Kazakhstan’s Top International Tourist Arrivals Hail from Germany, Türkiye, UK, and US in 2023

ASTANA – Germany, Türkiye, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) have entered the top ten countries of tourist arrivals to Kazakhstan since the beginning...


Kazakhstan Attracts $14 Billion in Investments Through Sovereign Financing Since 2008, EFSD Reports

ASTANA – Kazakhstan attracted $14.2 billion in sovereign financing operations to invest in development projects through 271 transactions since 2008, the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development’s...


Kazakhstan Approves Occupation Lists for Foreign Workers

ASTANA – Kazakhstan approved the list of 21 professions in the healthcare, science, engineering, and IT sectors set to employ foreign specialists, reported the Ministry of Labor...


‘I Started to Believe in Miracles:’ Kazakh Rescuers Share Stories of Resilience from Türkiye Earthquake

ASTANA – After 12 consecutive days of digging through rubble to find survivors in Nurdağı town in Türkiye, 15 rescuers from the Karagandy Region Department of Emergency...


Last Weekend of Winter Promises to Be a Packed One

ASTANA – The last month of the winter season has almost come to an end and there are still many interesting events to attend in the capital....


USAID Deputy Administrator Visits Central Asia Region, Affirms Enduring Support

ASTANA – Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Isobel Coleman emphasized the United States’ commitment to each of...


National Kurultai Facilitates Dialogue Between President and Society, Says State Counselor

ASTANA – The National Kurultai, a key presidential consultative and advisory body, has developed the practice of direct communication between the President and social activists and experts,...


Kazakhstan’s CICA Chairmanship Prioritizes Enhancing Connectivity in Asia

ASTANA – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kanat Tumysh and Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay signed...


Kazakh Para-Athletes Win 187 Medals in International Competitions in 2022

ASTANA – Kazakh para-athletes won 187 medals at international competitions in the past year, bringing Kazakhstan 62 gold, 63 silver and 62 bronze medals, reported the Kazakh...


Kazakh Government, People Stand in Solidarity with Türkiye After Deadly Earthquake, Says Turkish Ambassador

ASTANA – Turkish Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ufuk Ekici commended Kazakhstan’s assistance to Türkiye, highlighting the support of Kazakh citizens following the deadly earthquake. “President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart...


Slave Boy Who Became Ruler of Mamluks: Kazakhstan Celebrates 800 Years of Sultan Beibars

ASTANA – From humble beginnings as a slave boy to becoming one of the most eminent Mamluk sultans, the extraordinary story of Sultan Beibars is celebrated in...


Türkiye Earthquake Disrupts Tengiz Oil Shipment Through Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

ASTANA – The Feb. 6 devastating earthquake in Türkiye damaged the Ceyhan oil terminal, hampering the start of the planned shipment of Kazakh oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan...


Dimash Kudaibergen Introduces American Colleagues to Kazakh Traditional Musical Instruments

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s most famous modern singer Dimash Kudaibergen introduced his American colleagues to the sounds of the kobyz, a traditional Kazakh musical instrument.  A video posted...


Kazakh Authorities Detain 18 People for Committing Illegal Acts Against Journalists

ASTANA – Some 18 people have recently been detained for committing illegal acts against journalists and bloggers carried out over the last six months in Astana and...


Kazakhstan Takes Part in African Union Summit in Ethiopia as Observer State

ASTANA – Kazakh Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) Barlybai Sadykov participated in the annual 36th African Union summit in Addis Ababa,...


Bundestag Delegation Visits Astana to Promote Ties, Receives Warm Welcome

ASTANA – A German delegation from the Bundestag, headed by Chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Relations with the States of Central Asia Eugen Schmidt, arrived...


Kazakhstan Is Czech Republic’s Major Partner in Central Asia, Says Ambassador Hykl

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is a key business partner for the Czech Republic in Central Asia, Rudolf Hykl, the Czech Ambassador in Astana, said in an exclusive interview...


Kazakhstan Ranks 48th Out of 192 Countries in Open Data Inventory Ranking

ASTANA – Kazakhstan jumped six spots up and ranked 48th out of 192 countries in the latest Open Data Inventory (ODIN) ranking by Open Data Watch, reported...


New Atlas-Book Containing Early Kazakh State Names: Must Read on Kazakhstan’s Uninterrupted History of Statehood

ASTANA – A new atlas-book with a remarkable collection of 130 European and American maps dated from 1562 to 1879 and the names of the early Kazakh...


Kazakhstan’s Parliamentary Election: Hope For Real Change

Kazakhstan is preparing for an important political event – a parliamentary election planned for March 19.  This date is already significant to the Kazakh people because it...


Uzbekistan to Increase Exports to EU via Aktau Seaport in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Uzbek exporters are set to increase freight shipments to European markets through the Aktau seaport, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s Dunyo media agency reported. Aktau seaport...


Kazakhstan Sees Unprecedented Political Engagement One Month Before Election

ASTANA – One month before the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan, political engagement has reached an unprecedented level, the result of changes the nation has implemented over the...


Kazakhstan Prepares to Take over SCO Chairmanship This Year

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing to take over the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), reported the National Coordinator of Kazakhstan on the activities of the...


Kazakhstan Grants Citizenship to More Than 22,000 People in 2022

ASTANA – Kazakhstan granted citizenship to more than 22,000 people last year, reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Feb. 20. Of them, 17,676 applicants were kandas,...


Nearly 72 Percent of Citizens Say Kazakhstan Moving in Right Direction, Survey Says

ASTANA – Some 71.7 percent of Kazakh people believe the country is on the right track, according to the results of a regional monitoring effort conducted by...


Condé Nast Traveler Magazine Spotlights Most Breathtaking Places in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The Condé Nast Traveler magazine published an article titled “The Most Breathtaking Places to Visit in Kazakhstan” on its website, describing the beauty of Kazakh...


Kazakhstan’s CEC Wraps Up Registration of Candidates for Parliamentary Election, Expects High Competition

ASTANA – Two hundred and eighty-one candidates from party lists and 435 candidates from single-mandate districts will run in the March 19 elections to the Mazhilis, the...


Kazakhstan Calls For Solidarity Among ‘Global Middle Powers’

In a February 7 op-ed in The Astana Times, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, announced that his country will be hosting the Astana International Forum on...


Astana to Host ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour Next Week

ASTANA – Astana will host the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women’s World Tennis Tour from Feb. 27 to March 12, the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation’s press service reported....


Kazakh Startups Attract $130 Million in Investments in 2022

ASTANA – Astana Hub, an international technopark of IT startups, attracted $130 million of startup investments while exporting $165 million worth of digitally-delivered services in 2022, said...