Articles by Abira Kuandyk

NUR-SULTAN — The West Kazakhstan region showed positive dynamics in the main socio-economic indicators by the end of 2020, the region has been implementing major projects in attracting investments, manufacturing industrial products, agriculture and the creation of workplaces, according to primeminister.kz.  The manufacturing industry is one of the major sectors of the region’s economy. The…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin gave his report on the epidemiological situation and the vaccination plan in the country to the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Akorda press-service reported on April 13.  From April onwards, two million people are expected to be vaccinated every month in the regions, said Mamin.  By September, it…

NUR-SULTAN — Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin discussed the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the country and instructed officials to ensure implementation of the vaccination schedule at an April 12 government meeting, according to primeminister.kz.  “The Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set a clear task to stabilize the sanitary and epidemiological situation and increase…

NUR-SULTAN — The Zhambyl region’s main drivers of socio-economic stability comes from key industries such as manufacturing, trade and agriculture. At the end of 2020, the region retained its growth dynamics in all major economic indicators, reports primeminister.kz.  According to the analysis of the development of manufacturing, tourism industries, small and medium-sized businesses, the volume…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan is preparing to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Baikonur cosmodrome in southern Kazakhstan becoming the main launching pad from where the Vostok-1 spacecraft with the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin took off on April 12, 1961. These days, Baikonur cosmodrome among other things has been launching satellites into space as part of the…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hired a new Special Representative for International Cooperation Erzhan Kazykhanov, a special newly created position to facilitate Kazakhstan’s leadership in international cooperation by a recent decree of the Kazakh President, the Akorda press-service reported on April 7.  Tokayev noted that the establishment of this new position in the structure…

NUR-SULTAN — Kazakh boxer Firuza Sharipova won an early knockdown victory by defeating Russian Julia Chernoborodova at the fight which took place on April 3 at the Basket-Hall arena in Kazan, Tatarstan at a boxing evening organized by M13, according to the M13 organization press-service.  From the beginning of the battle, Sharipova was more active…

NUR-SULTAN – The Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights of the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Institute for Economic Research have signed a joint action plan for the implementation of the Children Wellbeing Index, according to the Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights press-service on…

NUR-SULTAN – “Our slogan is ‘Make Kazakhstan Green Again’. Our predecessors treasured us with ninth largest and the most beautiful country in the world, with vast and unexplored natural resources, including renewables. Our main goal is to put the inexhaustible energy of sun, wind, water and biomass towards serving the growing needs of the nation”,…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Turkey will shoot a joint historical film and series. The leading Turkish and Kazakh television channels are working on the “Alp-Arslan” historical series consisting of six episodes, according to the 24.kz news agency. Alp-Arslan means “heroic lion” in Turkish, a name given to the second Sultan of the Seljuk Empire who…

NUR-SULTAN — A camera trap installed in November 2020 caught rare footage of a snow leopard walking through the protected area of the Katon-Karagai State National Natural Park in the East Kazakhstan region.  These are the first videos of a snow leopard called Panthera uncia from Kazakhstan’s Altai mountains.  “A camera trap was installed in…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan will continue to increase oil production in May, June and July of 2021 following the 15th meeting of OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and non-OPEC ministers meeting that took place April 1 virtually, the Kazakh Ministry of Energy press service reported.    “On April 1, a ministerial meeting of the countries…

NUR-SULTAN — Prime Minister Askar Mamin introduced the new chair of the board of Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund. Almasadam Satkaliev has been appointed as a new chair of the board, reported primeminister.kz.  The fund as an investment holding has been unique in its mission to improve the national welfare of Kazakhstan and to ensure…

NUR-SULTAN — Arbitration of disputes with the participation of investors will now be transferred to the specialized inter-district economic court of Nur-Sultan. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the law on the corresponding amendments on the modernization of the judicial system that will come into force on July 1, 2021.  The law envisages that the consideration…

NUR-SULTAN — In the QS World University Rankings Al-Farabi Kazakh National University took first place among the nation’s universities and entered the list of the 200 best universities of the world in 2021. L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, placed 357th and Mukhtar Auezov South Kazakhstan University placed 490, entering the list of the 500 best…

NUR-SULTAN – This year marks the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. On August 29, 1991, Kazakh First President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a historical document, a decree on the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.  The international community, recognizing the contribution of Kazakhstan in strengthening the non-proliferation regime of…

NUR-SULTAN – The famous Kazakh song “Nauryz” about the day of the vernal equinox, Nauryz meiramy, sung by the Kazakh Urker pop group brought a new sound to the old song. The student choir of Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory performed the famous song “Nauryz” of the Kazakh Urker (translated as the Pleiades star cluster) group. …

NUR-SULTAN – Since independence, Kazakhstan’s state policy has aimed to provide legislative support to women. Gender equality and the protection of human rights, especially of children is a priority for Kazakhstan. Khalida Azhigulova, a young Kazakh scholar, is an activist whose occupation contributes to a more inclusive society in Kazakhstan.  Azhigulova is a University of…

NUR-SULTAN — The celebration of the Nauryz holiday, New Year or the festival of spring, abundance and the day of the equinox is marked on March 22. It is a time of coming together in Kazakhstan, for the second year in a row celebration traditions are being transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In Kazakhstan, it…

NUR-SULTAN – In terms of sustainable tourism standards and green transformations, Kazakhstan ranked 62nd on the global ranking covering 99 countries, according to a new report of Top Countries for Sustainable Tourism released by global market research company Euromonitor International.  Kazakhstan fares better than Russia and Turkey in sustainable tourism, placed in the 65th and…

NUR-SULTAN – The delegates of Turkic speaking countries, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey celebrated the Nauryz festive day in Baku, the Kazinform news agency reported on March 17.  The event is dedicated to the celebration of Nauryz, New Year or the festival of spring, abundance and the day of the equinox marked on March…

NUR-SULTAN — Kazakhstan has partnered with IchLinks, international digital platform, to exchange and disseminate information on the intangible cultural heritage of the countries within the Asia-Pacific region, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service on March 16.  IchLinks, officially launched in March 2021, contains information about more than a thousand elements of this intangible and…

NUR-SULTAN – According to data released by the Kazakh Bureau of National statistics on March 15, the estimated population of Kazakhstan has hit 18.9 million as of February 1. Since 2002, Kazakhstan’s population has been growing steadily associated primarily with the decrease in migration loss and an increase in natural population growth. The population growth…

NUR-SULTAN — The Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova has approved a list of Kazakh traditional (ethnic) sports and games in a special decree that will be put into force on March 19, 2021. The list involves nine popular Kazakh traditional sport types. Traditional sports are still practiced widely in Kazakhstan, in particular…

NUR-SULTAN — Kazakh professional freestyle skiers won one silver and two bronze medals in moguls at the International Ski Federation (FIS, Fédération Internationale de Ski) Freestyle Ski World Cup which took place on March 8-11 in Almaty, reported the National Olympic Committee press service. Yulia Galysheva won a silver medal, Pavel Kolmakov won bronze medal…

NUR-SULTAN – “Pink Ribbon” is an international art exhibition that promotes raising awareness through arts, for women and men on breast cancer. Contemporary artists from Italy, Israel and Kazakhstan presented their masterpieces at the exhibition that kicked off on March 11 and is open until March 22 in Nur-Sultan. The exhibition coincides with the celebration…

NUR-SULTAN — Plans have been announced to build two 50 megawatts (MW) solar power plants in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region by Italian investor Eni and Hungarian investor Globalia Kft, according to Kazakh Invest national company. The project by Italian investor company Eni is expected to install a solar power plant worth more than 12.5 billion tenge…

NUR-SULTAN – The four regions, Akmola, Atyrau, the West Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions as well as Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities, have been included in the moderate risk yellow zone on the coronavirus infection spread map on March 9.  All other regions are in the low-risk green zone, according to the matrix assessing the epidemiological situation…

NUR-SULTAN — Marked annually on March 8th, International Women’s Day is one of the most important days to celebrate women’s achievements. Polina Tyrina, 29, a peer of independent Kazakhstan is one of the dedicated women who contributed to spreading Kazakh music culture abroad. Tyrina shared how she lighted up the music project in cooperation with…

NUR-SULTAN — The footage, recorded in January 2021 by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, shows a snow leopard family of three wandering through a forestry area in Kazakhstan’s southern Zhambyl region.   The footage was taken using installed camera traps. Near the end of 2019, a snow leopard was featured on video in…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yeraly Tugzhanov and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Behzod Musayev met in Tashkent to discuss the current epidemiological situation in countries and joint measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, reported primeminister.kz on March 4.  Tugzhanov emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for interaction and mutual support between…

NUR-SULTAN — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of ensuring women’s rights and creating conditions for female empowerment at the experts’ meeting on Measures and Tools to Expand the Economic Opportunities of Women on March 3, reported Tokayev’s spokesperson Berik Uali.  “The women’s share employed in small and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan has exceeded…

NUR-SULTAN – March is designated as a month dedicated to Kazakh national traditions and culture with a series of holidays: the new Day of Gratitude, International Women’s Day, Korisy kuni (meeting day) and Nauryz celebrations. More than 500 events will be conducted across the country, including 2,000 projects of various formats starting March 1, the…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan is commemorating 32 years of work of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk International Anti-Nuclear Movement on Feb. 28. According to Olzhas Suleimenov, leader of Kazakh anti-nuclear movement, “the Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement, initiated on Kazakh land on February 28, 1989, considered its main mission not only to close the Semipalatinsk test site, but also to inspire other…

NUR-SULTAN – 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the Ile-Alatau national park, the mission of which is to “preserve unimpaired the unique landscapes, the flora and fauna, and improve conditions for tourism and recreation” for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all generations.  The first natural reserve was designated in 1931, 65 years before the…

NUR-SULTAN – The Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Kazakh Tourism National Company and the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports have signed a roadmap for tourism development for 2021 to join efforts in the development of local tourism, the Atameken national chamber of entrepreneurs press service reported on Feb. 25.  The roadmap is aimed at…

NUR-SULTAN – This year Kazakhstan celebrates its 30th anniversary of independence with a celebration and study of the great steppe figures’ history. Ankara gathered representatives of cultural delegations to honor the anniversaries of Abu Nasr al-Farabi, Abay Kunanbayev and Zhambyl Zhabayev, reports the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs press service on Feb. 23.  The Kazakh…

NUR-SULTAN – The preliminary data for Jan.- Dec. 2020 shows a record 425,600 registered births in Kazakhstan, reports the Kazakh Bureau of National statistics on Feb. 19. According to the report, the number is 22,600 (5.6 percent) more than in 2019 and 8,500 more (2 percent) than in the previous record number year of 1987.…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin shared the progress report on the modernization of public services centers as well as the Listening State concept at a Feb.19 meeting with the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Akorda press service reported.   Mussin reported on the project to modernize 115 public service centers…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s SCAT airlines has made the decision to increase flights to the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting Feb. 15, while Turkish air carriers will add more flights between Almaty and Antalya, the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee reported.   The decision is made by the Interdepartmental Commission on…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s forest area has reversed its decline and increased by 188,000 hectares in 2020. The country’s forest cover is expected to reach 5 percent by 2030, said the Kazakh Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev at a recent ministry meeting.  Nyssanbayev shared the results of the work for 2020. …

NUR-SULTAN – A new 20 MW capacity solar power plant, the third in Shymkent, has started operating in the Aikol residential area, the Kazakh Invest National Company press service reported. The power plant covers the area of 50 hectares. The project, worth 6.2 billion tenge (US$14.7 million), has already attracted foreign investors.  The city authorities…

NUR-SULTAN – Preserving and strengthening intercultural and interreligious harmony and prioritising dialogue and social consensus has always been the fundamental pillars of the state policy during the 30 years of an independent Kazakhstan. Today, Kazakhstan will have a unique international platform aimed at spreading the values of intercultural dialogue at the international level. Kazakh President…

NUR-SULTAN – The online population census will begin on September 1, 2021 in Kazakhstan. This decision was made at the first meeting of the special commission for the national population census of Kazakhstan in 2021. Kazakh citizens will have an alternative option to participating in the census: not only by providing information to the census…

NUR-SULTAN – Tazy is one of the jety kazyna (seven treasures) of the Kazakh people. For centuries, this four-legged heirloom of the nation has been the most devoted friend and reliable counterpart to nomads. The distinctive features of tazy are the breeds rare delicacy and tact in relations with people, it’s innate aristocracy, amazing cleanliness,…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated at the Samruk Business Forum during which the local businesses and the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund signed preliminary contracts and strategic agreements for a total of 67 billion tenge (US$160 million) on Feb. 11, the Akorda press service reported.  Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted the importance of…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan increases and resumes international flights to Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and the Maldives from Feb. 10, the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee reported.  This permission was given by the Interdepartmental Commission on Preventing the Emergence and Spread of Coronavirus in Kazakhstan.  Flights to Russia have increased up to seven times a week, from…

NUR-SULTAN – The Nation’s Economy of Simple Things program has financed the production of aluminum cans worth 23.4 billion tenge (US$56 million) in Shymkent. The plant is to be unique and the only one operating in Central Asia, the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs press service reported. The Economy of Simple Things program, within the…

NUR-SULTAN – India is one of the the first foreign countries visited by the First President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 1992 after gaining independence. In the almost 30 years of an independent Kazakhstan, India and Kazakhstan launched joint projects in energy, tourism, education, information technology, pharmaceuticals as well as in culture, said Indian Ambassador in Kazakhstan…

NUR-SULTAN – The rules for crossing Kazakhstan’s state border during the quarantine restrictions period have been updated on Feb. 4, the Border Service of the Kazakh National Security Committee press service reported.  Until the sanitary and epidemiological situation improves, border crossings have been restricted temporarily by the state for foreigners and stateless persons with several…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan expressed its commitment to adhering to full conformity and to compensating for overproduction within its commitments to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreement, said the Kazakh Ministry of Energy in a press statement referring to the Feb. 3 meeting of the OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee.  The meeting noted positive trends…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan ranks sixth place in the world in the number of horses, according to eldala.kz, a major agrarian site in Kazakhstan. The horse has symbolic importance for the country as it was first domesticated on Kazakh land and is an integral part of the national history, cuisine and sport in contemporary Kazakhstan.  According…

NUR-SULTAN – While tourism continues to be one of the sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, local tourism is helping to soften the blow. The pandemic has spurred the demand for local tourism in Kazakhstan, said Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova at a Feb. 4 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,…

NUR-SULTAN – The international Digital Almaty forum has kicked off in Almaty Feb. 5. Prime Ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union as well as leading international experts in the digital sphere have shared the results and success achieved in the digitalization sphere.  “The Digital Reset: a Leap to the Next Normal” is a topic for…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan returned 12 Kazakh citizens, 4 men, 1 woman and 7 children caught up in the Syrian conflict to Kazakhstan as a continuation of the Jusan humanitarian mission, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service reported on Feb. 4. The operation was carried out by the Kazakh National Security Committee in collaboration with the…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Qatar have discussed promotion of joint investment projects during the official working visit of Kazakh delegation led by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Almas Aidarov to Doha on Feb. 2, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service reported. The visit took place on behalf of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and in advance…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh citizen Daniyar Kozhan launched Kazakh radio program in New York. “Qazaq time” aims to introduce and promote Kazakhstan in the United States.  The existing Russian language radio station in New York Freedom FM provided two hours for news and music broadcasting in Kazakh. The first broadcast of the program started with the…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan welcomes the decision of the Russian Federation and the United States to extend the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms that was renewed before its expiration date on Feb. 5, said the Kazakh Foreign Ministry in a statement.  “The extension of the Treaty (New START)…

NUR-SULTAN – A highly anticipated music video for Dimash Kudaibergen’s latest single “Golden” made its official debut via the Tixr American streaming platform immediately following the encore showing of the Dimash Digital Show on Jan. 31.  The music video for “Golden” aired immediately following the final show and showcased the artists’ latest work with a…

NUR-SULTAN – The rural dwellers of Kazakhstan will receive loans for up to 4.5 years for businesses that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity within the Eco-Damu Loan Program for 2020-2024, the UNDP in Kazakhstan press service reported on Jan. 20.  The project is part of the second phase of the Eco-Damu Loan Program for…

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Capital of Nur-Sultan will open and renovate thematic squares which will be named after the teachers, doctors and rescuers who were at the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19, announced Nur-Sultan Akim (Mayor) Altai Kulginov on his instagram page on Jan. 28, the city’s press service reported. “The pandemic has shown…

NUR-SULTAN – Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency Alik Shpekbayev reported to the head of state about the implementation of anti-corruption initiatives and the Agency’s key performance indicators in 2020 at a Jan. 28 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.  Shpekbayev reported on the country’s progress in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International.  According to…

NUR-SULTAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) has shipped 8,317 kilograms of medical supplies to Kazakhstan with the European Union’s (EU) financial support to assist and protect medical workers in their fight against COVID-19, the EU delegation to Kazakhstan announced on Jan. 26.  The shipment contains personal protective equipment, such as surgical masks, gowns and…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has received observer status at the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and has become the third CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) country to be admitted to the ECAC, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan announced.  The Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development and the Aviation Administration of…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh school students have won one gold, silver and three bronze medals at the most prestigious international competition IMSO (International Mathematics Science Olympiad) for middle school students on Jan. 21-24, Kazinform reported.  The International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (IMSO) is an annual competition in math and science for middle school students under the…

NUR-SULTAN – The volume of non-cash transactions in Kazakhstan using Kazakh and foreign issuers’ payment cards between Jan.-Nov. 2020 amounted to almost 30 trillion tenge (US$71 billion). The number increased by 2.6 times over the year, a record figure of, according to a report by ranking.kz.  Kazakh residents increasingly prefer non-cash payments, this became noticeable…

NUR-SULTAN – Allur Motor Qazaqstan has become the official distributor of the KIA brand in Kazakhstan, according to an official announcement by Kia Motors Russia and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). The decision was made to further strengthen and develop KIA’s positions in the CIS. Seven dealer centers located in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Atyrau, Aktau, Kostanay…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are launching a tourist corridor that will connect the main pilgrimage sites of two countries as part of their cooperation in the tourism sector, reports 24.kz news agency. “It is very exciting to create this travel corridor. The travel route starts with Arystanbab, a mausoleum in the Turkestan Region followed…

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Nomad Stunts director Zhaidarbek Kunguzhinov and Nomad Stunts team won the US Taurus World Stunt Awards for best action in a foreign film for their work in Kazakhfilm’s “Tomiris” in November 2020. The award has been delivered in Almaty, Kazakhfilm shared in a facebook post Jan. 22.  Immediately after receiving the…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Healthcare Minister Alexei Tsoy reported on the measures taken to combat the coronavirus infection in Kazakhstan at a Jan. 22 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.  Tsoy informed the head of the state about the main epidemiological trends observed worldwide and on Kazakhstan’s status on key indicators in combating the virus.  According to…

NUR-SULTAN – Petropavlovsk resident Vladimir Pekarsky featured a video in an ice hole in which he performed “Kara Zhorga,” a Kazakh folk song and dance. His videos on the TikTok account are going viral with thousands and even millions of hits.  Vladimir Pekarsky, 28, bathes in an ice-hole when the frost outside feels like -45…

NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Ballet will present Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s and Vasily Vainonen’s “The Nutcracker” on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30.  On the first day of the performance, Mariinsky Theater’s actors, prima ballerina Oksana Skorik and soloist Yevgeny Konovalov, will stage Mashenka and the Nutcracker at the Astana Ballet for the first time   On the second…

NUR-SULTAN – Aktau resident Azamat Sarsenbayev, author of a recent video featuring pink flamingos, releases a new video spotlighting the swans and ducks on Lake Karakol in the Mangistau region. “It is a glorious pleasure to listen to the sounds of many swans and ducks at such a close distance,” Sarsenbayev wrote in his video…

NUR-SULTAN – The Ayusai visitor center at the Ile-Alatau national park has opened its doors. It aims to promote sustainable ecotourism and acts as an environmental awareness-raising educational complex.  The center is located in the Ayusai river gorge. Visitors will be provided with detailed information about the Ile-Alatau national park when they visit.  “The construction…

NUR-SULTAN – The government has successfully dealt with propping up the tourism industry because of the pandemic in 2020, the Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova concluded in the ministry’s statement on Jan. 18.  Raimkulova shared the challenges that the tourism sector has faced and the measures introduced to overcome them.  A state of…

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh actor Daniyar Alshinov won the diamond award in the best actor category for his role in “Atbai’s Fight” which was entered in the IMDB film competition in New York.  “Two years ago we made ‘Atbai’s Fight’ film which depicted both a bright, but also repulsive hero’s life. Atbay was depicted as the…

NUR-SULTAN – The Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) members voted and elected nine deputies for the Majilis during its 28th session that took place in Nur-Sultan Jan.11.  The 351 members of the APK took part in the voting. Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov received 298 votes, Avetik Amirkhanyan – 270 votes, Ilyas Bularov – 274 votes,…

NUR-SULTAN – January 10 has been a special day for the Kazakh people as the citizenry believe voting is the constitutional duty of every citizen and also their right to choose the representative branch of power. Kazakh citizens in Nur-Sultan and in Rome and Moscow and in 51 other countries in the world shared their…

NUR-SULTAN –The Atyrau region has been included in the red zone on the coronavirus infection spread map on Jan.6, while the North Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Kostanai, and Akmola regions as well as Nur-Sultan and Almaty remained in the yellow zone. All other regions are in the green zone, according to the matrix assessing the epidemiological situation…

ASTANA – Tsin-Kaz LLP, a major Kazakh company with an established name, has been specialising in processing and canning fruits and vegetables for two decades. The company’s main mission is to produce high quality products at a reasonable price and contribute to people’s health and well-being. During the past 20 years, Tsin-Kaz has evolved from…

ASTANA – The first Almaty International Film Festival, held Sept. 15-19, achieved its goals of developing Kazakh cinema, increasing the public’s interest in film art and strengthening international cooperation. The festival, which will become an annual event, presented the opening ceremony at the Palace of the Republic with the film “Ayka” directed by Sergei Dvortsevoy.…

ASTANA – Explore Kazakhstan, an Almaty-based tourism agency, offers fully organised tours of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan ranging from helicopter tours to nature trips with tents. Founder Chingiz Shulanbayev, who aspires to promote domestic tourism, spoke about the company and its current activities in an interview with The Astana Times. “EXPO 2017 had a favourable effect…

ASTANA – Astana Akim (Mayor) Bakhyt Sultanov reviewed the comprehensive plan for the capital’s development of engineering and transport infrastructure for 2019 to 2023 at a Sep. 18 government meeting. Sultanov identified five promising development zones in the capital: Mynzhyldyk Alley and the Nurly Zhol railway station, Mangilik El Avenue, Turan Avenue’s West, Telman Suburb’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 58th among 189 countries and territories in the latest human development index (HDI) released Sept. 14 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The nation is on the list of countries in the very high human development category. HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions…

ASTANA – François Bernard, an independent member of the Board of Directors of the Kazakh Invest national company and the chairman of its Investment Attraction and Support Committee, recently discussed investing in Kazakhstan and the country’s foreign investment climate in an interview with The Astana Times. Bernard has experience promoting investment opportunities to the global…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s e-commerce market volume has reached 159 billion tenge (US$422.9 million) since the beginning of the year. The figure refers to the concept of the draft law on amendments and additions to certain legislative acts on developing the business environment and regulating trade activities. E-commerce, the activity of buying or selling products online,…

ASTANA — Paediatric orthopaedist and traumatologist Isamdum Haramov is a real saviour and hero who gives children a chance to live full and happy lives. His diligent hands correct physiological deformities in dozens of Kazakh youngsters every year. “Why did I become a doctor? Looking back, I think the main reason was my father’s illness.…

ASTANA – The IB (International Baccalaureate), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary of delivering education for a better world, established the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Miras International School, Astana in 2011. The IBDP graduates of 2018 demonstrated excellent results, remaining higher than the world average in diploma score and securing places at the best…

ASTANA – Alexander Gabchenko has visited 34 countries, at least 200 cities and more than 150 unique destinations – many on two wheels. The founder of Almaty’s Bicycle Adventure Club sat down with The Astana Times to talk about cycling, cycling tours, the club he founded and outdoor culture in Kazakhstan. “Kazakhstan is a very…

ASTANA – Husna Cosmetics, which sells natural halal items in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and Uralsk, has been operating in the Kazakh market for the last two years. Founder Zhaina Kuanysh, who aspires to promote national production and eventually export her products, spoke about her plans in an interview with kapital.kz. “When I choose cosmetics, it…

ASTANA – The Bagdar (Guidance) project is a unified information system offering career advice and forecasting and analysing labour force demand. Initiated by researchers in 2016, it aims to build on the talent inherited in every person and improve his or her quality of life. The project targets a broad social audience of different ages…

ASTANA – At first glance, Inder Salt Lake, located 180 kilometres from Atyrau city, might remind some of Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia. The lake attracts visitors to the scenic view of its emerald water surface, sparkling to the horizon in the open steppe. Its mud and salty water is also believed to…

ASTANA – Oilseed breeders recently presented prospective varieties of sunflower and soybean to East Kazakhstan region Akim (Governor) Danial Akhmetov. The experimental farm in the Glubokovsky district noted sunflower is the region’s main oilseed crop, accounting for up to 70 percent of the oilseed sowing area and 85 percent of the gross harvest. Hybrids developed…

ASTANA – “The Nomads,” the first international extreme reality show, will broadcast aspects of Kazakh culture to more than 100 nations around the world. Two teams from different countries will compete for a cash prize of five million tenge (US$13,810). Set construction resembling a Kazakh aul (village) with yurts, fortresses and farmsteads to keep livestock…

ASTANA – With 44 medals, Kazakhstan is currently in 10th place at the 18th Asian Games. At the end of day ten, the country’s athletes have collected seven gold, eight silver and 29 bronze medals. The games are taking place Aug. 18-Sept. 2 in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia. Fencer Dmitriy Alexanin brought Kazakhstan its first…

ASTANA – With 41 medals, Kazakhstan is currently in 11th place at the 18th Asian Games, taking place Aug. 18-Sept. 2 in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia. At the end of day eight, the country’s athletes have collected five gold, eight silver and 28 bronze medals. Fencer Dmitriy Alexanin brought Kazakhstan its first gold, beating current…

ASTANA – Ulan Bigozhin, an Indiana University PhD graduate and Nazarbayev University post-doctoral scholar, is a cultural anthropologist examining the reinstitution of kokpar in contemporary Kazakhstan and its increasing popularity in Central Asia. Bigozhin conducted ethnographic fieldwork from May to August across Kazakhstan. In an interview with The Astana Times, he spoke about how the…

ASTANA – Kazakh high school students can now prepare to launch their own businesses through the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship elective course, which will be offered for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. The process of textbook approbation will start this year at educational institutions across the country, Vice Minister of Education and Science Askhat Aimagambetov…

ASTANA – Almaty’s Border Guard Service Academy has opened its largest educational complex to train Central Asian customs and border-control personnel, reported Inform.kz. The new training base includes a simulator of the world’s largest aircraft, the Boeing 777, an educational train, garage to simultaneously inspect three trucks and special equipment. The project, designed collaboratively with…

ASTANA – Introducing digital transformation, or precise farming, is one of the main development directions of the Akmola region’s agro-industrial complex. The region’s 2,707 land users have digitised approximately 5.5 million hectares, reported Kazinform with reference to the regional communications service. By definition, e-agriculture involves designing, developing and applying innovative ways to use information and…