Business news in brief

Most foreign investments goes to the extraction sector, Director General of the Centre for the Development of Trade Policy of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning Ruslan Sultanov...


Public Perception Largely Positive for Eurasian Integration, Says Panel

ASTANA, May 22 – The presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus are expected to sign a treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) here on May...


Quality Product Opens New Markets for “Made in Atyrau” Label

ATYRAU – The quality products of the Chevron-owned Atyrau Polyethylene Pipe Plant (APPP) and the Atyrau Valve Plant (AVP) are now available to Russian consumers. APPP and AVP plant...


New Book by Olzhas Suleimenov Presents New Etymological Method

The new book by Olzhas Suleimenov, “Code of the Word,” was recently presented in Almaty in an event organised by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education and Science. “Code of the...


Hyatt Regency Hotel to Open in Almaty in 2017

ASTANA – Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced on May 14 that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Turkey’s Tavros Investment Holding to open a new Hyatt...


EXPO 2017 Preparations Are in Full Swing

The Astana EXPO 2017 National Company is on the threshold of important events, including a June ceremony in which Kazakhstan will receive the International Specialised Exhibition (BIE) flag, the...


Kurmangazy Conservatory Performs at Beijing Modern Music Festival

Almaty’s Kurmangazy Conservatory Choir and choir rector and People’s Artist of Kazakhstan Zhaniya Aubakirova performed at the Beijing Modern Music Festival (BMMF) 2014, along with performers and composers of...


Kazakh ‘Karate Kid’ Brings Home European Kyokunshinkai Title

ASTANA – Fifteen-year-old Temirlan Zhanibekov of Astana won gold at the Kyokunshinkai European Championships held in Bulgaria on May 22. Kyokushinkai or kyokushin is a type of full-contact karate....


Tourism Concept Seeks to Attract Neighbours, Create Tourism Clusters

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan works to diversify its economy, the development of tourism has become a national priority. Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Industry...


Strategies to Reach Full Employment Discussed at World Anti-Crisis Conference in Astana

ASTANA – The hypothesis that the developed world may have to get used to perpetually low nominal interest rates and financial bubbles in order to reach full employment was...


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...