions generate positive change, prosperity and access to progress

Ranked as one of the ‘50 most influential women in Romania’ by Forbes Romania magazine, Irina Socol is the President and CEO of SIVECO Romania, the leader of the...


Fryday Astana Professional Community Celebrates Second Anniversary

ASTANA – Fryday Astana, the social networking group for young professionals in Astana, celebrated its second birthday at the capital’s RBG Restaurant with mingling and music on April 25....


Kazakh Delegation Attends 77th AIPS Congress

The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the future of “sport diplomacy” were among the main topics of the 77th Congress of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS),...


Soviet Soldiers’ Graffiti on Reichstag Open to Public

BERLIN – After seizing the Reichstag in May 1945 and raising their flag on its roof, Soviet soldiers left their marks in other ways, writing their names, feelings, thoughts...


InterNations Unites Astana Expats

ASTANA – Regulars and newcomers had a chance to test their salsa moves recently thanks to the expatriates organisation InterNations’ Salsa event at the RBG restaurant at the Park...


Semey Festival Highlights Traditional, Modern Kazakh Crafts

SEMEY – The second “Festival of Kazakh Folk Crafts: Traditions and Modernity,” organised by the Nevzorovs Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)...


A Major and a Doctor Find Love on the Frontlines

KARAGANDA – War. Death. It would seem that it was impossible to fall in love in such circumstances. However, people of the war generation lived, loved and held out...


G-Global Development Continues As Platform Enhances Dialogue on International Issues

The programme of the upcoming Seventh Astana Economic Forum to be held under the overarching G-GLOBAL megaproject is comprehensive and addresses major challenges facing the world. Alongside an extensive...


Belgian Embassy Active in Cultural Events in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Belgium and Kazakhstan have been publicly matched a few times recently – at the Davis Cup world group match in February of this year, when Kazakhstan ousted...


A New Step Forward to Greater Regional and Global Security

Strengthening international security is one of the top priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan pursues its primary mission – strengthening the sovereignty, territorial...


In Astana, Top U.S. Diplomat Reaffirms America’s “Enduring” Commitment to Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met with Kazakhstan’s top leadership on May 8 in Astana to discuss a range of bilateral and regional cooperation...


A Timely Call for Action: Re-shaping the World after the Financial Crisis

Six years after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, the economic, political and social consequences can still be felt in most parts of the world. It is true...


Defining The New State Borders in 1990-2005 As Key Foundation of Statehood

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, defining the borders of Central Asia’s newly independent nations became an urgent task across the region. For young Kazakhstan, establishing borders with...


Triple Celebrations Start the Month of May in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The beginning of the month of May in Kazakhstan is, perhaps, some of the most anticipated period in the country as it brings together three celebrations, each...


Determination Leads Actress to Success in Her Dream Profession

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s film industry is still burgeoning on the steppe’s horizons. Almost every year Kazakh movie makers entertain the 17 million nation with new features. The award winning...


Golden Woman Burial in West Kazakhstan Recognised Unique

Remains of the Golden Woman in the West Kazakhstan region were recently recognised by scientists as the most ancient burial found in Kazakhstan. “Based on the results of laboratory...


Young Vocalists Bring Home Gold

Ten-year-old Mukhammedali Zhugunussov won the professional vocalist award at the 2014 Paradise Holiday international competition held in late April. The best vocalists from 10 countries participated. Zhugunussov grew up...


Kazakhstan’s Women’s Football Team Advances in World Cup Qualifier

ASTANA – In the qualifying match for the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Kazakhstan defeated Bulgaria 4-1 here on May 7. From the very beginning of the match, the visiting...


Arlans Defeat Baku Fires in Almaty, Lose in Baku in Controversial Clash

ASTANA – Kazakh boxing club Astana Arlans beat the Baku Fires from Azerbaijan 3:2 in the first semifinal round match of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) held on...


St. Petersburg to Host Days of Astana Culture

ASTANA – Days of Astana Culture will be held in the Kazakh capital’s twin city, St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 17-18. The celebration is being organised as part of...


New Kabanbai Batyr Memorial Opened in East Kazakhstan

UST-KAMENOGORSK – The opening of a new memorial to noted 18th Century commander Kabanbai Batyr took place in this city in East Kazakhstan on May 7. The ceremony was...


Business news in brief

At the seventh Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on May 21, the fifth international investment forum Astana Invest 2014 will be held. The Astana Invest Forum works to attract investment...


Railroad Connecting Minsk-Moscow-Astana-Almaty Could Become Reality

ASTANA – A new railroad connecting the capitals of the three Customs Union states and Almaty could be built soon, said Askar Mamin, head of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Kazakhstan’s...


Economic news in brief

Mazhilis (lower chamber of Parliament) hearings to be held on May 16 will focus on the quality and prospects of preparing technical, vocational and higher education specialists. The hearings...