Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – European Union Envoy for Sanctions David O’Sullivan was on his fifth visit to Kazakhstan on March 17 and briefed Kazakh journalists on the progress of the EU’s work to prevent circumvention of sanctions.  The visit’s schedule featured several important meetings, including with Kazakh authorities. O’Sullivan met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of…

ASTANA – Exit poll results released after Kazakhstan’s national referendum on March 15 suggest overwhelming support for the proposed constitutional amendments. According to a survey conducted by the Eurasian Institute for Integration research company, 86.7% of participating voters supported the changes. Voter turnout is estimated at 75.3%. The institute surveyed 30,000 voters in 200 polling…

ASTANA – For jeweler artist Serzhan Bashirov, a silver coin is rarely just currency. It carries memory and the weight of history. Decades ago, his grandmother sent him a small silver coin with a request to make her a ring. Bashirov carried it for a long time, unable to bring himself to melt it down.…

ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan has begun forming a portfolio of crypto-related investments and plans to allocate up to $350 million from its gold and foreign exchange reserves into the national crypto reserve, said National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov at a March 6 press briefing. He described the move as part of a…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed a statement by Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who announced that the country’s interim leadership council had decided to refrain from attacks on neighboring states. According to Tokayev, this decision is an important step toward easing tensions in the Middle East, reported the presidential press office on March 7. …

ASTANA — Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for condemning the attack on the Nakhchivan and voicing support for Azerbaijan, describing the gesture as reflecting the brotherly and allied relations between the two countries. “I express my gratitude to the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for his condemnation of the attacks on…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has strongly advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to several Middle Eastern countries due to continuing military activity in the region and the closure of airspace in multiple states. In a statement, the ministry urged Kazakh citizens to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Iran,…

ASTANA – The Monetary Policy Committee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan decided to keep the base rate at 18% per year, with a corridor of ±1 percentage point. The decision is based on the latest forecast round, updated assessments of key macroeconomic indicators, and the balance of inflation risks. “Annual inflation continued to slow…

ASTANA – Melting glaciers across Kazakhstan and Central Asia are accelerating climate risks from floods today to water shortages in the coming decades, scientists warned, citing long-term data showing rapid ice loss, rising temperatures, and growing pressure on water-dependent energy and agriculture systems. The British-Kazakh Society hosted a high-level webinar on Feb. 17 that brought…

ASTANA – Iran’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ali Akbar Jokar hosted a press briefing on March 2 as regional tensions continued to escalate following reported strikes involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 while talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program were underway.…

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan modernizes its health system amid evolving global risks, its partnership with the World Health Organization continues to expand. In an interview with The Astana Times, Dr. Skender Syla, WHO Representative in Kazakhstan, reflects on the past year of cooperation with the Ministry of Health, from strengthening prevention of communicable and noncommunicable…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed Kazakhstan’s Security Council and law enforcement agencies to prepare an emergency response plan amid escalating tensions around Iran and the potential risk of instability affecting the country, said presidential press secretary Aibek Smadiyarov on Feb. 28.  Tokayev tasked Security Council Secretary Gizat Nurdauletov, along with the heads of…

ASTANA – SCAT Airlines and Boeing kicked off the construction of what is expected to become Central Asia’s largest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center in Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan on Feb. 27, a project aimed at expanding the nation’s aviation infrastructure and servicing capacity. “The initiative to establish the center gained international momentum…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital convened an extraordinary meeting of the Regional Contact Group of Special Representatives of Central Asian countries on Afghanistan on Feb. 16, with trade and economic ties as well as transit topping the agenda. Special Representative of the Kazakh President for Afghanistan – Ambassador-at-Large Yerkin Tukumov said the meeting agenda was…

ASTANA – Thirty-four years ago, Kazakhstan joined the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), entering a multilateral system built on dialogue, international law and shared security principles. Looking back on more than three decades of cooperation, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Ambassador Alexey Rogov reflected on the milestones that have…

ASTANA – National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov outlined key economic priorities for 2026, focusing on fiscal consolidation, tighter control of consumer lending and coordinated anti-inflation measures, as he briefed the government’s expanded meeting on Feb. 10 in Astana.  At an expanded government meeting, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his assessment of where the country is heading,…

ASTANA – The efficiency of the digital economy depends on the quality of connectivity infrastructure, said Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev at an expanded government meeting on Feb. 10 in Astana.  Delivering a report at a meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Madiyev spoke about the major…

ASTANA – Foreign capital inflows to Kazakhstan surpassed $58 billion in 2025, said Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov while briefing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the latest economic figures at an expanded government meeting in Astana on Feb. 10. “Foreign direct investment increased by $1.5 billion, or 10.9%, over nine months to reach $14.9 billion. Including portfolio…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…