Croatia’s Ambassador on Growing Ties with Kazakhstan, Trade and Direct Flights
ASTANA – While diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Croatia date back to October 1992, the opening of Croatia’s embassy in Astana in April 2019 marked a new phase in the relationship. Refik Šabanović has served as Ambassador of Croatia since the mission’s launch and in an interview with The Astana Times, he shared how bilateral…
Chinese Investor to Pour Over $7 Billion into Hard-to-Recover Gas Project in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakh Invest and Chinese oil and gas firm Geo-Jade Petroleum Corporation signed a cooperation and project-support agreement on Feb. 3 to advance development of the Sozak gas field in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda Region. The project could mark the launch of a new subsector in Kazakhstan’s gas industry, focusing on the production of hard-to-recover, unconventional…
EBRD Invests Close to $450 Million in Kazakhstan as Regional Funding Approaches $2 Billion
ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development invested 378 million euros (US$446 million) in 2025, bringing its total funding across Central Asia and Mongolia to nearly $2 billion. The bank backed projects in renewable energy, infrastructure and small business financing in one of its strongest regional performances in more than a decade. The…
Kazakhstan Clean Energy Training Project Recognized by ETF Green Skills Award
ASTANA – A renewable energy training program from Kazakhstan was shortlisted for the European Training Foundation Green Skills Award 2025, placing the country among five global finalists recognized for linking education with the transition to clean energy and green jobs. The Mangystau Energy College’s renewable energy dual training program was named one of the finalists…
Venture Investment in AI Rises Fivefold in Two Years, Says Latest Report
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has developed a rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) startup ecosystem, with more than 100 AI startups now operating in the country and venture investment in the sector rising more than fivefold over the past two years, according to a new report presented on Jan. 28 in the Kazakh capital. Venture funding for…
From Office to Peaks: Anar Burasheva Reflects on Her Journey in Mountains
ASTANA – In January, Anar Burasheva stood atop Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, becoming the first woman from Kazakhstan to complete the Seven Summits, the challenge of climbing the highest mountain on each continent. In an interview with The Astana Times, Burasheva reflects on the physical and mental toll behind that achievement. The…
Development Bank of Kazakhstan on Strategic Priorities and Financing
ASTANA – The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) is one of the country’s key institutions that finances large-scale projects in non-resource sectors. As DBK marks its 25th anniversary this year, Botagoz Abisheva, deputy chairwoman of the DBK’s management board, spoke to The Astana Times, explaining how that role is evolving, and the bank’s key priorities…
Why Everyone is Nostalgic for 2016 Again
Nostalgia is a deceptively sweet feeling, one that can get a person into hours and days of reminiscing about what it was like in a particular moment. That feeling swept across social media in early 2026, with millions of people posting photos and videos dated to 2016. These photos are not of the best quality,…
South and Central Asia Steps Up AI Readiness as Governments Move From Plans to Practice
ASTANA – Countries across South and Central Asia are accelerating efforts to strengthen their artificial intelligence readiness, investing in digital infrastructure, skills and public-sector deployment as governments move from strategy to implementation, according to the last December release of the Government AI Readiness Index. The eighth edition of the report aims to address the question…
Kazakhstan’s Silver Production Drops as Prices Hit Record Highs
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s silver industry is shrinking even as prices soar. Production has now declined for a fifth straight year, underscoring a widening gap between market value and physical output. In 2024, 697.5 tons of refined silver were produced in Kazakhstan, the lowest figure since 2012. Over the year, production fell by 21.2%, reported the…
KASE Says 2025 Trading Volume Reached $785 Billion, Up 3%
ASTANA – Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) reported the results of the exchange market’s performance for 2025 at a Jan. 15 press briefing. Total trading volume reached 400.8 trillion tenge (US$784.6 billion) in 2025, up 3% or 11.7 trillion tenge (US$22.9 billion) from 2024. Trading activity across markets “The strongest growth in trading volumes was recorded…
Experts Say Venezuela Events Move Oil Markets, With Limited Impact on Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Oil prices fluctuated in overnight trading after United States President Donald Trump took action against Venezuela by capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, and adding uncertainty over future global supply and the impact on oil-exporting countries such as Kazakhstan. The developments come amid criticism from governments and analysts who have questioned…
Automotive Industry Posts Strongest Results on Record
ASTANA – Kazakhstan produced 171,144 motor vehicles of all types, including passenger cars, buses and trucks, in 2025, with total output valued at more than 2.3 trillion tenge (US$4.5 billion), according to data from Kazakhstan’s Automobile Union released on Jan. 9. The result marked the strongest performance in the history of Kazakhstan’s automotive industry. That…
Kazakhstan Sees Steady Rise in Pension Literacy, Survey Finds
ASTANA – Financial literacy in Kazakhstan’s pension system continued to improve in 2025, according to a nationwide survey of 3,000 adults conducted across all regions of the country. The study assessed public knowledge of pension rules, trust in the pension system, and participation in the pension model. The main section of the survey questionnaire consisted…
Heriot-Watt Sees Kazakhstan as Strategic Partner in Higher Education
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s clearly defined higher education strategy makes it a compelling partner for international universities, Heriot-Watt University Vice-Chancellor Richard A. Williams said in an interview with The Astana Times. “The country’s commitment to internationalisation, English-medium provision, research-led education, and stronger links between universities, industry and innovation creates a powerful foundation for long-term collaboration. From…
Kazakhstan Steps Up Cervical Cancer Prevention as HPV Vaccine Rollout Progresses
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has started a nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization campaign in September 2024 as part of broader efforts to curb cervical cancer, a disease that claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of women globally each year despite being one of the most preventable forms of cancer. The Astana Times breaks down the…
Kazakhstan Keeps Oil Exports Flowing After CPC Terminal Attack
ASTANA – The Kazakh Energy Ministry confirmed efforts to find additional routes for the Kazakh oil and said Kazakhstan’s crude exports have not been entirely halted following a Nov. 29 attack from a Ukrainian drone on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal. “Oil loadings continue through the remaining operational infrastructure under heightened safety measures. The…
Our Generation Has Failed, UN Chief Tells Young Journalists
ASTANA – UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the organization is reshaping its internal system to give young people a stronger voice, responding to a question from AT’s Assel Satubaldina during a virtual briefing with this year’s cohort of the Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship (RAF). The RAF is a prominent international journalism program run under…
UN Launches International Year of Volunteers, Commends Kazakhstan’s Leading Role
ASTANA – The United Nations headquarters in New York hosted a high-level ceremony to launch the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026, an initiative aimed at elevating the role of volunteerism in advancing the 2030 agenda. The event, co-organized by Kazakhstan, Germany and the UN Volunteers program, brought together member states, civil society,…
Talks in Paris Advance Aircraft Deal with Airbus, Solidify Broader Economic Cooperation with Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding to deliver more A320neo aircraft to the country following the 16th meeting of the Kazakhstan-France Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Kazakh-French Business Council meeting on Dec. 5 in Paris. The memorandum entails the delivery of Airbus A320neo aircraft in a format…
Experts Warn Central Asia Risks Missing Another Chance as Trans-Afghan Routes Gain Momentum
ASTANA – Geopolitical factors have pushed Central Asia to rethink its transport and logistics geography. Regional analysts say Central Asia is facing a rare opening to reshape its connectivity through Afghanistan, but warn that the absence of a unified strategy could once again turn the Trans-Afghan agenda into a missed opportunity. Regional experts highlighted practical…
Fifteen Years of Stories and the Place That Raised Me
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…
Austrian Foreign Ministry Awards Kazakhstan’s Inclusive Digital Education Initiative
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s ITeachMe Competence Development Center has received the Intercultural Achievement Award from Austria’s Foreign Ministry on Nov. 24 for its OrleTech project. The initiative expands IT training for youth from vulnerable families, including young people whose parents have disabilities and households raising children with special needs. State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn presented the twelfth…
Kazakhstan Gains Seat in IAEA’s Far East Regional Group
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision announced on Nov. 21 at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors to admit Kazakhstan to the agency’s Far East Regional Group. In its Nov. 21 statement, the Kazakh ministry said the country’s accession to the regional group reflects an “important step toward…
Kazakhstan Pushes for Energy Transition with Major Infrastructure Projects
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving to upgrade its energy system, working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to modernize key power infrastructure, expand renewable energy, and improve electricity reliability for millions of people in the country. “ADB has invested over $500 million to strengthen Kazakhstan’s energy sector. These investments include renewable energy projects, modernization of…
