Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to change the focus of its economic policy, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his address to the first session of the Kazakh Parliament on March 29, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev outlined the key steps to tackle the challenges facing the nation following the March 19 election to the…

ASTANA –  The government of Kazakhstan has resigned today, March 29, before the beginning of the new session of the Parliament of the eighth convocation, reads the presidential decree published on the Akorda website.  Following the election to the Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, on March 19, “the government shall resign its…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Belgium share a parallel destiny and common values of peace, reflected in the diverse traditions of the two countries, said Henri Vantieghem, Ambassador of Belgium to Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. From trade and investment to cultural exchange and political cooperation, Kazakhstan…

As the latest parliamentary election in Kazakhstan came to a close, the nation is abuzz with anticipation for what the future holds. With the votes tallied and the final results announced, it became clear that the election had produced a mix of familiar faces and newcomers. With the last year’s constitutional changes, Mazhilis, a lower…

ASTANA – A total 54.19 percent of eligible voters have cast their ballots in the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan as of 10 p.m. Astana time, as polling stations closed at 8 p.m. nationwide, announced Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chairman Konstantin Petrov during a press briefing today.  Voting ended at 9 p.m. local Astana time…

ASTANA – Voter turnout in today’s parliamentary election has reached 14.21 percent as of 10 a.m. local Astana time, Central Election Commission (CEC) member Shavkat Otemisov announced at a press briefing on March 19. Kazakhstan is holding elections to the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, and maslikhats, local representative bodies, today.  As of 10…

ASTANA – Kazakh activist and director of the Astana-based Center for International Security and Policy Alimzhan Akhmetov called for support for victims of nuclear tests as he took part in the ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Act On It Forum in Oslo on March 9-10.   ICAN, headquartered in Geneva, is a global civil…

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan gears up for the upcoming Mazhilis election on March 19, eyes are on the country’s changing political landscape, although some of these changes are not new to Kazakhstan. The Astana Times looks back at all the previous parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan since the country’s independence in 1991 to see how the…

ASTANA – In the run-up to the parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan on March 19, the country’s seven political parties are engaging in a series of pre-election debates to showcase their policies and ideas to the public, with the latest airing on KTK TV channel on March 10. All seven political parties in Kazakhstan eyeing seats…

ASTANA – In the heart of Astana, there is an animal shelter that has been working tirelessly for the past four years to save and care for stray animals. Founded by Yelizaveta Lipisey, the shelter, called I am Alive, has become a safe haven for animals who have nowhere else to go.  A Sunday afternoon…

ASTANA – The Strategy Center for Social and Political Studies expects a voter turnout of 59 percent in the upcoming parliamentary election on March 19, based on a survey the organization conducted in February.  The center, accredited by the Central Election Commission (CEC) to conduct public opinion polls, surveyed 1,600 respondents in all regions and…

ASTANA – Whether commuting to the office or university or walking around the city, one might get lost between colorful posters and billboards in Kazakh cities broadcasting political messages, two weeks into electoral campaigning. While it is the responsibility of each citizen to make an informed decision about their votes, The Astana Times presents a…

ASTANA – One month before the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan, political engagement has reached an unprecedented level, the result of changes the nation has implemented over the past year and a half.  The past two years have been increasingly eventful for Kazakhstan’s political life, with constitutional changes and elections following one after another. The nation…

ASTANA – Two hundred and eighty-one candidates from party lists and 435 candidates from single-mandate districts will run in the March 19 elections to the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, as the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) closed the registration of candidates on Feb. 18. Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis consists of 98 deputies, with…

ASTANA – Bilateral ties between Kazakhstan and Spain are growing as they crossed a 30-year milestone last year. The ambition that Kazakhstan and Spain demonstrate, the dynamism of Spanish companies, and the reforms undertaken by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev give high hopes the next 30 years are going to be just as fruitful as the previous…

ASTANA – Twenty-seven agencies, 380 staff members, and a firm commitment to ensure every woman, man, girl, and boy are not left behind on a developmental journey. That is how one can describe the work of the United Nations (UN) office in Kazakhstan, which celebrates 30 years on Feb. 16. Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will send 50 tons of humanitarian aid to Syria, which has been reeling from the consequences of a devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Türkiye on Feb. 6, announced the Kazakh government on Feb. 10.  Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar chaired a meeting of the Commission on International Humanitarian Aid…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) closed the period to nominate the candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections on Feb. 8. Here is a look (in alphabetical order) at what seven registered political parties in Kazakhstan came up with for their voters.  As March 19 comes closer, the chances for new faces to gain…

ASTANA – Seven political parties in Kazakhstan submitted their party lists with a total of 283 candidates to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to participate in the March 19 elections to the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, as the nomination period ended on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m., announced CEC Deputy Chair…

ASTANA – Central Asia needs a shared vision on addressing climate change, energy and water risks, and one that balances each of the region’s country’s interests. That is one of the key takeaways of a panel session with regional experts hosted by Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies on Jan. 30. Experts…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the Zhambyl Region in southern Kazakhstan on Feb. 3, touring the region’s agricultural facilities and highlighting its enormous yet untapped potential, according to the presidential press service.  One of the first sites in his program was the Aulie-Ata Phoenix poultry farm, located in the Myrzatai village of the Baizak…

ASTANA – Helping children became a mission for Aruzhan Audanbekova, whose Ertis Mektebi School project aimed at providing mainstream education to children from the East Kazakhstan Region affected by nuclear testing made it to the final of the Peace, Nuclear Abolition and Climate Engaged Youth (PACEY) Awards competition on Jan. 21.  Audanbekova, a native of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) accredited 25 international observers for the upcoming elections to the Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, and the maslikhats, local representative bodies, said CEC Secretary Mukhtar Yerman at a Feb. 2 CEC meeting in Astana.   “As of today, 25 observers from one state and two international…

ASTANA – Plans for the development of Kazakhstan’s capital city Astana were in the spotlight of a Jan. 30 meeting in Akorda with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, ministers, Astana akim (mayor) Zhenis Kassymbek and other senior officials in charge of the capital.  Astana, the capital city that received back its better known name after a switch…

ASTANA – The political agenda of 2023 in Kazakhstan will be determined by the vector of political reforms set forward by the country’s leadership, according to State Counselor Erlan Karin. “First of all, it concerns the continuation of the practical implementation of the results of the national referendum to update the Constitution of the country,”…

ASTANA – Reigning Wimbledon champion and Kazakhstan’s top seed Elena Rybakina yielded to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 in the women’s singles final on Jan. 28 at Australian Open 2023. The game at the Rod Laver Arena was intense for both world’s 22nd seed Elena Rybakina and fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka.  Rybakina, 23,…

ASTANA – Maulen Ashimbayev, 51, was unanimously voted by the deputies of the Senate on Jan. 26 as Kazakhstan’s Senate Chairperson after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed his candidacy for the position.  After addressing the newly elected and appointed deputies of the upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, President Tokayev put forward Ashimbayev’s candidacy for the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will spend 143 billion tenge (US$311.5 million) in 2023 to implement 1,500 projects in 736 villages across the country as part of the Auyl – El Besigi (the Village is the Birthplace of a Nation) project, according to the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy, which is in charge of the project.  The…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed ten new deputies to the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament on Jan. 24, reported the Akorda press service.  The President’s right to appoint ten deputies to the Senate, which consists of 50 deputies, is enshrined in the country’s Constitution. Five of them are recommended by…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission compiled a list of eligible voters for the Mazhilis and maslikhat election, including 11,976,406 citizens with the active right to vote, reported the CEC press service.  The largest number of voters – 1,177,507 – is registered in the Turkistan Region, the smallest – 138,277 – in the Ulytau Region,”…

ASTANA – At least 56 Afghan women are continuing their studies in Kazakhstan’s universities as part of Kazakhstan’s year-long efforts to support Afghan nationals whose country is now in economic and social turmoil. The young women are participants of an academic scholarship program launched by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan and funded by the European Union…

ASTANA – Two weeks into 2023, Kazakhstan prepares for Senate elections, the upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, on Jan. 14, which will have 55 candidates competing for 20 seats in the Senate. The registration of candidates wrapped up at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24. Out of 130 nominated candidates, fifty-five candidates, including 18 women…

ASTANA – Economic growth in Central Asia is projected to remain flat at 3.9 percent in 2023, dragged down by weak external demand, rising inflation and global supply chain disruptions, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report released on Jan. 11. In 2022, the growth reached 3.9 percent, down from 5.1 percent…

ASTANA – The Constitutional Court, which began its work in Kazakhstan on Jan. 1, ruled on its first decision, repealing the law on the First President that granted Nursultan Nazarbayev exclusive rights and privileges, including retention of his and his family’s financial wealth and immunity from actions made while president and after, reports the court’s…

The past week in Kazakhstan witnessed several important appointments, signaling one significant and positive trend in the government – more young voices are rising to the highest ranks of the cabinet.  Amid the current government’s efforts to fulfill the tasks set by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, from energy to housing, it is inspiring to see that…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office and the Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs delivered their reports on Jan. 5 on the investigation into the tragic January events that shocked the nation exactly one year ago.  One year into the worst unrest the country has seen over the years of independence that left at least…

ASTANA – The first working day of 2023 in Kazakhstan on Jan. 4 featured some significant reshuffles in the government, sending a strong message from the government that they are embracing younger and more progressive voices. Zulfiya Suleimenova made the headlines, becoming the youngest minister at 32 after she was appointed the Minister of Ecology…

Welcoming 2022, the people of Kazakhstan hoped it would bring more good to the world, which is still reeling from two years of uncertainty and the pandemic that took many lives. 2022 can hardly be called an easy year – the ongoing pandemic, rising geopolitical confrontations, economic slowdown, and war. It reminded us all of…

ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov wrapped up the results of the ministry’s work in 2022 at a press briefing on Dec. 28, highlighting a packed diplomatic schedule the country has had this year.  “This year, we have done a lot of work on the foreign policy track, several major international events were…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on Dec. 26 to amend the country’s legislative acts on youth policy and social security, reported the Akorda press service. The law envisages fixing women’s retirement age at 61 years by 2028, extending child care allowances from 12 to 18 months, increasing the age of youth from…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Uzbekistan last week was under the spotlight of an international conference on Dec. 27 titled Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Prospects for the Development of Strategic Partnership and Alliance, reported the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS).  Experts discussed political dialogue and new strategic prospects for cooperation in economy,…

ASTANA – Less than a month after the Kazakh Ministry of Justice registered a new party called Baitak, it paves the way for green reformists in the country, part of a broader reform agenda in Kazakhstan. The Astana Times spoke to Baitak party chair Azamatkhan Amirtai about the party’s priorities, objectives and plans ahead of…

ASTANA – Svevind, the company behind Europe’s largest wind farm in Sweden, is running a green hydrogen project in the Mangystau Region, seeking to establish Kazakhstan as a reliable supplier of green energy in the form of hydrogen and ammonia for the global markets, said the company’s CEO Wolfgang Kropp in an interview with The…

ASTANA – A new party called Baitak with an environmental focus received registration from the Kazakh Ministry of Justice on Nov. 30, the party’s founder and chair Azamatkhan Amirtay shared on his Facebook. With the Baitak party, there are now six political parties in Kazakhstan, including the Amanat party, Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan,…

ASTANA – Kazakh and European political experts gathered on Nov. 28 in Brussels to share their views on the ongoing political changes in Kazakhstan and the country’s efforts to navigate the challenging circumstances that the world finds itself in today.   A panel session, titled Kazakhstan in 2022 – a Seismic Year of Change and Unprecedented…

ASTANA – There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must never be unleashed. This is one of the premises in the declaration signed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Nov. 28.  Tokayev’s visit to Moscow on Nov. 28, the first foreign visit since his…

ASTANA – The guaranteed transfer from the National Fund of Kazakhstan to the country’s budget will reach 2.2 trillion tenge (US$4.7 billion) in 2023 and is set to decline moving forward, according to a law signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Nov. 24.  The transfer will make two trillion tenge ($4.3 billion) in 2024 and…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia as he addressed the Collective Security Council session of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) on Nov. 23 in Yerevan, reported the presidential press service.  Tokayev emphasized the time has come for a “joint collective search for a formula for peace.”  “Any…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies convened on Nov. 21. political experts to discuss the presidential election that the country had on Nov. 20 and share forecasts for the development of the country’s political discourse in the future.  A final statement released by the Central Election Commission on Nov. 22 shows Tokayev winning 81.31…

ASTANA – 69.43 percent of Kazakhstan’s eligible voters participated in the country’s presidential election on Nov. 20 as of 10 p.m. local Astana time, announced the Central Election Commission (CEC) at a press briefing on Nov. 20. Polling stations closed throughout the country at 8 p.m. local Astana time. In the country’s five regions –…

ASTANA – Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s presidential election hit 51.16 percent as of 2 p.m. local Astana time, announced the Central Election Commission member Sabila Mustafina at a press briefing on Nov. 20.  Kazakhstan holds its presidential elections today, Nov. 20. As of 2 p.m. local Astana time, 6,113,621 people out of 11,950,485 eligible voters…

ASTANA – The six people who sought to become the next president of Kazakhstan came to vote, exercising their constitutional right during election day on Nov. 20. Among the candidates, Zhiguli Dairabayev, running from the Auyl party, was the first to come to a polling station at around 7 a.m. in Astana. “The mood is…

ASTANA – The year 2022 was not easy for Kazakhstan and by voting today in the presidential elections, people are voting for a bright future for the country, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told journalists after casting his vote at a polling station located at the Palace of Schoolchildren in Astana.  Tokayev is among the six candidates…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s presidential election sees 23.37 percent voter turnout, announced Central Election Commission (CEC) member Shavkhat Otemisov at a press briefing on Nov. 20. Kazakhstan holds presidential elections today, Nov. 20. There are six candidates competing for the country’s highest office – incumbent president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Karakat Abden, Meiram Kazhyken, Nurlan Auesbayev, Saltanat Tursynbekova,…

ASTANA – Nearly 11 million citizens across Kazakhstan will head to polling stations today on Nov. 20 to vote for the country’s next President.  There are 11,950,485 eligible voters in Kazakhstan. On Sunday, 10,101 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time nationwide and will close at 8 p.m.  Citizens traveling or residing abroad will…

ASTANA – Few days before the election day in Kazakhstan, Kazakh citizens will be able to cast their vote in 53 countries. The Astana Times spoke to Kazakh citizens residing abroad to learn about their stance regarding voting.  According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov, on election day citizens of Kazakhstan will have…

ASTANA – Kazakh capital Astana hosted a Strategic Initiatives Forum on Nov. 16 gathering top scholars and experts to discuss their vision of Kazakhstan’s future and the priority reforms for the next seven years.  The four panel sessions were attended by the heads of state bodies, national companies, representatives of big businesses, public and political…

ASTANA – The devaluation of the idea of justice and the mutual estrangement between the state and society were the main causes behind the January tragedy, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his Nov. 16 meeting with the public in Almaty, reported the presidential press service.  The January tragedy refers to peaceful protests that broke out…

ASTANA – Saudi Arabia is keen to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan for the interests of both peoples, Yahya Ahmad D Okeish, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Kazakhstan, said in an interview with The Astana Times, a few hours after the diplomats’ meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Akorda on…

ASTANA – Kazakh songs have a distinctive sound that warms people’s hearts. The songs of Dos-Mukasan, a famous Kazakh rock and pop music group from the 1970s, have that effect every time you listen to one of their songs.  The Sept. 29 release of the movie that tells the band’s story, similar to “Bohemian Rhapsody,”…

ASTANA – Five Kazakh presidential candidates and one representative of a candidate presented election programs in a Nov. 12 live televised debate at the Kazmedia Center in the capital. At the debate, Mazhilis Chair and Amanat Party Chair Yerlan Koshanov represented presidential candidate and incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Karakat Abden, Zhiguli Dairabayev, Nurlan Auesbayev, Saltanat…

Editor’s note: As Kazakhstan heads to the presidential elections on Nov. 20, The Astana Times will contribute a series of articles in the format of reviews and interviews providing an outlook into the electoral programs of each of the candidates.   ASTANA – Saltanat Tursynbekova is running for the office of the president in the upcoming…

ASTANA – The Election Observation Mission (EOM) of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published an interim report on Nov. 4 outlining their findings as the mission continues its work, just 12 days before the presidential elections in Kazakhstan.  The mission began its work on Oct. 18 headed by Ambassador Urszula…

ASTANA – The Constitutional Court, which will start functioning on Jan. 1, 2023, will ensure the more effective protection of human rights in Kazakhstan as citizens will be able to appeal directly to the court, said Maulen Ashimbayev, speaker of the Senate, an upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament.  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed six laws…

ASTANA – As the election campaign period continues in Kazakhstan until Nov. 18, its focus is primarily on social obligations, said political expert Daniyar Ashimbayev.  “Apparently, there is a certain set of explicitly populist slogans that the electoral headquarters have agreed not to bring up for discussions, such as credit amnesty and the privatization of…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed into law the constitutional amendments to re-establish the Constitutional Court and expand the powers of the country’s Human Rights Commissioner and the human rights focus of the Prosecutor General, among other laws, at a public ceremony on Nov. 5 at Akorda, reported the presidential press service.  The six laws…

ASTANA – Ahead of the presidential elections in Kazakhstan scheduled for Nov. 20, the country’s youth is ready to head to the polls to vote for their new President. Though public opinion about the upcoming elections diverges, with people still questioning the need for an ahead-of-schedule election, casting a vote remains a civic duty for…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s leading political scientists, public figures and scholars convened on Oct. 31 in Astana to discuss the ongoing political transformation in the country, reforms that aim to fulfill the Just Kazakhstan promise, reported the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies organizing an expert discussion. Welcoming the participants, Yerkin Tukumov, director of the institute, proposed…

ASTANA – The upcoming presidential elections in Kazakhstan, scheduled for Nov. 20, will be taking place in a completely new format, said the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observer mission Urszula Gacek in an Oct. 27 interview given to the Jibek…

2022 has been an intense year for Kazakhstan. Beginning tragically as it did in January, the Nov. 20 presidential elections seem to be the year’s culmination in what officials are now describing as the “reset of the political system.”  The public sentiment around the elections diverges. Some expect change for the better from the elections,…

ASTANA – Hela Cheikhrouhou, International Financial Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, reaffirmed the commitment to deepening IFC support to Kazakhstan towards sustainable development through increased private sector investments in her first visit to Kazakhstan on Oct. 3-4. In an interview with The Astana Times, Cheikhrouhou…

ASTANA – The Zhetisu regional court in Taldykorgan came out with a decision on Oct. 20 to amend a punitive measure for policeman Aidyn Kenzhebayev, accused of torture with a hot steam iron against a detainee involved in the January unrest, from house arrest to detention, Asem Tusupova, a lawyer at the Qantar Center for…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) registered six candidates to qualify for the country’s Nov. 20 presidential election.  Registration closed Oct. 21 and six candidates, incumbent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Meiram Kazhyken, Zhiguli Dairabayev, Karakat Abden, Saltanat Tursynbekova and Nurlan Auesbaev, will campaign until Nov. 18 for election to the country’s highest office. All presidential nominees…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s State Counselor Erlan Karin addressed an expert forum on Oct. 18, titled Kazakhstan’s Political Transformation: Trends and Prospects, organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, reported the Akorda press service.  Karin emphasized that the current electoral process stems from the constitutional reform initiated by the June 5 national referendum. He spoke…

ASTANA – Kazakh and foreign companies signed US$1.5 billion in agreements on Oct. 19 at the Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable that brought together over 500 participants, including government officials and top international executives, to explore investment prospects together. Agreements covered the fields of metallurgy, petrochemistry and gas processing, transport and logistics, production of building materials,…

ASTANA – Nearly $35 billion have been invested in Kazakhstan’s transport sector over the past five years, with 2,500 kilometers of new railways being built, said Deputy Chair of the Kazakh Transport Committee Kassym Tilepov at a plenary session during the fifth Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable on Oct. 19 in Astana.  At a time when…

ASTANA – Almost a month is left before the presidential elections in Kazakhstan, scheduled for Nov. 20. Experts and the public continue to debate the elections and the electoral process, with scholars generally agreeing on the growing need for change in the country, highly demanded by the public, and hoping that elections can bring about…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov during his state visit to Kazakhstan, marking the historic significance of the visit in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, reported the presidential press service.  Berdymukhamedov arrived on a state visit on Oct. 14 to attend the meeting of heads of the Commonwealth of…

ASTANA – Three candidates nominated to run in the presidential elections in Kazakhstan have been withdrawn from the registration by the Central Election Commission with all of them lacking the required experience in public service, the CEC announced on Oct. 13.  Khayrulla Gabzhalilov, Talgat Yergaliyev, and Fatima Bizakova do not meet the requirements set out…

ASTANA – Five candidates have been registered by the Central Election Commission (CEC) to run for the presidential elections on Nov. 20, while verification and approval of seven more candidates are pending at the time of writing.  The period for nomination of candidates closed on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for…

ASTANA – South Korea and Kazakhstan have gone through an unchartered path together, but now, 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the bilateral ties are at a mature age, said South Korean Ambassador to Kazakhstan Koo Hong-seok in an interview with The Astana Times. “The past 30 years have been a period when…

ASTANA – The choice of where one can fly from Kazakhstan is steadily expanding, as countries worldwide continue to relax COVID-19-related restrictions, sending a signal that the world is ready to return to normal after more than two years of strict measures to address the global pandemic. Every week, nearly 489 flights carry people from…

ASTANA  – Digital Nomads, a group of more than 400 IT professionals born in Kazakhstan but now spanning across the world, met on Sept. 21 with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev when he visited New York. What many would call a lifetime opportunity was also a chance for the group to explain their effort to develop a…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital of Astana hosted the presentation of the Kazakh language edition of the book “Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb” written by prominent nuclear non-proliferation expert Togzhan Kassenova on Sept. 29. It tells the story of how Kazakhstan navigated through multiple challenges after the collapse of the Soviet Union…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met on Sept. 28 with heads of technological and IT companies who arrived in Astana to attend the two-day Digital Bridge Forum, a key event with a program featuring some of the biggest names in the IT industry, reported the presidential press service. Organized this year under the theme Central…

ASTANA  –  The Turkistan Region has witnessed a 1.5-fold increase in industry and agriculture since 2019, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with the region’s public on Sept. 27, reported the presidential press service.  The Turkistan Region located in southern Kazakhstan near the Syr Darya River boasts more than 1,500 years of rich history.…

ASTANA – The success of social reforms in Kazakhstan is contingent upon its ability to reform the broader management system and key state institutions. That is one of the conclusions made by Albert Barro, a project associate at the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, and Svante E. Cornell, director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road…

ASTANA – A supplier of technological solutions for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan will be selected in the first quarter of 2023, said Timur Zhantikin, general director of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants company, in an interview with Jibek Joly TV channel.  Zhantikin said that the shortlist includes four companies – Chinese…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced early presidential elections for Nov. 20, kicking off yet another politically important season for the nation. With two months left, experts say that elections can help renew credibility and public trust in key state institutions and minimize risks from the potential deterioration of the economy.  Announcing the date of…

ASTANA –  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged world leaders to take a proactive approach in addressing global challenges by trying to prevent them from happening, rather than responding to emerging crises during his address at the General Debates of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 20, reported the presidential press service.  The General Debates, which…

ASTANA – The first day of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to New York was busy as he met with representatives of dozens of American companies and attended the Kazakh-American business council meeting reaffirming the country’s keen interest in intensifying bilateral ties with the United States, reported the presidential press office.  The program of Tokayev’s visit…

ASTANA – The final decision on the Digital Tenge project has not yet been made, but is expected to be announced by the end of 2022, the project’s head Ainur Kenzhayeva said in an interview with The Astana Times.  The project, which the National Bank of Kazakhstan has been working on with financial market participants,…

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan prepares to host the International Education Fair, the largest education exhibition in Central Asia, from Sept. 22 through Sept. 27, the nation witnesses a growing demand for education abroad, said Aizada Koigeldiyeva, director of Univero, one of the organizers and one of Kazakhstan’s leading educational agencies, in an interview with The…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on constitutional amendments on Sept. 17 that officially restores the former name of the Kazakh capital city – Astana, and limits presidential tenure by a single non-renewable seven-year term, reported the presidential press service. The change is effective immediately. Astana became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997…

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to expand economic cooperation and in doing so to focus on the transit-transport sphere, food, and energy security during the сouncil of heads of the SCO member states on Sept. 15-16 in Samarkand, reported the presidential press service.  The summit was in…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s capital is set to soon be renamed back from Nur-Sultan to Astana after the Parliament endorsed the draft law on constitutional amendments required to rename the capital on Sept. 16. The document now awaits President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s discretion. The adoption of a package of constitutional amendments, which also include a norm for…

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Akorda on Wednesday, who is making his first foreign visit since the start of the pandemic, announced the Kazakh presidential press service.  The two counterparts, who met in Beijing in February when Tokayev flew to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter…

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in an extraordinary online meeting of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on Sept. 13 convened at Armenia’s request, reported the Akorda presidential press service. The session, which was attended by President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Pope Francis addressed the representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps on Sept. 13, a few hours after Pope Francis arrived in the Kazakh capital for his 38th apostolic journey, reported the presidential press service.  Pope Francis is also attending the seventh Congress of Leaders of World…

NUR-SULTAN – The Constitutional Council will convene soon to consider amending norms in the Constitution to introduce a single-term presidential tenure in Kazakhstan before the early presidential elections scheduled for this fall, reported the council’s press service. Limiting presidential tenure to a single seven-year term with no right for re-election was the major headline of…