Kazakhstan Kicks Off 2026 Winter Olympics with 36 Athletes in Milan
ALMATY – The 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially open today, Feb. 6, in Milan-Cortina, Italy, with Kazakhstan ready to highlight its winter sports talents in front of a worldwide audience. The opening ceremony will be broadcast live at 12 a.m. Astana time on Feb. 7 on Qazsport, Qazaqstan, Jibek Joly, and Khabar channels, reported the…
Kazakhstan Highlights Critical Minerals Potential at Conference in US
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev took part in the first conference on critical minerals on Feb. 4 in Washington, the United States, at the invitation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscoring Kazakhstan’s growing role in strengthening global supply chains for strategically important resources. Discussions focused on enhancing international cooperation in the extraction,…
Air Astana Launches Ticket Sales for Seasonal Flights to Cyprus
ALMATY – Air Astana has opened ticket sales for direct seasonal flights to Cyprus as part of its summer 2026 schedule. From June through September, the airline will operate regular services to Larnaca from both Astana and Almaty, reported the Civil Aviation Committee on Feb. 2. Flights from Astana will run from June 2 to…
OPEC+ Countries Pause Supply Hikes, Reaffirm Flexible Production Strategy
ALMATY – Eight OPEC+ member countries have reaffirmed their commitment to oil market stability, citing a steady global economic outlook and healthy market fundamentals reflected in relatively low inventories. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman held a virtual meeting on Feb. 1 to review current market conditions and…
Kazakhstan and France Deepen Scientific Cooperation in Nuclear Research
ALMATY – A Kazakh delegation, led by the Chairman of the Kazakh Agency for Atomic Energy Almasadam Satkaliyev has visited the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) international research centers in Grenoble, France. Representatives of Kazakhstan’s Institute of Nuclear Physics also took part in the trip. During the visit to ESRF,…
Kazakhstan Expects No Annual Losses from Tengiz Downtime, Says Energy Minister
ALMATY – Kazakhstan does not expect to incur losses on an annual basis despite the recent production halt at the Tengiz oil field, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said while commenting on the consequences of the incident during a Jan. 28 briefing. According to the minister, current losses amount to about 900,000 tons of oil. However,…
Air Astana to Launch Regular Flights to Shanghai
ALMATY – Starting March 29, Air Astana will begin operating regular flights on the Almaty–Shanghai route. Flights will be scheduled three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. With the addition of this new route, the total number of weekly flights between Kazakhstan and China will increase from 81 to 84, reported the Civil…
CPC Pipeline Consortium Operates at Full Capacity, Says Energy Minister
ALMATY – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is operating at full capacity, loading two tankers per day, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov announced during a Jan. 28 briefing at the Mazhilis (Parliament’s lower chamber). “On Sunday, we restarted unit No. 3, which had been under repair. Due to severe winter weather in the Black Sea, we…
President Tokayev Meets Kazakh IT Entrepreneurs to Discuss AI and Venture Development
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Kazakh IT entrepreneurs Erzat Dulat, technical director of the startup Higgsfield AI, and Murat Abdrakhmanov, founder of the venture platform MA7 Ventures, on Jan. 28. During the meeting, the parties discussed the introduction of artificial intelligence in the economy, public administration, and the social sphere, as…
Tokayev Receives Update on Constitutional Reform Process
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was briefed on the progress of Kazakhstan’s constitutional reform on Jan. 27, including the development of proposed new wording for parts of the Constitution, following six months of public consultations. The update came during a meeting with Chair of the Constitutional Commission and Chair of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova,…
Kazakhstan, Israel Reaffirm Commitment to Stronger Bilateral Ties
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Jan. 27, underscoring both countries’ commitment to strengthening comprehensive cooperation. President Tokayev noted that the minister’s visit reflects Israel’s firm intention to deepen bilateral ties with Kazakhstan across a wide range of sectors. During the meeting, both sides discussed trade, economic,…
Kazakhstan Reports Progress in Restoring Oil Production in Atyrau Region
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has reported significant progress in restoring production operations at oilfields in the Atyrau region, following disruptions earlier this month. According to the ministry, the key milestone was the successful restart of the Second Generation Plant (SGP) on Jan. 26. The plant is now operating on feedstock from the Korolevskoye…
Kazakhstan’s Grain Exports Rise to 5.1 Million Tons as Shipments to Central Asia and Iran Grow
ALMATY – Kazakhstan exported 5.1 million tons of grain from the new harvest between September 2025 and Jan. 15, 2026, marking an increase compared to 4.3 million tons shipped during the same period last year, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture on Jan. 21. The most substantial growth was recorded in…
Kazakhstan to Launch New International Air Routes in 2026
ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to open and resume multiple international air routes in 2026 while increasing flight frequencies on existing destinations, as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s role as a regional aviation hub, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev said at a Jan. 21 government meeting. According to Sauranbayev, airlines are expected to resume…
China–Central Asia Trade Hits Record $106 Billion in 2025
ALMATY – Trade and economic cooperation between China and Central Asia reached a historic milestone in 2025 as bilateral trade volumes exceeded $100 billion for the first time, according to data released by China’s Ministry of Commerce on Jan. 18. Total imports and exports between China and Central Asian countries reached $106.3 billion, representing a…
Tokayev Outlines Foreign Policy, Reform Agenda for 2026 in Interview
ASTANA – In the second half of 2025, Kazakhstan’s foreign policy gained particular momentum, marked by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s intensive schedule of high-level international engagements across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Tokayev said the pace and geography of these contacts reflect Kazakhstan’s growing international standing and demand as a responsible actor…
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Pay Official Visit to Astana This Week
ALMATY – Astana will host the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian on an official visit on Dec. 10–11, marking a new stage in the strengthening of Kazakh-Iranian cooperation across key strategic sectors. According to the official announcement, the program of the visit includes negotiations, during which the sides will discuss a wide range of issues…
Kazakhstan Hosts 35,000+ Foreign Students, Strengthening Country’s Education Status
ALMATY – Kazakhstan is rapidly consolidating its position as one of Eurasia’s leading education destinations. In the 2025 academic year, 35,075 international students from 88 countries are enrolled in Kazakh universities, marking an 11% increase from the previous year and underscoring the growing global competitiveness of the country’s higher education system. The expanding geography of…
OECD Features Kazakhstan’s e-Qyzmet Among Leading Public Sector Innovations
ALMATY – The international Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) platform of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published Kazakhstan’s experience in implementing e-Qyzmet, the country’s integrated digital human resource management system. The inclusion marks a crucial international acknowledgment of Kazakhstan’s progress in modernizing HR processes across its public sector, reported the…
Kazakh Young Football Players Break Into World Rankings and European Headlines
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s football scene is experiencing an unprecedented moment of global recognition as 17-year-old forward Dastan Satpayev was named among the top five best young players globally by the platform Score 90, while Italian powerhouse Inter Milan highlighted the remarkable performance of Kairat goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov in a new social media feature. Together, these…
Dimash Qudaibergen Gives First Solo Concert in Egypt
ALMATY – Kazakh world-renowned artist Dimash Qudaibergen gave his first-ever solo concert in Egypt on Nov. 30 as part of the inaugural The Pyramids Echo festival. The performance marked his debut on the African continent and the first appearance of an artist from the CIS at the foot of Egypt’s iconic pyramids, reported the DimashNews…
Kazakhstan, UAE Deepen Strategic Partnership as Investment and High-Tech Cooperation Expand
ALMATY – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains one of Kazakhstan’s largest investors, with more than $1.3 billion invested over the past decade, as was announced during a Nov. 25 tenth Kazakhstan–UAE Intergovernmental Commission, marking a major step toward strengthening digital, technological and economic cooperation between the two strategic partners. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister…
Kazakh Diplomas to Be Recognized in China, Japan, South Korea
ALMATY – Kazakh university diplomas will be recognized in China, Japan, South Korea and other Asia-Pacific nations, following the Nov.19 Mazhilis (lower chamber of Parliament) ratification of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, adopted in Tokyo in 2011. The move is expected to significantly expand academic and professional…
Kazakhstan to Host World Taekwondo Championships in 2027
ALMATY — Kazakhstan has officially been selected as the host country of the 2027 World Taekwondo Championships (WT), marking the first time the global competition will take place in Central Asia. The competition is expected to take place in Astana, with the event serving as a key milestone in Kazakhstan’s sports diplomacy and development of…
LOT Polish Airlines Launches Direct Flights Between Almaty and Warsaw in 2026
ALMATY — LOT Polish Airlines, Poland’s national carrier, will launch direct flights, linking Almaty and Warsaw, starting May 31, 2026. During the summer season, flights will operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. In winter, the airline will reduce its frequency to three flights per week, departing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and…
