Prominent Poet Stresses Spirituality and Morality As Way Forward for Kazakhstan

President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said that the fate of peoples who don’t honour their own histories will always be in doubt. Olzhas Suleimenov, prominent poet, social and political activist...


National news in brief

“Seventy-seven percent of children pre-school education in Kazakhstan,” Minister Aslan Sarinzhipov said at a Nov. 28 extended collegium of the Ministry of Education and Science. “To...


External news in brief

Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Carlos Agostinho Filomeno das Nieves, the permanent representatives of Kazakhstan and Sao Tome and Principe, respectively, to the United Nations, signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic...


Economic news in brief

On Nov. 25, Prime Minister Karim Massimov took part in a Senate meeting. During discussion of the law On the National Budget for 2015-2017, Massimov answered a number of...


Business news in brief

First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev chaired a Nov. 27 regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund. The meeting discussed the...


Kazakhstan’s Cultural Values: Building Bricks in Creating a Nation and its Brand

Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage includes a long line of nomadic traditions. For thousands of years, nomadic herders have survived in the extremely cold winters and scorching summers of the Great...


Kazakh Volleyball Paralympians Win Bronze in Germany

The Atyrau Paralympic wheelchair volleyball team won bronze at a Dec. 1 international tournament in Germany and player-coach Bauyrzhan Takhauov was voted captain of the team. The Atyrau Paralympians,...


Nazarbayev Helps Launch Last Section of Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran Railway

INCHEBURUN STATION, IRAN – In a major development with implications for regional trade and global politics, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran launched a railway line connecting the...


Kazakhstan Must Make Immediate, Significant Changes to Achieve a Green Future

It is easy to understand why protecting the environment does not figure high on the agenda of many developing economies. When poverty casts such a dark shadow over a...


Kazakhstan’s First Female Formula 3 Racer Ambitious about Next Season

Almaty-born Kazakh racer Lyubov Andreyeva, who recently turned 18, is hopeful about next year after the Nov. 26 season finale in Sochi, Russia. In her debut year, Andreyeva managed...


Ten Achieves Personal Scoring Record, Wins Bronze at France Figure Skating Grand Prix

Kazakhstan’s famous figure skater Denis Ten set a new personal record in the short programme at the Nov. 24 regular Grand Prix in France, gaining the best evaluation in...


New Silk Road, from Kazakhstan to UAE

Some 43 countries in the world are landlocked: 15 in Africa, 14 in Europe, 12 in Asia and two in South America. This list contains all the countries of...


Zhumat Makes Successful Transition to Drama

In my many years of translation work, an important place is taken by the work of my long-time friend, the undeniably gifted writer Zholtai Zhumat. Over a few years,...


Netherlands, Kazakhstan Share Common Interest in Energy, Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Says

The 25th session of the Energy Charter Conference kicked off in Astana on Nov. 27. During the event, authoritative representatives of the world’s energy elite discussed pressing issues of...


TCC Announces Latest Grant Winners in Increasingly Competitive Programme

ASTANA – Astana’s Technology Commercialisation Centre (TCC) announced its latest round of grant winners, which include projects Lead Expert Erik Azulay described as world class, at a Nov. 28...


UAE and Kazakhstan Celebrate UAE National Day

On Dec. 2, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrates its national day. In 1971, after unification, the United Arab Emirates managed to transform themselves from desert areas inhabited by...


Bold Visions, Neither ‘Great Games’ nor ‘Game of Thrones,” along the New Silk Road

The fall in oil prices and the decisions made at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is causing severe ripples throughout the world economy. So naturally, it...


Dear readers,

On this auspicious day, we would like to wish all of you (and ourselves) a happy fourth birthday to The Astana Times! The first issue of The Astana Times...


Islamic State Group Propaganda Video Runs Contrary to Kazakh Nature, Backfires

Concerning the latest video: references to natives of Kazakhstanoperating in Syria and Iraq have been made before. Over the year and a half since the first videos were put...


Future of Energy Market, Kazakhstan’s Energy Policy Discussed at 25th Energy Charter Conference in Astana

ASTANA – The future of the international energy market and global energy management systems, as well as a review of Kazakhstan’s energy saving and energy efficiency policies, were on...


Mobile Taxi Service Application Introduced to Kazakhstan

ASTANA – TOUCHka Ltd. has developed a mobile application, TOUCHka, which is an analogue to the Uber application in Europe and America. The application allows Astana and Almaty residents...


Kazakhstan to Play Key Role in Changing Global Economy by 2050, Says Int’l Consulting Firm

ASTANA – Global consulting giant McKinsey introduced its upcoming book “No Ordinary Disruption: The Four Forces Breaking All the Trends” at a press conference in Astana’s Marriott hotel on...


Exhibition Honouring Renowned Scientist Showcased at National Museum

ASTANA – “Uly Dalanyn Kemenger Galymy” (Brilliant Scholar of the Great Steppe), an exhibition dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Doctor of Historical Sciences Kemal Akishev, opened Nov. 20...


Dungans Are Active Members of Kazakh Society, Says Community Leader

ASTANA – There has always been enough room for all nationalities within the multi-ethnic and multicultural community of Kazakhstan. Throughout history, Kazakhs have demonstrated tolerance and compassion towards peoples...


Kazakh, Russian Intelligentsia Meet in Moscow

Poets, writers and literary critics from Kazakhstan and Russia met in Moscow on Nov. 26 for the first time in 25 years to talk about common problems and to...


Construction of Green Housing Begins in Astana

ASTANA – The construction of a residential area using green technologies has begun in Astana, Chairman of the Board of the Samruk Kazyna Real Estate Fund Bolat Palymbetov announced...


Housing Programme Construction to Start in 2015

ASTANA – Construction for Affordable Housing 2020, the national housing programme, will begin Jan. 1, First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev announced at a Nov. 20 meeting of the...


Almaty’s Kairat Captures Kazakh Football Cup

Almaty’s Kairat defeated Aktobe 4:1 on Nov. 22 to claim the Kazakh Football Cup in Astana Arena. Aktobe scored first in the 19th minute, but Kairat’s Yury Logvinenko tied...


Chevron Programme Trains Local College Students in Career Development

ASTANA – A group of 75 college students in Astana, Almaty and Ereimentau (150 kilometres northeast of Astana) had a unique opportunity recently to receive innovative training covering all...


With Warm Embrace, Nazarbayev and Karimov Call for Stronger Ties between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan publicly confirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and friendly cooperation in Central Asia during the official visit of Uzbek leader Islam Karimov to...


Legendary Rock Band Pink Floyd Urges Restoration of Aral Sea

Showing pictures of deserts and ships standing on rocks, British rock group Pink Floyd has released a new music video highlighting the problems of the Aral Sea dryout. “Louder...


Kazakhstan Reports to UN on Country’s Efforts against Torture

Members of Kazakhstan’s government presented the country’s most recent report on Kazakhstan’s implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment on Nov....


Kazakhstan Enlists Civil Society in Fight against Corruption

ASTANA – The role of civil society was discussed Nov. 19 during the regular session of the Commission on the Fight against Corruption under President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Newly appointed...


Kazakh, Czech Presidents Discuss Expanding, Diversifying Economic Ties

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed hope that the Czech Republic will assist Kazakhstan in building an economy that does not depend on natural resources during a Nov....


Diplomatic Christmas Charity Bazaar to Raise Cheer and Money

ASTANA – The Diplomatic Christmas Charity Bazaar , one of the biggest events of the holiday season, is just around the corner and bazaar Organising Committee Chairperson Jane Etienne...


Officials Present Policies on Improving Investment Climate in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry held a roundtable Nov. 21 to introduce the country’s policy to improve the investment climate and priority sectors of the domestic economy within the...


Zhanar Dungalova Is the New Golden Voice of the Turkic World

The newest “Golden Voice of the Turkic World” belongs to Kazakh singer Zhanar Dungalova, winner of the recent Turkvision Song Contest. The competition was organised within the framework of...


Nazarbayev Reflects on First Five Years of Industrial-Innovative Development Programme

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev took part in a roundtable on industrialisation issues held Nov. 20 in the Akorda presidential residence, covering the results Kazakhstan achieved during the...


Revival of the Aral Sea: Kazakh and World Efforts to Restore the Island Sea

The Aral Sea has a grand history in Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region and was once one of the four largest lakes in the world, covering 26,300 square...


Aida Premieres at Astana Opera

ASTANA – Verdi’s masterpiece “Aida” premiered Nov. 19 on the stage of the Astana Opera. Preparation took just over a month, as the staging involved all the technical possibilities...


Modernisation Increases Production at Petropavlovsk Milk Factory

The MolProduct milk factory in Petropavlovsk has increased its output to 60,000 tonnes since the beginning of the year. “We produce 25 sorts of milk with different percentages of...


Kazakh, Swiss Presidents Discuss Relations and Ukraine

ASTANA – President of the Swiss Confederation and Chairperson-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Didier Burkhalter visited Astana Nov. 20-21 to discuss with Kazakh...


Kazakhstan-Centric Mobile Messenger Service Unveiled in Astana

ASTANA – A mobile messenger service unique to Kazakhstan Aitys (iTys) was presented by the Foundation for Development of the State Language at a Nov. 19 briefing at the...


Diplomatic Dispatch

Dear readers, During the almost four years that The Astana Times has existed, foreign ambassadors, diplomats and officials at the offices of international organisations in Kazakhstan have been among...


Global Entrepreneurship Week Launches in Almaty

ASTANA – Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) launched on Nov. 18 in Almaty and will run through Nov. 23. The week, begun in 2008, is intended to spark business ideas...


Group Works to Preserve Polish Heritage in Kazakhstan, Honour Poles’ New Motherland

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is a multicultural country with more than 130 nationalities living within its borders. The Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) helps these ethnic groups to...


External News in Brief

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili when the latter officially visited Kazakhstan. At a Nov. 12 meeting, Massimov and Garibashvili discussed a wide...


Business News in Brief

“Under the law on improvement of conditions for business, the number of procedures during the registration of enterprises will be reduced by three times,” said Minister of National Economy...


Expert-200-Kazakhstan Forum Takes on Economic Issues, Public Administration Reform

ASTANA – The Sixth Economic Forum of National Business Expert-200-Kazakhstan organised by the rating agency Expert RA Kazakhstan (RAEX) and the Expert Kazakhstan magazine was held on Nov. 14...


Winners Announced at Open Central Asia Literature Festival in Almaty

ALMATY – The third Open Central Asia Book Forum and Literary Festival was held in Almaty from Nov. 14 to 17, featuring contests, film screenings, book launches, panel discussions...