Articles by Aida Haidar

ASTANA — International Monetary Fund (IMF) cooperation with Central Asia, global economic outlook,  and the prospects of assisting Kazakhstan achieve carbon neutrality were at the center of a conversation of IMF Managing Director with The Astana Times ahead of her participation at the Astana International Forum (AIF). Georgieva noted that the IMF predicts global GDP…

ASTANA — The launch of the International Trading System (ITS) will contribute to the growth of retail investing in Kazakhstan, said Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Governor Renat Bekturov during a press conference dedicated to the opening of the international trading platform as part of the Astana Finance Days (AFD) on June 7. According to…

ASTANA — Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani will participate in the plenary session of the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8, reported the forum’s press service. Qatar is an important economic partner of Kazakhstan in the Arab world. The trade volume between the countries surged almost 18-fold…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will outline the global vision of the Astana International Forum (AIF) at the plenary session on June 8, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev will also hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum. Richard Quest, a news anchor at CNN who will moderate the plenary session, said…

ASTANA — With just a few weeks until the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8-9, the world is set for an engaging exchange of ideas and insights. The two-day forum will host dozens of international speakers and moderators at 40 panels and side events.  The forum will also focus on Central Asia and its…

ALMATY — The partnership between Astana and Brussels is built on years of pragmatic and progressive cooperation, said Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during the high-level session of the second European Union-Central Asia Economic Forum in Almaty on May 19, Prime Minister’s press service reported.  Smailov said the previous year was a “breakthrough” in Central Asian-EU…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the opening ceremony of Kazakhstan’s Consulate General in Xian on May 19, concluding his three-day state visit to China, reported Akorda press service.  According to Tokayev, this visit was “undoubtedly of particular importance,” kicking off a new “golden 30th anniversary” of Kazakh-Chinese cooperation following meaningful talks with…

ASTANA — The International Trade Center (ITC), a joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN), showcased the results of the European Union (EU)-funded Ready4Trade Central Asia project on May 17 in Almaty, highlighting ongoing efforts to develop intra-regional and international trade in Central Asia’s five countries, according to the…

ASTANA — The Kazakh economy is projected to expand by 3.9% in 2023 and 4.2% in 2024, with persisting inflationary pressures and uncertainties surrounding oil and commodity prices posing downside risks to the country’s economic growth, according to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) latest Regional Economic Prospects report published on May 16. …

ASTANA — Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov signed the Roadmap to Accelerate the Establishment of the International Center for Industrial Cooperation (ICIC) Central Asia and the Joint Plan of Practical Actions in Labor Activity and Migrant Workers’ Rights at the 20th bilateral Intergovernmental Commission in Tashkent on May 5, the…

ASTANA – The Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) is conducting systematic work to ensure aviation security and safety. Darkhan Katyshev, senior director of the Aviation Security Department of AAK, spoke to The Astana Times about plans to launch flights between the United States and Kazakhstan and international collaboration in aviation security. Work to launch flights…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is on the path of modernizing its political system and economic structure to adjust to the ever-changing circumstances amid geopolitical shifts, wrote Nikita Shatalov, a member of the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, in his Telegram channel on April 27. He was reacting to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s speech at…

ASTANA – The Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) is one of the most important organizations in ensuring the country’s stability, said Deputy Chief of Staff of the President Aida Balayeva during the opening of the APK’s 32nd session at Nazarbayev University on April 26.  APK, an advisory body under the President of Kazakhstan,…

ASTANA — Air Astana’s management addressed concerns about domestic flight prices and flight delays, which have become more frequent in the past few years, at the Public Council meeting of Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund on the airline’s activities on April 21. The meeting was chaired by the Head of the Samruk Kazyna Public Council…

ASTANA – Kazakh national dairy drinks saumal (freshly milked horse milk), kymyz (horse milk), and shubat (camel’s milk) support immunity and have healing properties, said Bakytzhan Bimbetov, gastroenterologist and professor at the Medical Center Hospital of President’s Affairs Administration.  In an April 13 interview with Kazinform, Bimbetov said Kazakhstan has a severe problem with hepatitis…

ASTANA – Kazakh representative, as part of the delegation of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), visited Rome to evaluate the city’s candidacy for hosting the World Expo 2030 ahead of the final decision scheduled for November, the press service of Italian Government Presidency of the Council of Ministers reported on April 20.  The delegation…

ASTANA — A combination of a favorable business environment, robust banking infrastructure, supportive government policies, and fintech regulations, along with a tech-savvy population, makes Kazakhstan an attractive destination for foreign fintech investors and companies seeking growth opportunities, according to the report issued on April 13 by RISE Research, Kazakhstan’s MOST holding, and Fintech Consult international…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan delivered humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan on April 15 during the visit of Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin to Kabul, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.  The main humanitarian aid, with a total volume of 5,403 tons, arrived by rail, consisting of food products, including canned milk, vegetable…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan exports roughly 4.5-6 million tons of oil every month, with the European Union (EU) remaining the key buyer. Yet, the demand for Kazakhstan’s oil is also growing in Asian markets, said Economic Research Institute (ERI) expert Yernar Serik.  The country’s oil exports have increased to Asian countries, especially China, India, South Korea,…

ASTANA — The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), the country’s leading think tank, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023. In the run-up to this milestone, The Astana Times spoke with KazISS Director Yerkin Tukumov about the institute’s role in the country’s development and future plans.  What role has the think tank played in the…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s course towards renewing its political system focuses more on changing the institutions and their work, political expert Daniyar Ashimbayev wrote in his Telegram post on April 4, addressing recent reappointments in the Parliament and the government that saw minor changes.  Maulen Ashimbayev was re-elected as Kazakhstan’s Senate Chairperson on Jan. 26, while…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s trade turnover broke a historical record in 2022, reaching $134.4 billion, exceeding the pre-pandemic level of $97.8 billion in 2019, according to the Ministry of National Economy.   In 2020, the country’s foreign trade reduced by 11.5 percent to $85 billion due to output cuts, lockdowns, and border closures. Exports in 2022 totaled…

ASTANA – Following the March 19 parliamentary election, a multiparty parliament has emerged in Kazakhstan, said Tatiana Lipina, a leading expert from the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS). Six political parties gained seats in the Mazhilis, the lower chamber, compared to three in the previous convocation.  The new multiparty system, she said, embodies strengthened…

ASTANA – Kazakh economy has demonstrated high adaptability despite unprecedentedly high inflation rates worldwide, increase in interest rates, and disruptions in global demand and supply chains, said Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov during a press briefing with foreign media at the Central Communication Services on March 17 in Astana. “We managed to maintain positive…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan is committed to developing nature-based solutions to deal with the challenges of the receding Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea, said Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Zulfiya Suleimenova, during a press briefing with foreign media at the Central Communication Services on March 17. Addressing a question about the Aral Sea, she…