IT Education, Women’s Empowerment: Astana Hub Wraps Up 2023 Outcomes

ASTANA – Astana Hub CEO Magzhan Madiyev wrapped up the outcomes of their work in 2023 in his Telegram post on Jan. 8. The Astana Hub organized 446 events...


American Students to Spend One Month Teaching Kids in Eastern Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Two students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will spend 26 days teaching schoolchildren at the secondary school named after Seitkamzy Lastayev in the Katon-Karagai village...


World Bank Releases Monthly Economic Update for Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The World Bank has published a monthly economic update for Kazakhstan for December, reviewing trends in business activity, inflation, and trade dynamics. Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for...


Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Sign Protocol on Mutual Cooperation Expansion

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev and Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov signed a protocol on expanding mutual cooperation at a...


Kazakhstan’s Aviation Administration Confirms Safety of Boeing 737 MAX 9 Fleet Following US Incident

ASTANA – Five Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft registered in Kazakhstan have valid airworthiness certificates, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) reported on Jan. 7. The statement comes after...


Kazakhstan’s SDG Coordination Council Approves 2024 Action Plan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Coordination Council on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved a plan of measures for 2024 at the council’s seventh meeting on Jan. 5,...


Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina Wins Brisbane International, Defeats World No. 2

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s top seed Elena Rybakina defeated world’s No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus with a 6-0, 6-3 score to clinch the Brisbane International on Jan. 7, reported...


Global Players Seek Closer Ties with Central Asia, Says Expert

ASTANA – Global transformations are opening new horizons for Central Asia. Countries are interested in establishing relations with the region to access its vast resources. Meanwhile, Central Asian states...


Kazakhstan Recovers Priceless Persian Texts on Abulkhair Khan

ASTANA – The National Center of Manuscripts and Rare Books retrieved copies of Persian language books “Tarikh-i-Abul Khair Khan” and “History of Mongols” found in the collections of the...


Astana Opera Announces New Productions and Tours for 2024

ASTANA – The Astana Opera’s general director Galym Akhmedyarov revealed the details of their 2024 season with new productions and global tours, reported the opera house’s press service on...


News Digest: Media on Kazakh President’s Big Interview, Middle Corridor, Kazakh Tourism Industry and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media worldwide. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the Kazakh President...


Kazakh President Instructs to Adopt Laws for Country’s Socioeconomic Transformation

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored the need to adopt laws aimed at implementing key measures for the country’s social and economic transformation during a Jan. 5 meeting...


Kazakhstan’s January Events Spotlighted in New Documentary

ASTANA — A documentary titled “Qantar. A Coup Attempt. How It Was” has been released on Jan. 4, offering a fresh perspective on the harrowing events that transpired in...


Yale School of Public Health, Nazarbayev University Launch Advanced Research Training to Address HIV

ASTANA – The Yale School of Public Health is partnering with Nazarbayev University (NU) School of Medicine on an advanced research training program that will support promising scientists and...


Kazakh Kobyz Player Wins First Place at Golden Time Talent International Contest (Video)

ASTANA – Shakhnaze Ilyassova, a 22-year-old kobyz player from the Karagandy Region, took first place in the Golden Time Talent international music contest, reported the region’s administration on Jan....


British Travel Magazine Names Kazakhstan Among Top 24 Places to Visit This Year

ASTANA – Wanderlust travel magazine added Kazakhstan to its Editors’ Hot List 2024, inviting tourists to visit the singing dunes and painted rocks of the Altyn-Emel National Park. “If...


Experts Weigh in on President Tokayev’s Big Interview

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave a big interview to the Egemen Qazaqstan national newspaper on Jan. 3, covering the administration’s top priorities for 2024 and discussing crucial topics...


Square in Bishkek Raises New Kyrgyz Flag

ASTANA – A new flag of the Kyrgyz Republic was hoisted on Ala-Too square in Bishkek, accompanied by the renovation of the guard of honor cabin, 24.kg reported on...


Kazakhstan Reduces Quota for Attracting Foreign Workers in 2024

ASTANA – The Kazakh Minister of Labor has issued an order dated Dec. 28, 2023, setting the quota for attracting foreign workers for labor activities in Kazakhstan in 2024,...


President Tokayev’s Decree on Annual Payments to Children Launches Nationwide

ASTANA – Payments to children within the National Fund for Children project came into effect on Jan. 1 in accordance with the decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported Kazinform....


Inflation in Kazakhstan Falls Below 10% for First Time Since February 2022

ASTANA – The annual increase in prices for goods and services in December hit 9.8%, 0.5% less than in November, DataHub reported on Jan. 3. Throughout 2023, the indicator...


Kazakhstan Exempts Foreign Tourists from Taxes

ASTANA – From Jan. 9, a zero-rate will be implemented across Kazakhstan, relieving foreigners from paying tourist taxes, according to the changes made to the regulations on Dec. 27,...


Kazakhstan Secures Sixth Position in FDI Standouts Watchlist 2024

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has claimed the sixth spot in the foreign direct investment (FDI) Standouts Watchlist 2024, according to a report by fDi Intelligence on Dec. 11, 2023. The...


Astana’s Vibrant Start to First Weekend of 2024 

ASTANA — The vibrant capital of Kazakhstan is gearing up for an exhilarating first weekend of 2024 with a diverse range of events that promise entertainment, culture and laughter....


Kazakhstan Plans to Auction Nearly 70 Precious Metal Deposits

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction has announced its intention to facilitate electronic trading for about 70 deposits of precious metals soon, Kazinform reported on Jan....


Kazakhstan Takes Over Chairmanship at International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea

ASTANA – Kazakhstan takes over the chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving of the Aral Sea as of Jan. 1. The country is committed to deepening partnerships with...


Kazakh Coach Joins International Ice Hockey Federation’s Committee

ASTANA – Victoriya Sazonova, the General Manager of the women’s national teams, has become a member of the international committee for the development of women’s hockey of the International...


Kazakh Experts Reflect on Tokayev’s Interview

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s big interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper is stirring considerable attention, marking it as the most talked-about event on Kazakhstan’s first working day of...


President Tokayev on January Events: We Collectively Navigated Through Crisis and Emerged Even Stronger

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev revealed his reflections on the tragic events that unfolded in January 2022 in Kazakhstan and shed light on what he deemed was a multifaceted...


President Tokayev Puts Fate of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Plant in Hands of People Through National Referendum

ASTANA – The decision to build the nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan will be made by people, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his comprehensive interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan...


President Tokayev Calls for Revitalization of Nauryz Celebration, Emphasizing Its Cultural Significance

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the cultural significance of celebrating Nauryz, the Kazakh New Year, in a fresh and meaningful manner during a Jan. 3 interview with Egemen...


President Tokayev: Kazakhstan Continues Constructive, Balanced Foreign Policy Considering National Interests

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underlined national interests and strategic tasks in the country’s foreign policy in an interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper, released on Jan. 3....


President Affirms Constitutional Rule on Single Seven-Year Term, Dismissing Speculations on New Election Bid

ASTANA – Constitutional rule on a single presidential tenure remains unchanged, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper released on Jan. 3, dismissing...


President Tokayev Charts Economic Blueprint with Focus on Structural Reforms and Growth in New Interview

ASTANA — In a Jan. 3 interview with Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined an ambitious economic course aimed at achieving a Just and Fair Kazakhstan and doubling...


2024 Lays Foundation for Kazakhstan’s Next Five-Year Development Cycle, Says President Tokayev

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev kicked off the new year with an extensive interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper on Jan. 3. During the interview, he discussed key achievements...


President Tokayev Reveals Priorities for 2024 in Big Interview

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave a big interview to the Egemen Qazaqstan national newspaper, shedding light on the administration’s top priorities for the year 2024 and addressing crucial...


No Alternative: Kazakhstan Continues Multi-Vector Foreign Policy 

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will continue a constructive and balanced foreign policy, taking into account the national interests, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in an interview with the Egemen national newspaper...


Mastercard Regional Hub in Almaty to Focus on Data and Services

ASTANA – Mastercard’s Regional Hub for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central and Eastern Europe in Almaty will focus on data and services, said Mastercard General Director for...


Oxford’s First Kazakh Medical Science Doctoral Researcher Eyes Revolutionary Changes in Obstetrics and Gynecology

ASTANA – Innovations in reproductive health may prove to be groundbreaking. In an interview with The Astana Times, Asselzhan Sarbalina, the first Kazakh doctoral researcher in medical science at...


Kazakhstan Sparks Innovation and Empowers Entrepreneurs for Economic Advancement

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has emerged as a regional entrepreneurial hub, credited to a dynamic startup ecosystem bolstered by government policies and an increasing number of talented and ambitious individuals....


Exploring Enigmatic Akmeshit Cave: Haven of Strength and Spiritual Harmony

ASTANA — In the heart of the Turkistan Region, thousands of eager travelers embark on pilgrimages each year, drawn by the promise of healing and spiritual balance offered by...


Kazakhstan Steps Up Creative Economy Development

ASTANA – Kazakhstan continues to improve the legal environment for the development of the creative economy. For Central Asia, developing favorable conditions for creative talents is an opportunity to...


New Social Ethics Shall Become Basis of Renewed National Mentality, State Counselor Says

ASTANA – State Counselor Erlan Karin wrapped up the results of the country’s reforms over the past two years and reflected on the coming tasks to raise public consciousness...


Kazakhstan’s Foreign Policy Navigates Eurasia’s Changing Geopolitics in 2023

ASTANA – Geopolitical shifts in 2023 urged Kazakhstan to align its multivector foreign policy with Eurasia’s evolving landscape while preserving its commitment to bilateral and multilateral obligations and ambitions...


Astana Hosts Conference on Chingiz Aitmatov’s 95th Anniversary  

ASTANA – The National Academic Library in Astana and Auezov Institute of Literature and Art held an international conference on the 95th anniversary of Chingiz Aitmatov, the Kyrgyz renowned...


Dombra Craftsman Preserves Soul of Kazakh Music in Every String (Video)

ALMATY – Zholaushy Turdugulov is one of a handful of traditional dombra craftsmen who preserve the traditional craft of instrument-making and know how to skillfully bring the best sound...


Kazakh Prime Minister Highlights Robust Economic Growth in 2023

ASTANA – Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov shared positive developments in Kazakhstan’s economy over the year in an interview with the 24KZ TV channel, the Prime Minister’s press service reported...


Kazakhstan’s Multivector Foreign Policy: End of Year Assessment

As we approach the end of 2023, Kazakhstan has much to show as the leading country in Central Asia’s emergence – some might even say reemergence – onto the...


AIFC Emerges as Central Asia’s Financial Powerhouse, Leading Global Rankings in 2023

ASTANA – Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has reinforced its leading position in the Central Asia and Eastern Europe region, as per the Global Financial Centers Index rating. The...


News Digest: Media on Kazakhstan’s Efforts to Increase Trade, Bolster Energy Infrastructure and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media worldwide. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the country’s efforts...