More Than 50 Kazakh Citizens Remain in Iran, Majority Are Diplomats
ASTANA – More than 50 Kazakh citizens are still in Iran amid rising regional tensions, according to a statement delivered Monday by Aibek Smadiyarov, a spokesperson of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry. The majority of them are diplomats. Speaking at a June 23 press briefing in Astana, Smadiyarov confirmed that the Kazakh Embassy in Tehran remains operational…
What History Tells and Teaches Us? We Ask Oxford Professor
ASTANA – In a recent interview with The Astana Times, Peter Frankopan, a professor of global history at Oxford University, emphasized the importance of reexamining historical narratives and highlighted the role of education in shaping how societies engage with the past and the future. Frankopan is the author of “The Silk Roads: A New History…
Kazakhstan to Fully Own and Control Operations of First Nuclear Power Plant
ASTANA – Russia’s Rosatom was announced on June 14 to lead an international consortium to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant. Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency Chairman Almassadam Satkaliyev said that Kazakhstan will be the sole owner, operator, and producer of uranium fuel, as well as the holder of all technological processes of its future nuclear…
EU Keen to Deepen Work with Central Asia on Human Capital Dev’t
BRUSSELS – Education has been a key aspect of the relations between the European Union (EU) and Central Asia. Pilvi Torsti, director of the European Training Foundation, a key EU agency helping countries reform education and training systems, emphasized that investing in education and skills should come as a priority before major infrastructure projects are…
Kazakhstan Eyes Stronger Ties with African Nations, Develops Dedicated Strategy
ASTANA – While distant partners on a global map, Kazakhstan and African nations are drawing closer together. With several high-level visits in recent years, both sides are eager to maintain the momentum. Growing high-level visits Among the recent visits was that of the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame. It was his second visit to Kazakhstan,…
Experts Highlight Critical Need for Energy Diversification, Say Oil and Gas to Remain Vital
ASTANA – Energy industry leaders and experts discussed the stakes of ensuring energy security, what it takes to balance energy transition and sustainability, and the future of the oil and gas industry at a panel session during the Astana International Forum (AIF) on May 29. AIF, a global dialogue platform, began in the Kazakh capital…
Kazakhstan’s Prominent Producer Highlights Booming Creative Industry, Strong Untapped Potential
ASTANA – Creative industries have received broad attention from the government in recent years, deemed as the next economic frontier and a soft power tool. For Yerkebulan Kurishbayev, an Almaty-based producer and director of QARA Studios, creativity is not a new gold rush, but what has been personal from the very start. In an interview…
What It Takes to Work with Ancient Artifacts But Leave History Intact
ASTANA – Imagine restoring a thousand-year-old door in a centuries-old mausoleum, a feeling as if you are touching the past. In an interview with The Astana Times, Elina Altynbekova, Kazakhstan’s prominent conservation and restoration specialist, shares what it takes to breathe life back into fragile artifacts, a process she likens to a detective story, where…
Top Czech Official Hails Comprehensive Cooperation with Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic are keen to expand and diversify bilateral ties. A Czech delegation, led by Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Martin Frélich, visited Kazakhstan at the end of April, meeting with senior Kazakh officials and participating in the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific-Technical…
Austrian Envoy On Mission to Put Kazakhstan on Austrians’ Mental Map
ASTANA – Ambassador of Austria to Kazakhstan Andrea Bacher embarked on her mission in January. A few months into her tenure, she finds her agenda packed with opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties. The Astana Times sat down for an interview with Ambassador Bacher to explore the latest developments in the Kazakh-Austrian ties and her priorities…
Kazakhstan to Tackle Gaps in Waste Management with Strategy Due by September
ASTANA – The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will prepare a dedicated strategy on waste management by September. It will offer a holistic approach to managing different types of waste and address the deep-seated problems in the field, said Ablai Almukhanov, deputy director of the ministry’s Waste Management Department, in an interview with The…
Kazakhstan’s Youngest Rector Shares Journey in Education Leadership
ASTANA – At 34, Laura Karabassova has shattered glass ceilings to lead the Aktobe Regional University and become the youngest rector in the country. Beyond the title, she brings a fresh perspective on higher education and the kind of leadership students might need today. In an interview with The Astana Times, Karabassova opens up about…
Uzbek Airline My Freighter Expands Into Kazakhstan
ASTANA — Uzbekistan’s My Freighter airline will launch flights from Tashkent to Almaty starting May 5, reports the Kazakh Transport Ministry on May 2. The airline, which operates passenger and cargo flights, will fly from Tashkent to Almaty twice a week. Starting June 6, one more weekly flight will be added, bringing the total number…
World Bank Weighs in on Tax Reforms in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – A draft Tax Code was presented to the Mazhilis, a lower house of Kazakhstan’s Parliament, on April 9. While the bill awaits a second reading in the Parliament, The Astana Times turned to the World Bank office in Kazakhstan to discuss what it takes for a tax policy to be stable and fair.…
What Kazakhstan’s Tax Reforms Mean for Businesses and Investment
ASTANA – Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, approved the draft Tax Code in the first reading on April 9. The government frames the tax reform as a move to make the system clearer, more predictable and fairer, but so far it has left many with a question: fairer for whom? The bill,…
Kazakhstan and Benin Mark Diplomatic Milestone with First-Ever Foreign Ministerial Visit
ASTANA – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, who arrived in Astana on a working visit on April 18. This marks the first official visit by a Beninese foreign minister to Kazakhstan, reports the ministry’s press service. During the talks, the ministers…
Kazakhstan Eyes Ski Tourism Growth as PM Meets Global Industry Leader
ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met on April 19 with PGI Management President Joan Viladomat to explore avenues of cooperation to develop ski tourism in Kazakhstan, with a focus on the Almaty cluster. The meeting discussed global tourism trends and the industry’s increasing role in driving national economic growth. Ski tourism was highlighted as…
Central Asian Postal Summit in Astana Explores Fast-Growing Online Trade
ASTANA – As volumes of electronic commerce are growing at a rapid pace in Central Asia, postal operators, marketplaces, and logistics companies are racing to adapt. The Central Asian Postal Summit brought together executives and representatives of key postal and logistics companies on April 10 in Astana to discuss the future of e-commerce and logistics…
What Stands Behind Kazakhstan’s Open Banking Initiative
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is pushing forward a major rollout of digital payment reforms, including an open banking initiative. In an interview with The Astana Times YouTube channel, Binur Zhalenov, a chief digital officer at the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK), unpacks what stands behind open banking and the role of artificial intelligence in the country’s…
EU, Central Asia to Deepen Ties at Samarkand Summit, Eye Strategic Partnership
ASTANA – Leaders from Central Asia and the European Union will gather in Samarkand on April 4 for a landmark summit. With a packed agenda, both sides are expected to launch a strategic partnership. “We are in Samarkand for the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit. Tomorrow, we will launch a new Strategic Partnership with Central Asia.…
Next Level for EU and Central Asia Ties? Here’s What to Expect from Samarkand Summit This Week
ASTANA – Samarkand will host the European Union – Central Asia summit on April 3-4, signaling a robust political commitment from both regions to a deeper and stronger partnership. For the first time, the summit will convene Central Asian leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. “We are…
Digital Tenge is No Panacea, Says Kazakhstan’s Top Fintech Official
ASTANA – As Kazakhstan pushes ahead with a central bank digital currency and open banking infrastructure, Binur Zhalenov, a chief digital officer at the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK), said the digital tenge has the potential to transform how money moves. In an interview with The Astana Times YouTube channel, he reveals why Kazakhstan needs…
EBRD Chief Economist on Resurgence of Industrial Policies and Why It Matters
ASTANA – Industrial policies are making a global comeback, but not without controversy. The latest Transition Report from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) warns that while their use may be justified to address clear market failures, their track record remains uneven. In an interview with The Astana Times, Beata Javorcik, EBRD’s chief…
Caffeine, Beats, and No Hangovers: Morning Dance Parties Are Booming in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – At 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, a local coffee shop in Astana is brimming beautifully with sunlight. Baristas work at breakneck speed, pulling espresso shots, while the DJ drops a pulsing beat. Dozens of people start filling the space. Not for a brunch, but a morning coffee party, the latest movement reshaping how people…
Central Asia’s Growth to Hit 5.7% in 2025, Surpassing China, Says EBRD Chief Economist
ASTANA – Economic growth in Central Asia is projected to reach 5.7% in 2025 before easing to 5.2% in 2026. The outlook comes despite a global subdued growth, driven by persistent inflation, weak reforms momentum, and weakening external demand, according to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)’s latest Regional Economic Prospects report. Beata…
