Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – The World Bank supported Kazakhstan across diverse policy areas in more than 30 years of cooperation, contributing more than $8 billion. World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Andrei Mikhnev spoke to The Astana Times, unveiling key details of this long-standing partnership.  A ‘very active’ year Mikhnev, originally from Ukraine, has served…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the Boao Forum for Asia on March 28 is meant to significantly elevate the international profile of Kazakhstan, including amplifying the visibility of Kazakh brands and expanding opportunities for the Kazakh economy, said Adil Kaukenov, the chief expert at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), in an…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China continues on March 29 with several meetings with top Chinese executives, reported the Akorda press service. President Tokayev met with Liu Mingsheng, сhairman of the Board of Directors of the State Power Investment Corporation, one of the country’s key state-owned enterprises and a major player in the…

ASTANA – Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in Kazakhstan. The number of electric cars in the country surged ninefold in January compared to January last year, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics. “The number of passenger cars powered by electricity has increased 9.2 times, from 914 to 8,366 units. The highest…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s flagship Astana International Forum and the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) signed a memorandum of cooperation as part of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s participation in the annual session of BFA in Hainan, reported the Akorda press service.  “The sides intend to jointly promote the international and regional agenda, as well as support global…

ASTANA — Astana Hub international technopark unveiled the Drone Tech Center on March 27, a facility aimed at fostering the exchange of experience and the development of innovative solutions in drone technologies, reported the Astana Hub press service.  The event, organized by Astana Hub and Aardvark company, gathered top experts, business and education representatives, and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan anticipates up to 500,000 tourists from China in 2024, said Kairat Sadvakasov, chairman of Kazakh Tourism national company, at the Kazakhstan-China Tourism and Investment Forum in Beijing, reported Kazinform news agency.  The forum officially kicked off the Year of Kazakhstan’s Tourism in China with more than 30 events planned. Sadvakassov said that…

NEW DELHI – The youth delegation from Kazakhstan visited India on March 5-13 to attend the Central Asia – India Youth Forum as part of a broader 100-member youth delegation from all Central Asian countries at the invitation of the government of India. In a world often divided by borders and beliefs, the visit of…

ASTANA – Increasing non-raw material exports has been a priority for Kazakhstan. In 2023, non-raw material exports reached $35.1 billion out of $78.7 billion in total exports, said Nurlan Kulbatyrov, deputy director of QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center, in an interview with The Astana Times. This demonstrates an increase from $26.5 billion in non-raw exports…

ASTANA—A spirit of cooperation in Central Asia is at an unprecedented high, said a prominent American scholar, Dr. Frederick Starr, in an interview with The Astana Times. Starr, the founding chairman of the Central Asia – Caucasus Institute and the Silk Road Studies Program, shared his insights into the region’s dynamics, the importance of regional…

ASTANA –  Ambassador of Austria to Kazakhstan Willy Kempel shared insightful perspectives on the evolving dynamics of bilateral relations and new avenues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Austria in an interview with The Astana Times.  Emphasizing the depth of political alignment and mutual respect between the two nations, the ambassador highlighted the significance of upcoming…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a state visit to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from March 11 to 12, further deepening the strategic and brotherly ties between the two nations and signifying a new chapter in Eurasian diplomacy.  Among the key highlights, he met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, participated in the first meeting…

ASTANA — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Director for Kazakhstan Huseyin Ozhan shared an insightful perspective on the country’s journey of reform and growth in a recent interview with The Astana Times.  Reflecting on his observations, Ozhan, who has been in Kazakhstan since September 2021, highlights the significant strides Kazakhstan has made,…

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Kazakhstan are set to celebrate a momentous milestone in 2024, marking 30 years since Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, joined ADB in January 1994. ADB Regional Director for Central Asia and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov spoke to The Astana Times about the key projects over…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan, a country where astronauts return to Earth and ancient traditions thrive in modern cities, is on the brink of a tourism renaissance as the tourism industry has momentum, said Kairat Sadvakassov, the chairman of Kazakh Tourism national company, in an interview with The Astana Times. In an insightful conversation, he shared how…

ASTANA – Standard & Poor’s international rating agency has reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit rating at BBB-/A-3, maintaining a stable outlook, on March 1, reported the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy.  “The stable outlook on the ‘BBB-‘ long-term rating on Kazakhstan reflects our view that risks from weaker growth and relatively high external financing needs are…

ASTANA – The World Bank presented the key findings of its latest study on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, at a regional event in Tbilisi on Feb. 27.  The event gathered representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, state-owned enterprises, the private sector, and other stakeholders to discuss how…

ASTANA – The Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Kazakhstan Dinara Zakiyeva has been at the forefront of recent reforms aimed at safeguarding the well-being and rights of children in the country. In an interview with The Astana Times, she sheds light on these advancements and Kazakhstan’s commitment to protecting its youngest citizens. The conversation began…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover reached $139.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 3.2% compared to the previous year. China has become the country’s largest trade partner with bilateral trade hitting $31.5 billion, replacing Russia, according to the latest data from the Bureau of National Statistics.  The nation has expanded its commercial horizons by…

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed 21 projects worth more than $450 million in Kazakhstan in 2023, said EBRD Director for Kazakhstan Hüseyin Özhan in an interview with The Astana Times. He shared his vision of the bank’s priorities and ongoing projects in Kazakhstan.  The bank’s active portfolio includes…

ASTANA – In a landmark move, Kazakhstan is preparing to deploy its first independent peacekeeping contingent to the Golan Heights under the United Nations (UN). The departure of the contingent will take place in three stages, with the final slated for March 14, said Colonel Bauyrzhan Nigmetullin, the head of Kazakhstan Peace Operations Center (KAZCENT)…

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a state visit to Qatar on Feb. 13-14, signaling a growing interest in bolstering ties between the two nations and resulting in the signing of commercial agreements worth nearly $18 billion. This visit, which comes at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics, particularly within the Gulf region,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Central Asia are witnessing a decade of opportunities, but opportunities come with an array of challenges. Yet, the region is doing a good job in balancing complexities with opportunities, said Mark Beer OBE, British lawyer and businessman, a co-founder of the Seven Pillars Law firm in Kazakhstan, in an interview with…

ASTANA – The primary factor driving GDP growth in 2024 in Kazakhstan is expected to be domestic demand, supported by government spending on the construction of educational facilities, infrastructure projects, and the modernization of housing and communal services, said the National Bank of Kazakhstan in a written response to The Astana Times.  “Investment projects in…

ASTANA – The Dara Foundation of the Presidential Initiatives seeks to develop mobile filmmaking in Kazakhstan after a group of young professionals underwent a week-long training at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) campus in Los Angeles in January, said the head of the foundation Assel Shildebayeva. NYFA, known for its cutting-edge curriculum and immersive…