EDB: Multilateral Development Banks Need Each Other, Central Asia Shows Why
ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) report on Cooperation of Multilateral Development Banks in Developing Countries: New Opportunities lands squarely in the middle of a growing global contradiction: developing economies face an unprecedented demand for financing, yet multilateral development banks (MDBs) remain structurally constrained in how much and how effectively they can deliver on…
Kazakhstan and Germany Set Sights on Next Phase of Economic Ties
ASTANA — Kazakhstan is consistently focused on further strengthening its partnership with Germany across the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and views Germany as one of its key strategic partners in the European Union, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin said during a Jan. 28 meeting with Dominik Mutter,…
Hooligans’ Game but for Gentlemen: Kazakh Rugby Captain on Rugby, Class, and Character
ASTANA — For much of its history, rugby was never meant to be a vehicle for social mobility. Born in 19th-century England, it developed within the walls of elite private schools and universities, played by students for whom competition was not a path out of hardship but an extension of privilege. Discipline, restraint, and hierarchy…
Why Museums Became Climate Activists’ Chosen Battlegrounds?
When you attend Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, organized by Masdar, which I did this January, you expect discussions about clean energy, finance, technology, and the future of the planet. What you don’t necessarily expect is a sharp, intellectually uncomfortable conversation about soup, glue and the moral responsibility of museums. Yet that was exactly what unfolded…
Uzbekistan Secures Masdar’s Central Asia Expansion With $225 Million Solar Deal
ABU DHABI — Masdar, the United Arab Emirates’ clean energy champion, announced financial close on a $225 million package for the solar power plant and battery storage project in southern Uzbekistan on Jan. 15, on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Senior officials from both countries attended, underscoring the political weight behind Uzbekistan’s clean…
From Early Bet to Global Scale: Masdar Turns 20 as it Expands in Central Asia
ABU DHABI — Masdar, a clean energy champion of the UAE capital, is marking its 20th anniversary this year, having launched operations in 2006, long before renewable energy became a global buzzword. The Astana Times spoke with Masdar’s Chief Operating Officer Abdulaziz Alobaidli, on Jan. 12, on the eve of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW)…
IRENA: Systemic Innovation, Not Silver Bullets, Seen as Key to Energy Transition
ABU DHABI – Transforming global energy systems will require more than breakthrough technologies, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), released on Jan. 12 during a ministerial dialogue on the role of artificial intelligence at IRENA’s Assembly. According to the report Innovation Landscape for Sustainable Development Powered by Renewables, progress…
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026 Opens with Focus on Systems-Level Solutions
ABU DHABI — The capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026 (ADSW) on Jan. 13, positioning itself once again as a global platform for dialogue and practical action on sustainability, energy transition, and climate-related challenges. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE…
EDB’s Evgeny Vinokurov: Central Asia’s Future is Industry, Not Just Transit
ASTANA — Transport corridors and logistics hubs are transforming how Central Asia grows and competes. But how can the region truly benefit from this shift, and what does it mean for the economies of both Central Asia as a whole and Kazakhstan in particular? To unpack these questions, Chief Economist of the Eurasian Development Bank…
IRENA–ILO Report Finds China Drives Renewable Jobs, Warns of Uneven Global Growth
ABU DHABI — Despite renewable energy installations reaching a new peak, employment in the sector grew by just 2.3% year on year, totaling 16.6 million jobs in 2024, according to Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2025 by the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Labour Organization. The report was released on Jan.…
IRENA Assembly Signals Why Renewables Now Define Power, Security, and Growth
ABU DHABI — The global energy system is shifting away from a centralized, fossil-fuel-based model toward a more decentralized system built on renewable energy, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Francesco La Camera said at the 16th IRENA Assembly on Jan. 11. Held under the theme Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity,…
Astana Signs Memorandum to Develop Autonomous Taxi Service
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital plans to launch an autonomous taxi service. A memorandum of cooperation on the development of autonomous taxi services was signed in the Kazakh capital on Dec. 29 between the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, the Ministry of Transport, the Astana city administration, and Yandex Qazaqstan, the Ministry…
From Independence to Influence: Kazakhstan at 34
Kazakhstan turns 34 this December. Not a milestone that demands fireworks. For a country, this is still a restless, sometimes awkward age: old enough to carry scars, young enough to make mistakes, and confident enough to believe it can matter. If we count from December 16, 1991, Kazakhstan is an undeniably young state. If we…
From Fahrenheit 451 to AI: A Struggle to Keep Thinking
I grew up devouring Ray Bradbury. I don’t know why my childhood mind was so fascinated by the future. At the time, I never imagined that humans would one day be living a version of the future he wrote: not in the rocket ships or Mars missions he imagined, but in the quiet, insidious ways…
The Astana Times at 15: Telling Kazakhstan’s Story in Our Own Voice
Editor’s Note: To mark the 15th anniversary of The Astana Times, we are launching a special series of columns written by our newsroom. Over the days, members of our team reflect on their journeys, the stories that shaped them, and the evolution of The Astana Times. We began with a column by our editor-in-chief Zhanna…
Time for Washington to Recognize Central Asia’s Strategic Value, Experts Say
ASTANA — The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center convened visiting policymakers and regional experts on Nov. 7, following the C5+1 Presidential Summit, to discuss the future of United States–Central Asia relations and practical steps to deepen engagement. Moderated by the Atlantic Council’s Associate Director of the Eurasia Center Andrew D’Anieri, the discussion emphasized that, on the…
Tokayev Meets Kazakh IT Startups in Washington Worth $1.4 Billion
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with the founders of Kazakh IT startups expanding into international markets during his visit to Washington, DC, on Nov. 6, expressing support for the startups, Akorda press service reported. “As President of the country, I support you. Your work is vital for the future of our nation. Digitalization and…
Brett King: AI Revolution Will End Capitalism as We Know It
ASTANA — Artificial intelligence is scaling at a pace no economic model can match, and it’s already outpacing human control. When I spoke with futurist and bestselling author Brett King for The Astana Times YouTube channel, he warned that AI’s capabilities are growing tenfold every two years, while our policies and institutions are barely keeping…
Central Asia Can Evolve from Corridor to Connector, Says IMF’s Jihad Azour
ASTANA — The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Regional Economic Outlook, released on Oct. 21, showed that Central Asian economies continue to outperform expectations, with growth projected at 5.6% in 2025 before easing to around 4% in the medium term. To understand what lies behind this resilience and how the region can turn it into lasting…
Kazakhstan to Remain Central Asia’s Growth Leader in 2025, Says IMF
ASTANA — Kazakhstan to remain Central Asia’s fastest-growing economy in 2025, expanding by 5.9%, well above the global average of 3.2%, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Regional Economic Outlook, released on Oct. 21. The IMF revised its forecast for the broader Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region upward to 5.6%, citing Kazakhstan’s strong…
I Met Netflix Co-Founder. Here’s What He Taught Me About Failure and Innovation
Can you imagine being a Netflix subscriber for almost 17 years back when it was just mail-order DVDs in Northern California where I lived in my 20s and then meeting its cofounder Marc Randolph in person? The feeling is hard to put into words. At the InMerge Summit, organized by PASHA Holding, in Baku on…
AI, Agri-Science, and International Students Drive Ualikhanov University’s Rise in Kokshetau
ASTANA — Kazakhstan has been rebranding its universities to enhance educational standards and position the country as a hub for learning in Eurasia. In today’s turbulent world, it aims to provide students with a safe and stable environment to study. One example is Shokan Ualikhanov Kokshetau University, located in my hometown. I spoke with Zhailagul…
Kazakhstan’s Constitution at 30: What It Means for Generation That Grew Up With It
ASTANA — As Kazakhstan marks the 30th anniversary of its Constitution, we turned to those who came of age alongside the country’s most important legal document — its contemporaries. For them, the Constitution is not a relic of statehood or a distant text, but a framework that has shaped their lives, careers, and sense of…
EDB Maps Out 325 Projects Worth $234 Billion to Boost Eurasian Connectivity
ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has unveiled its Transport Projects Observatory, a powerful new tool designed to monitor and coordinate over $234 billion in infrastructure investments across 13 countries participating in the Eurasian Transport Network (ETN). As of July 1, 2025, the Observatory is tracking 325 development projects aimed at enhancing transport connectivity…
Digging Deeper: Kazakhmys Barlau’s Plan for Exploration, Talent, and Afghanistan’s Geology
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set an ambitious national goal: to bring the level of Kazakhstan’s subsoil exploration to 2.2 million square kilometers. To put that in perspective, this is larger than the entire area of Saudi Arabia. One of the key players embracing this challenge is Kazakhmys Barlau, a company rapidly becoming a…
