Articles by Ayana Birbayeva

ALMATY – Kazakhstan accounts for nearly 68% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) accumulated in Central Asia, highlighting its position as the region’s primary destination for international capital, according to the recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report. The total stock of foreign investment in Kazakhstan has reached $151.3 billion,…

ALMATY – All 71 referendum polling stations abroad have completed their work, with 12,740 Kazakh citizens voting in 54 countries, resulting in an 88.6% turnout, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.  In the United States, where 3 polling stations operated at Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions, a 100-year-old citizen of Kazakhstan, Arnold Greenfeld, also took part in…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is introducing a digital ecosystem for the construction sector, including the launch of a Unified Construction Portal designed to bring previously fragmented planning and oversight processes into a single transparent system, said Minister of Industry and Construction Yersayin Nagaspayev at a March 10 government meeting.  According to Nagaspayev, the digitalization of the…

ALMATY – Global adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) continued to grow in the second half of 2025, rising by 1.2%, compared with the first half of the year, with roughly one in six people worldwide now using generative AI tools, according to analysis released by the Microsoft AI Economy Institute in January. Researchers track…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered remarks at a ceremonial event on March 6 in Akorda dedicated to International Women’s Day, congratulating women across the country and recognizing their contribution to Kazakhstan’s development. “Today at Akorda I express my sincere gratitude to all women of Kazakhstan. Our women work successfully for the benefit of the…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan recorded stable execution of tax revenues to the national budget in the first two months of 2026, with collections exceeding planned targets, according to data released by the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance as of March 1. Over January–February 2026, tax revenue fulfillment reached 113.7% of the plan, with…

ALMATY – Eight OPEC+ countries, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, agreed to gradually resume oil production adjustments during a virtual meeting held on March 1, reported the organization’s press service. The countries that had previously announced additional voluntary production adjustments in April and November 2023 reviewed global…

ALMATY – Dimash Qudaibergen presented the keys of the car to Olympic figure skating champion Mikhail Shaidorov during a special ceremony held in Almaty, following the athlete’s return home. The ceremonial handover took place on March 1, marking what organizers described as a symbolic gesture of national pride and support for Shaidorov’s historic achievement. “Not…

ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held a series of high-level contacts with leaders of Middle Eastern countries amid escalating tensions in the region, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s support for dialogue and diplomatic resolution of international conflicts. Tokayev sent a message to the King of Jordan Abdullah II, conveying support and solidarity with the brotherly people of…

ALMATY – Germany’s carrier Lufthansa will resume regular flights to Kazakhstan starting March 29, restoring connections to Almaty and Astana from Frankfurt am Main, reported the company’s press service. The airline will operate five weekly flights to Almaty and four weekly flights to Astana. According to the airline, flights will operate on a circular routing…

ALMATY – The partnership between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom is increasingly grounded in trade, investment, production, skills and shared standards, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev wrote in an article published in Intellinews on Feb. 19.  According to him, more than three decades after the establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation between the countries is defined…

ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, outlining Kazakhstan’s commitment to global peacebuilding efforts and announcing concrete initiatives to support the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza on Feb. 20, reported the Akorda.  Welcoming participants, President Tokayev expressed gratitude to the United States’ President Donald Trump for…

ALMATY – GITEX, one of the world’s largest technology exhibitions, will be held in Almaty for the first time on May 4–5, marking the city’s debut as a regional hub for the globally renowned tech brand, reported the city administration’s press service on Feb. 17. The upcoming GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus Kazakhstan was…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims has officially announced that the first day of Ramadan in Kazakhstan in 2026 will fall on Feb. 19, with the first tarawih (night prayers during Ramadan) to be held on the evening of Feb. 18. Despite differing practices in some countries, where tarawih prayers may begin on Feb.…

ALMATY – Five strategic agreements and a full day of practical business training sessions marked the Dala.Camp Forum 2026 in Burabai on Feb. 14-15, where 250 industry representatives from 11 countries gathered to move Kazakhstan’s livestock sector from discussion to execution.  The signed agreements cover several key areas, ranging from the creation of production models…

ALMATY – More than 20,000 participants are expected to attend an international exhibition of green technologies and sustainable solutions, which will take place alongside the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES) in Astana on April 22–24. The summit will serve as a major international platform for developing coordinated responses to climate and environmental challenges facing Central…

ALMATY – From classical painting to bestselling postcards, silk scarves and airplane amenity kits, Kazakh artist Indira Badambayeva has built a creative universe where Kazakh identity and fairy tales meet. In an interview with The Astana Times, Badambayeva reflects on discipline, independence, cultural imagery and why she believes artists should take full responsibility for their…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s special forces teams delivered a standout performance at the UAE SWAT Challenge, taking the lead in one of the world’s most prestigious tactical competitions and outperforming 109 teams from 48 countries. On the third day of the tournament, Kazakh units swept all three podium places in the Officer Rescue stage. Team Kazakhstan…

ALMATY – Both GEMA Asia Awards statuettes have now been delivered to Kazakhstan, as the country has earned its first-ever recognition at the prestigious competition. Local streaming platform Unico Play took home two major prizes for its marketing campaign promoting the original series “Qara Bekire” (Black Caviar). The project won gold for Best Integrated Marketing Campaign…

ALMATY – Kazakh chess star Bibisara Assaubayeva will become the first player in the country’s history to compete in the Women’s Candidates Tournament, marking a milestone moment for Kazakhstan’s presence in elite world chess. The three-time world blitz champion confirmed her participation during a meeting with journalists in Astana, describing the achievement as the result…

ALMATY – Output at Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oil field has recovered to around 60% of its usual production levels. It is expected to return to full capacity by Feb. 23, according to two industry sources cited by Reuters news agency on Feb. 9. Tengiz field, which accounts for 40% of Kazakhstan’s total oil production, was largely…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is taking decisive steps to strengthen its socio-economic and international potential in the face of a rapidly changing global economy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a Feb. 10 expanded government meeting. “Global economic growth is expected to slow, international trade is declining, and foreign investment in developing countries is shrinking. Protectionism, tariffs,…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired an expanded government meeting on Feb. 10, during which officials reviewed Kazakhstan’s socio-economic performance in 2025 and outlined key priorities for the period ahead, while also emphasizing the country’s ongoing Constitutional reform. Constitutional reform framed as a nationwide process Opening the session, Tokayev said Kazakhstan has entered a period…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is advancing new investment, infrastructure, and technology partnerships with Chinese business leaders and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), following high-level talks on Feb. 9 between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Sunwah Group Chairman Cai Guanxian and AIIB President Zou Jiayi. The meetings underscored Kazakhstan’s focus on attracting strategic foreign investment, expanding transport…

ALMATY – Thousands of fans gathered at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty on Feb. 5 to celebrate the global premiere of the first episode of Voice Beyond Horizon, a new musical reality show initiated and headlined by Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen. The evening began with a video message compilation featuring international stars, including…