Articles by Zhanna Shayakhmetova

Kazakh Tourism Advances Creative Projects to Unlock Potential of Regions

TURKISTAN – The Creative Tourism Forum 2023 was held on Dec. 1 in Turkistan to address the challenges and opportunities in tourism experiences and to activate the potential of creative industries.  The forum was initiated by the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports, with support from the region’s administration and Kazakh Tourism national company.  The…

National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights is Pivotal for Kazakhstan, Says Expert 

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has been implementing the Business and Human Rights project by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), designed to strengthen the mechanisms for protecting the rights of citizens by adhering to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. A National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights has been conducted, paving…

Eni Plenitude’s Arm Wind Launches First Solar Power Plant in Turkistan Region

ASTANA – Eni’s Plenitude unveiled a 50-megawatt solar power plant operated by Arm Wind company, its local renewable subsidiary, in the Turkistan Region on Sept. 27. This is the company’s first solar project and the third renewable project in the country. During an interview with The Astana Times, Alex Stillavato, the Managing Director of Arm…

Expert Discusses Kazakhstan’s Priorities as SCO Chair

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is interested in developing multifaceted cooperation as part of its chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Aidar Kurmashev, head of the Asian Studies Department at the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies, said in an interview with The Astana Times. “Kazakhstan aims to strengthen economic ties among member states by developing transport…

UN Kazakhstan Country Team Discusses Agenda of SDG Summit with Media

ASTANA – The United Nations Office in Kazakhstan held a meeting with media representatives to highlight the upcoming agenda for the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit and address issues related to sustainable development on Sept. 6 in Astana.  The SDG Summit will be held on Sept. 18-19 in New York and seeks to assess…

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 interview with The Astana Times, Minister Tajani spoke about cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy, as well as some of the key partnership projects.  Minister Tajani, welcome…

UN Assistant Secretary-General Talks Digitalization, Gender Equality

ASTANA – Ivana Živković, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and UN Assistant Secretary-General, visited Kazakhstan on June 8-9 to participate in the Astana International Forum (AIF). As part of the UN delegation, she also met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Živković spoke about the…

Citi Commits to Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth as Trusted Partner 

ASTANA – The Astana Times spoke with David Livingstone, Citi’s Chief Executive Officer in Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the company’s strategy in the region and expansion plans on the sidelines of the meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana on June 8.  Could you share with us some of the major projects…

Singapore and Kazakhstan are Forward-Looking Nations Committed to Human Capital Development, Sustainable Growth, Says Singapore’s President

ASTANA – President of Singapore Halimah Yacob gave an exclusive interview to The Astana Times on the eve of the state visit to Kazakhstan.  Halimah Yacob spoke about the strategic partnership, trade connections, and other areas of cooperation between the two countries during the interview.  2023 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan…

Kazakh Tech Company Launches Fourth-Generation University to Bring Digital Solutions for SMEs

ASTANA — Almaty-based DAR company has announced expansion plans by launching a next-generation corporate university to meet the demand for specific technology experts in the country.  The DAR University (DAR U) is focused on education, research, and internal process automation and offers a hybrid form of learning. The university offers education in seven areas, including…

Malaysian Education Agency Seeks to Strengthen Ties with Kazakhstan in Academic Sphere

ASTANA – The Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) took a step towards establishing stronger ties with Kazakhstan in higher education by embarking on a four-day visit to the country this March.  The agency aims to enhance collaboration and strategic partnerships with Kazakh officials while promoting its activities and exploring potential opportunities during the visit. This…

Astana to Host 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships

ASTANA – More than 300 athletes from 24 countries will take part in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana April 9-14, Deputy Chair of Sports and Physical Culture Committee Aigul Bektenova said at an April 7 briefing. “The list of participants includes seven Olympic medalists and five World Cup winners. We expect an amazing competition.…

Investments, Reforms Vital for Energy Security in Central Asia, World Bank Officials Say

ASTANA – As energy transition remains a priority for Central Asia, the World Bank is committed to support the region in promoting efficient mechanisms for regional electricity trading and developing joint actions to improve regional cooperation and activities that contribute to the transition to a carbon neutral economy.  On March 2-3, Central Asia Energy Trade…

UK Foreign Secretary Visits Kazakhstan, Meets President Tokayev

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is the United Kingdom’s primary trading partner in Central Asia, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK James Cleverly said during his meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana as part of his first visit to the nation on March 18. According to the President’s press office,…

Kazakh National Bank Releases Statement on Domestic Exchange Market Following Collapse of American Banks

ASTANA – The Kazakh National Bank (NB) reserves the right to conduct currency interventions to maintain liquidity in the foreign exchange market and smooth out sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate, the bank’s press service reported on March 16.  This will support market exchange rate mechanisms without limiting the likely volatility of the tenge. The…

British and International Experts Discuss Water Issues in Green Hydrogen Production As Part of UK-Kazakhstan Dialogue

ASTANA – The UK-Kazakhstan workshop on water resources for green hydrogen production was held at the Astana International Financial Center on March 9, where UK, Kazakh and international experts were brought together to discuss possible ways for Kazakhstan to meet this challenge.  The event’s agenda included discussions about managing water resources for hydrogen production, water…

Italian Architect Presents Sustainable Trends in Design Showcase in Kazakh Capital

ASTANA – Italian architect Mario Cucinella presented his design philosophy at the Imagine a Sustainable World exhibition, which opened at the Nur Alem Museum of Future Energy in Astana on Feb. 24. The exhibition was initiated by the Italian Embassy in Kazakhstan with the support of the Italian Trade Agency and QazExpoCongress company.  Cucinella is…

Digital Almaty International Forum Highlights Emerging Tech Trends in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The global challenges facing the innovative technology industry are one of the main topics brought up at the Digital Almaty International forum, which kicked off in Almaty on Feb. 2.  The program includes 29 panel sessions featuring more than 150 speakers. Some 17,000 visitors have already registered for the forum.  Bagdat Mussin, Minister…

Kazakh Invest Records Increase in Investment Results in 2022

ASTANA – Zhandos Temirgali, the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest National Company, discussed the country’s investment projects and partnerships in a recent interview with The Astana Times.  How would you describe the outgoing year? 2022 has been marked by several major geopolitical and economic events that have affected the economy of…

Kazakhstan Sees Growth in Passenger Traffic, Expands International Destinations

ASTANA – Almost three years after the lockdown, passenger traffic by air shows stable growth compared to 2021 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019. According to the results of the first 11 months of 2022, Kazakh airlines carried 9.9 million people, which is an increase of 15 percent compared to 2021. “We expect passenger traffic…

Headlines in 2022: Kazakhstan, Central Asia Remain in Spotlight with Key Events in Various Fields

ASTANA – 2022 has been an intense year packed with unprecedented and significant events. The news agenda included tragic riots, high-profile visits and celebrations in Kazakhstan. The Astana Times presents a roundup of top-viewed stories on our website that brings optimism during challenging times.  Kazakh capital, Astana, represented by the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC),…

Kazakh President Appoints Elvira Azimova to Serve as Chair of Constitutional Court

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed Elvira Azimova as the Chair of the Constitutional Court from Jan. 1, 2023. Azimova previously served as the Commissioner for Human Rights. On this day, Artur Lastayev was appointed as the new Commissioner for Human Rights.  The Kazakh Senate unanimously approved the President’s nomination of Azimova at a Dec.…

Marubeni Corporation Sees Investment Opportunities in Central Asia, Continues to Expand Projects in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s investment attractiveness is increasing due to the shift in the geopolitical landscape, says Ichiro Takahara, the Vice Chairman of Marubeni Corporation, in a recent interview for The Astana Times. The stable and safe operation of the uranium project remains a priority for the company.  Japan’s largest trading company Marubeni Corporation has implemented…

Central Asia Media Forum Highlights Media’s Contribution to Creative Sector

ASTANA – The participants of the Central Asia Media Forum discussed the role of communications in the creative industry at one of the panel sessions in Astana on Dec. 21.  Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Altai Kulginov said Central Asia has great potential for developing the creative industry as the countries pay special attention to this…

Dimash Kudaibergen Emphasizes Peace and Unity at Central Asian Media Forum in Astana

ASTANA – World-famous Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen called on all people to make peace during the Ethics of Peace panel session as part of the first Central Asian Forum in Astana on Dec. 20. “We see an economic recession. People suffer from disease and war. We must try to prevent war. For centuries we cannot…