Business News in Brief

Transportation investments will reach $20 billion by 2020, First Deputy Minister of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan Zhenis Kassymbek said during the March 30 Kazakhstan-Batumi business forum. “Investmentsin transport...


Economic News in Brief

Within the framework of the second tranche of the National Fund, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) allocated 50 billion tenge (US$269.3 million) to the second-tier banks for processing...


External News in Brief

Kazakhstan’s maximum electric power export potential is more than 2,000 MW, Mazhilis (lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament) Deputy Askhat Bekenov said at an April 2 Central Communications Service...


CIS Council of Foreign Ministers Address Border Security, Disaster Prevention

BISHKEK – Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov took part in a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in the Kyrgyz...


National News in Brief

Starting Jan. 1, 2016, basic registration forms at urban outpatient centres will become fully electronic throughout Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Health and Social Development  has stated. According to the...


A Tribute to Nurlan Kapparov

I am moved this week to write this open letter of tribute to an exceptional Kazakhstan civil servant, Nurlan Kapparov. The news of his untimely death last week shocked...


FM Idrissov Attends Afghanistan-Focused CSTO Council in Dushanbe

DUSHANBE – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov took part in the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Tajikistan’s capital,...


Kazakhstan’s Largest Int’l Tourism Fair to Celebrate 15th Year in April

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan International Travel Fair (KITF), the largest tourism forum in Kazakhstan, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Celebrations will take place from April 22-24 at...


Astana’s Comedians Have New Platform for Stand-Up Performances

ASTANA – Humour and raw fish rolls are on the menu every two weeks when the Astana stand-up show entertains the audience. The latest live performance, on March 28,...


Kazakh FM Identifies Security, Connectivity and Diversification among Key Components of EU Strategy for Region under Review

ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov addressed the March 30 French-German regional meeting of ambassadors, thanking them for their work on revising the EU Strategy for Central Asia...


Air Astana Begins Direct Flights to Paris

ASTANA – Paris has long been one of the most-favourable travel destinations and the increasing number of tourists from Kazakhstan highlights its desirability. Convenient opportunities for travelers, such as...


Hungarian PM’s Visit, Business Forum Solidify Ties

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during the latter’s April 1 official visit to the country. “We view Hungary as a true...


Ministry of Finance to Support Conscientious Entrepreneurialism

In an effort to encourage conscionable entrepreneurs, the Kazakh Ministry of Finance will be developing the institute of authorised economic operators. The announcement was made during the recent briefing...


EBRD to Finance Ore-Processing Plant in Karaganda

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will loan $100 million to finance the construction of a new plant for processing copper and gold ore in...


Final Preparations Underway for 70th Anniversary Great Patriotic War Victory Parade

The last military train loaded with military equipment that will be used in an upcoming military parade dedicated to the 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War...


Paris Hosts First Conference on Int’l Decade of Rapprochement of Cultures

Paris hosted the first international conference March 24-25 dedicated to implementing the action plan of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (IDRC) (2013 – 2022). The designation,...


Incumbent President Presents Campaign Platform for April 26 Election

ASTANA – Incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev presented his platform for the April 26 early presidential election published by his campaign in an article carried by the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on...


Kussainov’s Presidential Campaign to Focus on Environment, Industrial Safety

ASTANA – Self-nominated candidate for the April 26 early presidential election Abelgazy Kussainov presented his environmental and industrial safety oriented platform on March 31. According to Kussainov, putting Kazakhstan...


Communist People’s Party Candidate Pledges Allegiance to Marxism-Leninism, Lashes Out at “Western Consumerism” in Campaign Platform

ASTANA – Turgun Syzdykov, the official candidate of the Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan (CPPK) in the April 26 early presidential election, presented his election campaign platform on March...


Semey Engineering Launches New Armoured Fire Fighting Vehicle

ASTANA – The Semey Engineering company, which produces combat and armoured vehicles, has created a new, unique, armoured vehicle for use in fighting fires, Kazakh TV reported on March...


Kazakh Doctors Make Cardiac Surgery History with Innovative Device

ASTANA – Cardiac surgeon and Chairman of the National Research Cardiac Surgery Centre (NRCSC) Yury Pya performed breakthrough surgery Feb. 28, introducing the Asis device for the first time...


Kazakh Figure Skater Ten Takes Bronze at Shanghai World Championships

Kazakh bronze medalist at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Denis Ten 10 also took bronze at the March 23-29 World Championships in Shanghai, China. Despite a fall and...


Central Election Commission Focuses on Voters Rights, Says Commission Member

The presidential campaign began in Kazakhstan on March 26. Tatyana Okhlopkova, a member of the Kazakhstan Central Election Commission, explained the rules that apply to candidates and their campaign...


Astana Arlans Remained Undefeated, Defeat USA Knockouts in Miami

Kazakh World Series of Boxing (WSB) team Astana Arlans confidently continued its winning streak on March 28 at the Miccosukee Resort in Miami when they defeated the USA Knockouts...


Budding Student Environmentalists Treated to Solar, Eco-Tour of the Capital

ASTANA – Students from the Vyacheslavskaya School recently visited the capital where they participated in two competitions dedicated to EXPO 2017, toured the Astana solar plant producing solar modules...


Linguists Seek More Accurate, Culturally Sensitive Kazakh-Language Advertising

Due to problems with poor translation of advertising text into Kazakh, Almaty public activists have suggested creating the job of advertising manager in Kazakh language, reported tengrinews.kz. The suggestion...


Kazakhfilm to Release Historical Drama Beginning with the Formation of Kazakh Khanate

ALMATY – As Kazakhstan marks the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate, Kazakhfilm is preparing to start filming a new historical drama series titled “Kazakh Yeli.”   “The project...


Hungarian National Ballet Stars Bring 3D Swan Lake to Astana Opera

Two stars of the Hungarian National Ballet, Kazakh prima ballerina assoluta Aliya Tanykpaeva and principal dancer Zoltan Olah will perform a new 3D production of Swan Lake at the...


OSCE Launches Election Observation Mission

ASTANA – Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights announced on March 26 the start of their mission to...


Television Station to Broadcast Election Day Exit Polling

Kazakhstan’s Strategy Social and Political Studies Centre will conduct public polling leading up to the early April 26 presidential election and exit polling on the day of the vote,...


China, Kazakhstan Sign $23.6 Billion in Agreements, Including Funds for Nurly Zhol Projects

ASTANA – Thirty-three cooperation agreements worth $23.6 billion were signed during the working visit of Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov to China on March 27, Xinhua News reported –...


Women’s Health Coverage in Kazakhstan Becoming More Comprehensive

ASTANA – As a Central Asian country with a Muslim majority and a name ending in ‘stan,’ Kazakhstan might not be expected, by Western observers, to be a place...


Astana Airport to Undergo Major Expansion to Handle Increased Passenger Traffic for EXPO 2017

ASTANA – Astana’s International Airport is undergoing a major renovation in preparation for hosting the expected influx of tourists for the upcoming EXPO 2017 international exhibition. Those preparations will...


EU Planning New Roadmap for Central Asian Strategy

ASTANA – The European Union is working on adapting its 2007 strategy for Central Asia with a greater emphasis on different approaches to relations with individual countries, a top...


UN Expert on Hazardous Materials Visits Kazakhstan to Assess Rights Record

ASTANA ­– United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur Baskut Tuncak will be in Kazakhstan March 26-April 8 for his first official visit to the country. The expert, who is touring...


Three Official Candidates for Presidential Election Remain; Most Self-Nominated Candidates Drop Out

ASTANA – Abelgazy Kussainov, Turgun Syzdykov and incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev remain the three official candidates in Kazakhstan’s early presidential election, which has been called for April 26, and...


Astana Receives New Technologically Advanced Firefighting Vehicles

ASTANA – The Astana Emergency Situation Department received new fire fighting vehicles on March 20. The vehicles will help Astana emergency personnel improve their effectiveness and increase the speed...


Nazarbayev University Launches New Master’s Degree in Economics

ASTANA – Nazarbayev University (NU) launched a new master’s of arts in economics this month, the vice dean of research in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of...


Kazakh Delegation to World Bicycle Forum Discovers Cycling Cities in Colombia

ALMATY – A couple of weeks ago, a delegation from Almaty came back from Colombia, where they had been participating in the fourth World Bicycle Forum in Medellín. The...


New School Built by Kazakhstan Opens in Bishkek

Construction on a new school in Bishkek funded by Kazakhstan was completed on March 20 with an opening ceremony attended by Kyrgyzstan’s President Almazbek Atambayev. Kazakh Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan...


Kazakhstan, Hungary Build on Strong Political, Economic, Cultural Ties, Ambassador in Budapest Says

Ahead of the visit to Astana by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in early April, Nurbakh Rustemov, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador in Budapest, shared his views on the bilateral relations and...


Institutional Reforms to Help Ensure Kazakhstan’s Sustainable Development

The decision by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to seek re-election next month was neither unexpected nor unwelcome to many citizens. His leadership has been an ever-present factor in Kazakhstan’s development...


CSTO Holds Security Games Workshop at Headquarters

The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) held a joint security games workshop at its headquarters in Moscow to improve its member states’ practical skills in forming and deploying collective...


Business News in Brief

Consumption of liquefied gas in Kazakhstan reached about 600,000 tonnes, Kazakh Vice Minister of Energy Magzum Mirzagaliyev said at a March 19 Central Communications Services (CCS) briefing. “To date,...


Economic News in Brief

“Transport currently makes up 15-16 percent of Kazakhstan’s GDP (gross domestic product)  and this number will only increase,” member of the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) Serikbai Nurgissayev said...


External News in Brief

“The Kazakh-Austrian Business Council should consist of two divisions, an expert analytical centre and an investments promotion department,” Kazakhstan Co-Chair Meiram Pshembayev said at a March 16 meeting of...


National News in Brief

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Berdibek Saparbayev made a working visit to the Atyrau region March 19 where he saw the work of industrial and agricultural enterprises, met with the...


Three Kazakhstan Citizens Die in Germanwings Crash

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on March 25 that at least three of its citizens died in the Germanwings  A320 airliner crash in the French Alps...


EXPO 2017 Opens New Horizons for Cooperation Between Kazakhstan, South Korea, Japan

TOKYO – To date, 20 countries have confirmed their participation in EXPO 2017, among them South Korea and Japan, who have started to prepare their pavilions, it was announced...


Kazakhstan Ready and Able to Host 2022 Winter Olympic Games

When two years ago we launched our bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, few commentators gave Kazakhstan a chance. But following the IOC committee’s successful visit to Almaty...