Articles by Ayana Birbayeva 

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have discussed expanding cooperation to combat cybercrime, drug trafficking, corruption and transnational organized crime during a meeting in Astana on Nov. 6.  First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erzhan Ashikbayev met with UNODC Regional Representative for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will hold an international symposium dedicated to the intellectual heritage of medieval philosopher Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (870-950) and theologian Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (1094-1166) on a rotating basis every two years, Vice President Erlan Karin announced at an international symposium in Almaty on Nov. 6.  The symposium is dedicated to Al-Farabi’s philosophical and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan hosts an international summit on artificial intelligence security in Astana on Nov. 6, bringing together regional leaders and senior officials to discuss emerging security challenges associated with the development of AI. The summit was attended by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to modernize its capital market and expand access to stock market financing for businesses under a new development program through 2030 and a draft law designed to strengthen investor protection and align national regulations with international standards. The program and draft law On the Capital Market were reviewed at a government…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to increase the capacity of its Data Center Valley in the Pavlodar Region to 1 gigawatt by 2029, as construction advances on the first three facilities and the government seeks investors for the project’s next phase. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting on Nov. 6 to review construction progress, investment…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Alatau City has secured 27 commercial agreements with a combined investment potential of more than $2 billion following an investment roadshow across London, Berlin and Frankfurt, the prime minister’s press service reported. The Kazakh delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, concluded the European program with meetings in Frankfurt, where officials…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has improved its standing in several international digital development rankings, with progress in artificial intelligence readiness and e-government services highlighting the country’s growing role in the global technology landscape. According to Oxford Insights, Kazakhstan ranked 60th out of 195 countries in the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index, climbing 16 places from the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing for a nationwide construction drive that will direct nearly 6.5 trillion tenge (US$14.3 billion) toward infrastructure development through 2029, as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev calls for a new phase of economic modernization built around tangible improvements in people’s lives. The initiative, known as Khalyktyq Qurylys or the People’s Construction program, will…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is considering the creation of a state strategic uranium reserve to secure fuel supplies for future nuclear power plants, with a target of reserving at least 150,000 tons of uranium by 2050, Almasadam Satkaliyev, chairman of the Agency for Atomic Energy, said at a parliamentary committee meeting, reported the Kazinform news agency. …

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s steelmaker Qarmet is building new coke batteries scheduled to enter service in 2027, a project that will form part of the country’s first coal-chemical complex, as the company advances a $3.5 billion modernization program reviewed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his visit to Temirtau on Nov. 2. The new coke batteries are…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with countries participating in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program reached $8.8 billion in 2025, up 14.4% from the previous year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said at the opening of the second Tien Shan Forum on Economic Cooperation in Central Asia in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan released a second Amur tiger into the wild on Oct. 31, marking another milestone in the country’s efforts to restore tigers to their historical habitat after more than 70 years of absence. The male tiger, named Amur, was released in the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve as part of Kazakhstan’s tiger reintroduction program.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has opened a training classroom featuring a simulator of the SMR-300 small modular reactor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty on Oct. 30 to provide practical training for specialists in the nuclear energy sector. The training complex was established under the FIRST program, in which Kazakhstan has participated since 2022,…

ASTANA – Seven OPEC+ countries, including Kazakhstan, have agreed to maintain oil production levels in December 2026 at the levels set for September, according to a statement published by the organization. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman held an online meeting on Nov. 1 to review developments in the global oil market…

ASTANA – In 1864, a school with just 16 boys opened in Turgai, marking an important step toward expanding secular education across the Kazakh steppe. Its founder, Ybyrai Altynsarin, would become one of the most influential figures in Kazakh educational history, a legacy Kazakhstan honors on the 185th anniversary of his birth on Nov. 2.…

ALMATY – From a snow leopard against a mountain backdrop to portraits of celebrated Kazakh artists and scenes inspired by the city’s past, Almaty’s murals have transformed residential facades into an open-air gallery, bringing art into everyday urban life. The large-scale paintings, created by local and international artists, reflect the city’s cultural heritage, natural surroundings,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s low-cost airline FlyArystan has joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA), an industry body representing airlines worldwide. IATA represents more than 370 airlines across more than 120 countries, accounting for nearly 85% of global air traffic. It develops industry standards covering aviation safety, security, operational efficiency and sustainability. Membership will allow FlyArystan…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest explores United Airlines’ interest in potential flights to Kazakhstan, Nvidia’s engagement with the country’s artificial intelligence sector, the origins of the apple, plans for large-scale infrastructure investment, and prospects for closer ties between Kazakhstan and the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Halyk Bank and international innovation platform Plug and Play have announced plans to establish a joint artificial intelligence (AI) competence center in Almaty to develop digital services, strengthen cybersecurity and introduce technologies from the global startup ecosystem. The center will draw on Plug and Play’s international network of more than 100,000 startups…

ASTANA – Escalating tensions in the Middle East could threaten global trade and transport links, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, speaking at the 13th OTS summit in Ankara. Tokayev said the deteriorating geopolitical situation, particularly tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, was negatively affecting global trade, economic ties and transport and logistics chains, including those…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for stronger economic integration, expanded transport connectivity and deeper digital cooperation among Turkic states at the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Ankara on Oct. 30. Speaking at the summit, Tokayev described the OTS as a unique structure that strengthens unity across the Turkic…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have discussed expanding bilateral trade, agricultural cooperation and transport connectivity at the 14th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan Intergovernmental Council in Bishkek on Oct. 30, reaffirming their goal of increasing bilateral trade to $3 billion. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Chairman and Presidential Administration Head Adylbek…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding trade, transport links and investment cooperation at the second Forum of Interregional Cooperation in Bishkek, as the two countries seek to increase bilateral trade to $3 billion. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Chairman and Presidential Administration Head Adylbek Kasymaliyev…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s annual presidential address outlines strategic priorities that balance national interests with public well-being, Vice President Erlan Karin said, commenting on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address to the people of Kazakhstan. “History is shaped not by time itself, but by strategic decisions made at the right moment. Today’s presidential address is proof of this.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan should consider raising taxes on wealthy individuals, revise parts of its new Tax Code to address business concerns, and encourage banks to provide more long-term loans to businesses, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Oct. 28. Tokayev outlined priorities for macroeconomic policy, including fighting inflation, improving public spending…