South African Embassy in Kazakhstan celebrates anniversary of apartheid’s end

NUR-SULTAN – The South African Embassy in Kazakhstan marked Freedom Day, their national celebration, with an April 26 lecture in the capital by former South African minister...


Kazakh start-up Eco Poof makes eco-friendly ottomans

NUR-SULTAN – Eco Poof makes orthopaedic ottomans from recycled materials. The company started producing and selling its contoured footstools in Karaganda after winning a start-up contest last...


Electronic railway ticket sales increase eightfold in five years

NUR-SULTAN – Electronic tickets sales for Kazakh railway transportation have increased eightfold in the last five years. The system eases the purchase process and reduces illegal re-sales....


Kazakh PM briefs Western diplomats, officials on new measures to attract foreign investment

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan hopes recently launched measures by the government will increase foreign investment cooperation with countries and institutions, Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin told an April...


12th round of Astana Process peace talks advances work to launch constitutional committee

NUR-SULTAN – Parties to the 12th round of Astana Process Syrian peace talks April 26 in the Kazakh capital continued efforts to launch a Constitutional Committee to...


Hydroponic greenhouses supply Almaty, Nur-Sultan with fresh pesto

NUR-SULTAN – Hydroponic greenhouses that started as a hobby are now in the fresh pesto business. The project supplies shops in Almaty and the capital and is...


Korean businesses, Kazakh Invest agree to $113 million in projects

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Invest and a variety of Korean companies signed memorandums for $113 million in investment projects during the April 22 Kazakh-Korean Investment Forum in the...


Kazakh communist party nominates Zhambyl Akhmetbekov to run for president

NUR-SULTAN – Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan (CCPK) unanimously nominated April 26 CCPK Central Committee Secretary and Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) Deputy Zhambyl Akhmetbekov as the...


Kazakhstan has turned into ‘competitive transit hub’, Nazarbayev tells Belt and Road forum

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s First President Nursultan Nazarbayev briefed the April 25-27 Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on the country’s infrastructure development and transport...


Kazakh athletes win gold, silver, bronze on Asian Boxing Championship’s final day

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh athletes won two gold, two silver and six bronze medals on the final day of the 2019 Asian Boxing Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. Several...


Designer converts Karaganda coal into award-winning jewellery

NUR-SULTAN – Olga Zeller, a designer from Karaganda, creates coal jewellery in a variety of designs, from patterns inspired by her own heritage to modern minimalist looks....


Auyl party nominates Toleutai Rakhimbekov as presidential candidate

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s social democratic party, Auyl (Village), nominated National Agrarian Research and Education Centre Chair Toleutai Rakhimbekov as its candidate for Kazakhstan’s upcoming presidential elections, Auyl...


Architect’s Instagram account captures disappearing history of Kazakh capital

NUR-SULTAN – Temirtas Iskakov runs an increasingly popular Instagram account that aims to showcase the capital’s history through historic buildings, some of which eventually will be gone....


Kazakhstan wants tourists to come play, not just work

NUR-SULTAN – Central Asian countries working together to promote regional tourism would help increase the number of travellers who visit Kazakhstan for pleasure rather than business, said...


Nur-Sultan launches effort to attract another year of record foreign direct investment, says city administration

NUR-SULTAN – The Nur-Sultan Akimat (city administration) aims to build last year’s record amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) this year, reports its press service. Nur-Sultan attracted...


It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Astana Comic Con!

NUR-SULTAN – The first Comic Con in Central Asia will gather creators and fans of the vast comic book universe in the capital’s EXPO 2017 Congress Centre...


Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan hope planned border trading centre will boost trade to $5 billion by end of 2020

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are planning to open the Central Asia international centre for trade and economic cooperation on their shared border. The countries have set...


Chevron’s Zangar project prepares Atyrau Region youth for careers in science, technology   

NUR-SULTAN – The Zangar programme has reached more than 9,600 young people in the Atyrau Region as part of the Chevron youth development programme. The International Youth...


President Tokayev, other presidential candidate pass language proficiency tests

NUR-SULTAN – Ruling Nur Otan party candidate and incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev passed the Kazakh language examination, the Central Election Commission reported April 23. Candidates for the...


Kazakhstan could see first female presidential candidate as Ak Zhol party nominates Daniya Yespayeva

NUR-SULTAN – The Ak Zhol party nominated April 24 Daniya Yespayeva as its candidate for the June 9 presidential election. If confirmed by the Kazakhstan Central Election...


Kazakh trade union federation nominates Amangeldy Taspikhov to run for president

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU) nominated April 24 Chairman of the Territorial Association of the West Kazakhstan Region’s Trade Unions Amangeldy Taspikhov as...


Kazakh tourism professionals seek out new attractions among nation’s eastern wilds, atop its horses

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Tourism national company plans to take travel industry representatives and travel writers on four scouting exhibitions in 2019 to identify new tourist attractions, said...


Reopening of long-shuttered metals plant brings jobs to East Kazakhstan village

NUR-SULTAN – After nearly a decade of inactivity, Dinatron-Kazakhstan, formerly the Irtysh Chemical Metallurgical Plant, smelted its first high-purity titanium ingot April 11. The bars weigh more...


Golovkin returns to ring June 8 at Madison Square Garden against Rolls

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh professional boxer Gennady Golovkin (GGG) will meet Canadian Steve Rolls at New York City’s Madison Square Garden June 8 to kick off his six-fight...


Kazakh presidential election candidates must speak Kazakh, meet physical and mental health requirements

NUR-SULTAN – Candidates for the June 9 presidential election in Kazakhstan must speak Kazakh and be free of a list of 107 mental and physical ailments, according...


UK sees Kazakhstan as major strategic partner in Central Asia, says British minister

NUR-SULTAN – The United Kingdom views Kazakhstan as one of its major strategic partners in Central Asia, U.K. Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Sir...


Kazakh ruling party nominates incumbent President Tokayev as candidate for June 9 presidential election

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh ruling Nur Otan party congress unanimously nominated April 23 Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the party’s candidate for Kazakhstan’s June 9 presidential election. The...


Orderly presidential transition represents latest milestone in Kazakhstan’s development

In any country with a presidential system of government, who holds the top post matters hugely for its direction and success. The President is inevitably the symbol...


Global leaders to focus on ‘inspiring growth’ at Astana Economic Forum

NUR-SULTAN – More than 3,000 domestic and international economists, political leaders and civil society representatives are expected to gather May 16-17 in the Kazakh capital for the...


Korean President brings ‘Fresh Wind’ to relations in Kazakh capital

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed April 22 the peace process on the Korean Peninsula and bilateral economic cooperation during...