Comic Con Astana Crowns Cosplay Champion from Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Comic Con Astana, Central Asia’s largest pop culture festival, concluded on July 13 with a grand cosplay competition final. A cosplayer from Astana, known by the nickname Grafomanka, won the grand prix of the competition and the title of the champion of the Comic Con Astana 2025 for her portrayal of Naga Siren…
Kazakhstan Marks Anniversaries of Two Dombra Icons: Tattimbet and Dauletkerey
ASTANA – This year, Kazakhstan commemorates 210 years since the birth of Tattimbet Kazangapuly and 205 years since the birth of Dauletkerey Shygaiuly – the leading figures of two separate kui (musical compositions on dombra) genres performed on dombra: tokpe kui and shertpe kui. Tattimbet was a master of the shertpe kui style, known for…
Actor Esai Morales Calls Astana Perfect for Romantic Spy Film at Comic Con 2025
ASTANA – Comic Con Astana 2025 is in full swing, with 29,000 people visiting the event in the first two days. On the third day, headliner actor Esai Morales shared his impressions of the capital, calling it an ideal setting for a romantic spy comedy. The five-day event features Q&A sessions with actors and pop…
Kazakhstan’s E-Commerce Market Soars 42%, Hits Record $6 Billion in 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s retail e-commerce market reached a new historical high of 3.4 billion tenge (US$6 billion) in 2024, a 42% increase over 2023, according to a new study by Strategy&, part of the PwC global network of firms, released on July 10. Kazakhstan’s e-commerce growth is the result of simultaneous development in infrastructure, technology,…
Children’s Book Spotlights Life and Threats Facing Steppe Eagle, Kazakhstan’s Cherished Symbol
ASTANA – The Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) presented a new illustrated book for children, “Steppe Eagle Kiyeh,” on July 8 in Astana, in an effort to help sustain the species. The steppes of Kazakhstan, covering the central part of the country, are a key region for migrating birds and the…
Comic Con Astana Draws 75,000 Fans in Biggest Edition Yet
ASTANA – Comic Con Astana 2025 launched in the capital of Kazakhstan on July 9, promising to be the biggest edition by welcoming 75,000 guests, including 10,000 international pop culture enthusiasts. The event will run through July 13. The hall and stages are set for one of Central Asia’s most anticipated cosplaying events of the…
Digital Diplomacy Takes Center Stage at SCO Forum in Astana
ASTANA – Astana hosted a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) forum on July 1, which explored challenges and opportunities around digital diplomacy. The event discussed key areas of digital cooperation among SCO countries and explored ways to build a sustainable model of regional integration based on modern technologies. Titled SCO in the Age of Digital Diplomacy:…
Kazakhstan to Address Multilateralism, Financial Relations, AI at BRICS Summit
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will address multilateralism, financial relations, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the upcoming BRICS Summit on July 6–7 in Rio de Janeiro, said Aibek Smadiyarov, a spokesperson for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, during a press briefing on June 30 in Astana. Kazakhstan will participate in the event following its attainment of BRICS partner…
WHO Study Links Vaccine Refusal in Kazakhstan to Institutional Distrust Over Religious Beliefs
ASTANA – Religious reasons were found to be relatively weakly linked to vaccine refusal in Kazakhstan. Public distrust in the healthcare system plays a much larger role, according to the preliminary results of a new World Health Organization (WHO) research presented on June 26 in Astana. The study of attitudes towards vaccines among religious communities…
Kazakhstan Leads Central Asia in FDI, Stands Out in Greenfield Investment, Latest UN Report Says
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has attracted $151 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows since gaining independence in 1991, making it a leader in Central Asia, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) 2025 World Investment Report, released on June 19. The report’s main finding is that global FDI flows have decreased…
Teach for Qazaqstan Graduates First Cohort, Expands to Three More Regions
ASTANA – Teach for Qazaqstan, a part of global Teach for All educational movement, celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of 22 teachers on June 21, who completed a two-year teaching placement in rural schools of the Karagandy Region. The initiative addresses educational disadvantages and the gap between rural and urban education. Building on…
Literary Magazine Gives Voice to Emerging Kazakh Writers and Poets
ALMATY – Sozday, a Kazakh independent literary magazine, provides a unique platform for emerging writers and poets, and established names, to share their stories with a broader audience. In an interview with The Astana Times, Ilya Odegov, the magazine’s chief editor, discussed the idea behind the journal, the current state of the literary scene in…
Kazakhstan Shares Nuclear Disarmament Experience with UN Fellows
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry welcomed the 2025 cohort of the United Nations Program of Fellowships on Disarmament on June 19 in Astana, who visited Kazakhstan to learn about the country’s leadership in nuclear disarmament and its efforts to promote global peace. Nineteen fellows from around the world will also visit the National Nuclear…
China, Central Asia Sign Treaty, Outline New Paths for Cooperation
ASTANA – The second Central Asia-China summit concluded on June 17 with the signing of the Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation, marking a significant step in strengthening mutual trust and strategic cooperation between the five Central Asian states and China. The summit established new benchmarks for advancing relations among the six countries and…
Kazakhstan Returns 74 Citizens from Iran Amid Escalating Situation
ASTANA – Six Kazakh citizens who were on a business trip in Iran had been assisted in returning home via Azerbaijan, and 68 other citizens were transported to Turkmenistan due to the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov at a briefing on June 16 in Astana. “The Ministry…
Kazakh-American Ties Could Benefit from Jackson-Vanik Amendment Repeal, Says US Expert
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United States have strong potential to deepen trade and investment ties, particularly with the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, said Daniel Alan Witt, president of the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC), during an interview with The Astana Times on sidelines of the Astana International Forum (AIF) 2025. According to…
Rosatom to Lead International Consortium for Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Project
ASTANA – Kazakhstan selected the Russian Rosatom state atomic energy corporation as the leader of the international consortium for the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, the Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency announced on June 14. Rosatom was chosen from a shortlist of major global contenders, including China National Nuclear Corporation (China), Électricité de…
Kazakhstan Suspends Flights Over Middle East
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Aviation Administration has announced a ban on flights over six countries in response to heightened regional tensions in the Middle East. “Due to the current situation in the Middle East and the high level of threat to civil aviation safety, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan is imposing a complete ban on flights…
Kazakhstan, US Set to Boost Trade in Tech and Mineral Sectors
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United States express shared commitment to developing trade and investment in IT and critical minerals, during Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu’s official visit to Washington, D.C. on June 12, reported the ministry’s press service. As part of the visit, Foreign Minister Nurtleu met with…
We Are Here to Achieve Better World through Cooperation, Says OSCE Chair-in-Office
ASTANA – The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is willing to work with Kazakhstan in achieving a “better world through cooperation,” said Elina Valtonen, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finland’s Foreign Minister, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. On June 10, Valtonen made her first visit to Kazakhstan as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, holding…
Kazakhstan Climbs to 60th Place in UNDP Human Development Index
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranks 60th out of 193 countries and territories in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This marks an improvement of seven positions compared to last year. With an HDI of 0.837, Kazakhstan remains among the countries with a very high level of human development,…
Kazakh Parliament Approves Draft Law on Amnesty Marking 30 Years of Constitution
ASTANA – The Mazhilis, the lower house of Kazakhstan’s Parliament, has approved a draft law granting amnesty to individuals convicted of crimes that do not pose a serious threat to public or state security, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the country’s Constitution at the plenary session on June 11. The document was prepared…
Kazakhstan’s AIFC Presents Casebook on 18 Green Projects
ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre’s (AIFC) Green Finance Centre has published the Comprehensive Casebook on Sustainable Financial Instruments, showcasing 18 flagship projects with a total value exceeding $650 million, reported AIFC press service. The casebook offers insights into the practical application of sustainable finance instruments, including green, social, sustainability bonds and loans. These…
Slovakia Among Kazakhstan’s Reliable Partners in Europe, Says Tokayev
ASTANA – Slovakia is an important and reliable partner for Kazakhstan in Europe, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as he welcomed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during his official visit to Kazakhstan on June 11, reported Akorda. During one-on-one talks, President Tokayev said that the Slovak Prime Minister’s visit would strengthen the Kazakh-Slovak partnership and…
EU Council’s COEST Delegation Visits Kazakhstan, Reinforces EU-Kazakhstan Partnership
ASTANA – A delegation from the Council of the European Union’s Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) visited Kazakhstan on June 8-10, demonstrating a high level of dialogue and mutual commitment to strengthening Kazakhstan-EU partnership, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The visit, which included the cities of Aktau and Astana, was part…
