Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA — In recent years, Kazakhstan has achieved notable results in attracting foreign investment, driving sustainable economic growth and enhancing its global standing. The government prioritizes creating a favorable investment climate and executing large-scale international projects. These efforts focus on infrastructure development, supporting key economic sectors, and improving the country’s competitiveness. According to Kazakhstan’s National…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Middle Corridor, Kazakhstan’s oil exports and more. Kazakhstan’s constitutional reforms have created a stable investment climate The European Financial Review published an article on March 14 highlighting Kazakhstan’s recent constitutional reforms and governance improvements,…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government allocated returned illegally acquired assets from the Special State Fund to finance the construction of commissioning the Hematology Center in Oskemen worth 33.6 billion tenge (US$66.7 million). The medical institution will have two buildings: a hospital with 148 beds and a 24-bed hotel for patients receiving treatment. The main building…

ASTANA – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has confirmed that oil shipments continue as usual despite ongoing repairs at the Kropotkinskaya pumping station. Russian media and Telegram channels reported another drone attack on CPC infrastructure on March 19. However, CPC press secretary Ilya Arkhipov clarified that the CPC did not own the object targeted. According…

ASTANA – State Counselor Erlan Karin attended the launch of the Assyl Mura (Precious Heritage) audio collection, the largest national music archive in Kazakhstan’s history, now available on over 100 global streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Yandex Music, and YouTube Music, reported Kazinform on March 20. Featuring 1,500 carefully selected recordings — ranging from…

ASTANA—President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced that the 34th session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan will be held on April 23-24, marking the assembly’s 30th anniversary. The previous 33rd session, held under the theme Unity, Creation, Progress, focused primarily on the government’s response to the devastating floods. Despite the widespread destruction, Tokayev emphasized…

ASTANA – Between September 2024 and early March, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy national railway company reported the transportation of 7.7 million tons of grain, which included 1.6 million tons for domestic use and 6.1 million tons for export. Export volumes saw a significant increase of 52.8%. Key export destinations included Uzbekistan, with 2.3 million tons (up…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with representatives of Japan’s business community to discuss ongoing and future projects, as well as potential investment opportunities in Kazakhstan as part of his official visit to Japan. Kazakhstan, which has benefited from over $8 billion in investments from Japan, remains one of…

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired a meeting of the country’s Security Council on March 18 to review the results of the 2024 implementation of the Action Plan for National Security Risk Management for 2021-2025, which was adopted to implement the National Security Strategy. The government and heads of a number of relevant government…

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Shen Yanfeng, the general director of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), on March 17 to explore prospects for cooperation in nuclear energy. During the meeting, Tokayev focused on Kazakhstan’s plans to develop its nuclear energy sector, highlighting the significance of the recent decision to create the…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored the cultural significance of the ten-day Nauryz celebration, the promotion of national clothing and the ongoing development of the Abai Institute during his speech at the National Kurultai on March 14 in Burabai. Tokayev highlighted the significance of the Nauryz celebration, which has now expanded to a ten-day…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the crucial role of tax reform in the country’s future, calling it the foundation of the state system and the key to fulfilling social obligations during the fourth meeting of the National Kurultai (Congress) on March 14 in Burabai. Welcoming the participants, he noted that the members of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines will launch Shymkent-Seoul flight on May 29. The flights will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thus, the total number of flights between Kazakhstan and South Korea will increase from eight to ten per week, reported the Transport Ministry’s press service on March 13. On the same day,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov visited the Abai Region and reviewed the progress of the country’s energy development and nuclear cluster initiatives. The Prime Minister’s press service reported on March 13 that the visit included inspections of key facilities, including the Balapan test site, the Baikal-1 research nuclear reactor, and the National Nuclear…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s National Bank will launch the Gold Coin project, a digital equivalent of the investment coin, on March 17. According to a press release from the bank on March 13, a new investment product will be available for purchase through the Astana International Exchange (AIX)’s Tabys mobile app. The Gold Coin project aims…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the nation on the Amal holiday (‘Korisu’ in Kazakh, meaning to meet each other) or the Day of Greeting, on March 14. “Inquiring about each other’s well-being after a long winter is a special tradition that dates back centuries. On this day, people meet with relatives and friends,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has secured the 100th position in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). The GTI assesses countries based on the impact of terrorism, with a lower rank indicating a lower risk of terrorism. With a score of 0 points, three Central Asian countries, namely…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev engaged in discussions with global energy leaders at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston, the United States. Meetings with S&P Global Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin and executives from major energy companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Eni, focused on enhancing Kazakhstan’s role in the global energy market, diversifying energy sources,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan secured a major legal victory on Feb. 28, when the High Court of London overturned a previous ruling requiring the country to pay $65 million to Canadian uranium company World Wide Minerals. The dispute began in 2013 and centered around claims related to the government’s 1997 refusal to issue a uranium export…

ASTANA — The Kazakh government will allocate returned illegally acquired assets from the Special State Fund to finance the construction of a new Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Central Stadium in the Kazakh capital, worth 17.3 billion tenge (US$35.5 million). The new stadium will replace the old one. The facility, constructed in 1936, has been entirely dismantled due…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu participated in the extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the situation in Palestine and Syria on March 7 in Jeddah. Nurtleu emphasized the need for a sustainable ceasefire, peace efforts,…

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Italian President Sergio Mattarella emphasized the importance of intensifying the bilateral strategic partnership, elevating trade and investment, and expanding cooperation across priority sectors during a March 9 meeting. Welcoming Mattarella, Tokayev noted that the two countries had established strong cooperation across various areas, reported Akorda. “Many Italian companies…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles featuring Kazakhstan from international media around the world this week. Today’s foreign media digest covers Kazakhstan’s diplomatic and economic engagement with Balkan nations, Kazakh-French relations, international freight transportation and more. The 4 French strategic pillars, from India to Kazakhstan The Tribune published an article on Feb. 26…

ASTANA — Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos on March 6 in Nicosia to discuss strengthening bilateral relations in politics, trade, economics, culture, and humanitarian efforts. Nurtleu highlighted that trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Cyprus had increased fivefold in 2024 compared to the previous year,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s trade volume saw a significant increase in 2024, growing by 9.1%, while the foreign trade balance also improved, Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev said at a March 5 board meeting. According to Shakkaliyev, investments in the trade sector rose by 14.6%, reaching 884.6 billion tenge (US$1.8 billion). Domestic trade turnover…