Astana to Host Nobel Fest in October

ASTANA – Nobel Fest: Digital Upgrade will unite Nobel laureates and world science stars of IT, economics, and innovation on Oct. 5-6 in Astana, reported the festival’s press office....


Kazakhstan-Malaysia Partnership: Advancing Trade, Innovation and Prosperity

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to open its first Honorary Consulate in Penang, Malaysia, this fall. Datoˊ Wira Louis Ng Chun Hau, the founder and executive chairman of Public...


Hollywood’s Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker “Can’t Wait” to Visit Astana’s Comic Con

ASTANA – Two Hollywood stars, Sean Gunn and Michael Rooker, the headliners of Comic Con Astana addressed Kazakh residents in a video message, saying that they “can’t wait” to...


A Diverse Array of Events Awaits Astana This Weekend

ASTANA — The Kazakh capital is gearing up for a weekend packed with diverse events. Whether you’re a fan of poetry, art exhibitions, retro music, or football, Astana has...


Kazakhstan, Albania Agree to Strengthen Ties During Albanian President’s First Visit to Astana

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and his Albanian counterpart, Bajram Begaj, outlined high dynamics of political and economic cooperation and expressed a shared desire to contribute to peace,...


Kazakhstan, Italy Announce Intention to Deepen Mutual Partnership

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Italy confirmed their intention to deepen mutual partnership and explore new forms of collaboration in a joint statement signed by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and...


Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund Allocates $315 Million to Support Nation’s Social Welfare 

ASTANA – The Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund (to the people of Kazakhstan) has allocated over 146.5 billion tenge ($315.2 million) to finance more than 40 charitable programs and projects. These...


Air Astana Plans to Launch Flights to Tokyo, Singapore, New York Next Year

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana plans to launch flights to Tokyo and Singapore next year and to New York in 2025, said company’s CEO Peter Foster during...


Kazakh PM Encourages NCOC to Increase Kashagan Field’s Production

ASTANA – Production potential of Kashagan field can reach 75 million tons of oil per year, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during a solemn event to mark the...


Kazakhstan Ranks 78th in National Cyber Security Index

ASTANA – Kazakhstan achieved a cybersecurity index score of 48.05%, ranking 78th out of 176 countries, according to the National Cyber Security Index, as reported by Ranking.kz on Aug....


Altynsarin Book House Shines as Hub of Culture and Knowledge in Astana

ASTANA – The Almatykitap publishing house opened the Ybrai Altynsarin Book House on Sept.5 in Astana, to bolster international collaboration in book distribution, fostering a culture of reading, and...


Breakthrough Agenda: President Tokayev’s Bold Vision for Kazakh Economy

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes it is time for Kazakhstan to adopt a new economic model and implement fresh policies to support it. He outlined his vision for the economy...


BAIQONYR International Film Festival Kicks Off in Almaty

ASTANA – The eighth BAIQONYR International Film Festival kicked off in Almaty on Sept. 6 and will run until Sept. 10, the festival announced on its Instagram page.  With...


TechCrunch Ranks Kazakh Startup CerebraAI Among Best Startups in US

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Cerebra AI-powered software for early stroke detection and faster and more accurate treatment was selected among the best startups for the TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 exhibition, The...


President Tokayev Visits Almaty Region to Review Military, Food, Construction, Sports Facilities

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the Almaty Region on Sept. 5 to review military, food, construction, sports, education, and agriculture facilities, reported the Akorda press service....


Kazakhstan Set to Increase Exports to Italy Across 110 Commodity Items 

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is poised to expand exports to Italy in 110 commodity items valued over $900 million, according to Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov. The statement was made during...


UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution on UN-SCO Cooperation 

ASTANA – The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution on Cooperation between the United Nations (UN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Sept....


Kazakh President Observes Military Exercises in Almaty Region

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces, visited the Batyl Toytarys (Bold Rebuff) 2023 military exercises at the Bereg training ground...


Standard & Poor’s Reaffirms Kazakhstan’s Sovereign Credit Rating, Outlook Stable

ASTANA – The international rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) confirmed Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit rating at BBB-/A-3 and maintained a stable outlook on Sept. 4. Kazakhstan’s economic growth momentum...


KazISS: New Council of Economic Experts to Advise on National Growth

ASTANA – Experts from both the Kazakh state and independent sectors will soon have the opportunity to assess economic development indicators and offer recommendations to the President, the Executive...


SDG Ambition Program Accelerates Sustainable Business Goals

ASTANA – The United Nations (UN) Global Compact launches the SDG Ambition program, aimed at expediting the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the strategic and operational...


Kazakh President Sets Task to National Bank’s New Chair

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key tasks to the new Chair of the National Bank, Timur Suleimenov, during a Sept. 4 meeting with the bank’s leadership, reported...


FM Tajani: “Italy Wants To Be Key Partner for Kazakhstan”

ASTANA – Antonio Tajani, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is paying an official visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 5. In an...


Kazakhstan, Shandong Province Explore Promising Areas for Cooperation

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov and Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Province Lin Wu discussed the advancement of cooperation in trade, economics, transport and logistics...


Kazakh President Reshuffles Key Government and Ministry Positions

ASTANA – Following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, Kazakhstan has undergone a significant government reshuffle, including the establishment of new ministries. These changes aim to address...


Guardians of the Galaxy Star to Headline Upcoming Comic Con Astana

ASTANA – The eagerly anticipated Comic Con Astana has announced Hollywood actor Michael Rooker as its latest star headliner, according to a press statement released on September 4. Rooker...


Kazakhstan Ships First 1,300 Tons of Grain to Eastern China

ASTANA – Kazakhstan dispatched its first 1,300-ton shipment of grain from Almaty to Jinan, China, on a new freight container train on September 3, according to an announcement made...


Mangystau Region Begins Construction of New Desalination Plant

ASTANA – Nurlan Nogayev, the akim (Governor) of Mangystau Region, and Magzum Mirzagaliyev, сhairman of KazMunayGas (KMG), the national oil and gas company, initiated the construction of a new...


Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to Advance Clean Energy Transition

ASTANA – The Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to take place in Astana on Sept. 19-20 will focus on advancing clean and renewable energy initiatives in the...


President Sets Ambitious Yet Achievable Goals, Says Kazakh PM

ASTANA – In the state-of-the-nation address, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set ambitious yet achievable goals, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a Sept. 2 government meeting, noting that...


EBRD Provides Funds for Building New Wind Power Plant in Zhambyl Region

ASTANA – Aiming to support Kazakhstan in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) provides financial support for building a...


Kazakhstan Stresses Urgency of Advancing Nuclear Nonproliferation Efforts

ASTANA – Last week’s state-of-the-nation address delivered by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has raised many issues critical for Kazakhstan and its future. The nuclear topic was one of them, reflecting...


Kazakh IT Sector Soars with Thriving Startups and Global Partnerships 

ASTANA – Leveraging its growing economy and skilled workforce, Kazakhstan holds significant potential in the IT sector. The country is committed to strengthening its digital infrastructure and advocating technological...


Shymkent’s Ancient Citadel Sees Surge in Visitor Numbers

ASTANA — The ancient citadel in Shymkent welcomed more than 40,000 visitors in six months, reported Khabar news agency.  The historical and cultural open-air complex is attracting tourists from...


Qazaq Kuresi Bolsters National Identity and Educates Next Generation

ASTANA – Qazaq kuresi, a form of traditional Kazakh wrestling, has not only gained increasing popularity but also holds a place of cultural significance in Kazakhstan. With roots tracing...


Kazakhstan’s New Economic Model to be Citizen-Centered, Says Tokayev

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new economic development model will focus on the interests and needs of its citizens, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his Sept. 1 address to the nation,...


News Digest: Foreign Media on Int’l Day Against Nuclear Tests, Kazakh Uranium Exports, and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on International Day against Nuclear...


Experts Welcome President Tokayev’s Address, Stress Further Effective Implementation

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, mainly focusing on the country’s economic development and ways to navigate the complexities of the geopolitical...


From Classics to Popular Psychology: Top Picks of Kazakh-Language Books

ASTANA – With the revival of Kazakh culture, contemporary literature in the Kazakh language has gained significant popularity and demand today. Bookstores are offering an array of titles covering...


Comic Con Astana Announces Star Headliner

ASTANA – The highly anticipated Comic Con Astana, scheduled for September 15-17, has revealed its star headliner: Hollywood actor, producer, and scriptwriter Sean Gunn, according to an announcement by...


President Tokayev Targets $1 Billion in Kazakhstan’s IT Exports by 2026

ASTANA —  In his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored the necessity of boosting Kazakhstan’s IT services exports to $1 billion by 2026, according to the...


Kazakhstan’s Samruk Kazyna Companies to Target IPO from 2024

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that companies of the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund will undertake initial public offerings (IPOs) starting in 2024. The move is part of...


Kazakhstan to Strengthen Position as Key Transit Hub in Eurasia

ASTANA – During his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan should bolster its role as a vital transit hub in Eurasia and aim to become...


President Tokayev Advocates for Expansive Growth of Creative Economy

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev advocated in his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address for expansive growth in the creative economy, encompassing fields such as media, cinema, music, design, education, and...


Tokayev’s Address Calls for Infrastructure Modernization, Energy, Water Security

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underlined the need for infrastructure modernization, energy efficiency and security during his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address, reported the Akorda press service. “A series...


Kazakhstan to Hold Referendum on Nuclear Power Plant Construction

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will hold a national referendum to determine whether to construct a nuclear power plant, a subject that has sparked intense public debate. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made...


Kazakh President Calls for Macroeconomic Policy Overhaul to Boost Investment

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged Kazakhstan to revamp its macroeconomic policy to stimulate investment in his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address. Delivered at a joint session of both chambers...


New Academic Year Kicks Off in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated teachers and schoolchildren as a new academic year began for nearly 3.9 million children in Kazakhstan on Sept. 1. Approximately 382,000 children start...


Tokayev Outlines Key Pillars of New Economic Model in State-of-the-Nation Address

ASTANA – Kazakhstan should resolutely transition to a new economic model, prioritizing tangible improvements in citizens’ lives, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1,...


Exciting Events to Kick Off September in Astana

ASTANA — As the calendar flips to September, Astana is buzzing with a wide array of events set to dazzle residents and visitors alike. Whether you’re a culture vulture,...