Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s authorities have started building new houses in the flood-affected Pavlodar, Karagandy and Aktobe Regions, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on April 18. The commission inspected 2,602 residential buildings in the affected regions, of which 1,499 were assessed. As a result, it was revealed that 794 houses are subject to restoration, and…

ASTANA – Floods made it possible to fill reservoirs even in the arid regions of Kazakhstan, said Moldir Abdualiyeva, an official representative of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, at an April 16 briefing at the Central Communications Service. “Flood waters made it possible to fill all reservoirs, even in arid regions, which is…

ASTANA — Bagdat Mussin, Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, met with Rebecca Hunter, Starlink Global Licensing and Market Activation Director at SpaceX, on April 16 to discuss cooperation prospects, reported the ministry’s press service. The sides discussed creating digital projects, providing broadband internet to rural schools, and expanding Starlink technology in…

ASTANA – Co-founders of Kaspi.kz, one of the region’s most prominent fintech companies, Vyacheslav Kim and Mikhail Lomtadze, will transfer 20 billion tenge ($44.6 million) to help people affected by devastating floods in Kazakhstan, reported Kazinform on April 17. The allocated funds will be sent to the North Kazakhstan and Akmola Regions to restore, purchase…

ASTANA – Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs sent more than 50 tons of humanitarian aid to Kazakhstan on April 18 amid large-scale floods, reported the ministry’s press service.   The humanitarian cargo includes food, blankets, pillows, bed linens, inflatable boats, medications, rubber boots, diesel and electric generators, and other essential supplies. “Our cooperation with Kazakhstan has…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reviewed digital tools to improve flood forecasting and instructed a swift launch of a service for accepting claims for compensation for damage caused by floods during an April 17 meeting at the Digital Government Office, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Bektenov urged the Ministry of Digital Development,…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with residents of the Kostanai Region and inspected the flooded areas to assess the damage caused by the emergency situation on April 16, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev thanked everyone for their involvement and concern, emphasizing that people show their unity in such difficult periods. “I came to…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Investment Committee concluded 29 contracts worth 436.6 billion tenge (US$973.2 million) with investors from Cyprus, the Netherlands and Russia in the first three months of 2024, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov during a press briefing on April 15. According to Smadiyarov, 86 applications for investment preferences were…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAID) and the Astana Medical University launched Avicenna, a healthcare program for medical students from Central Asian countries, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov on April 15. The program, funded by KazAID, includes training courses covering various aspects of medical education, as well as a cultural program…

ASTANA – There are 123 Kazakh citizens registered with the Kazakh consulate in Israel and 104 people in Iran, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov during a briefing on April 15, reports Tengrinews. “According to unconfirmed reports, nearly 100 Kazakh citizens may also be living in Israel without registration. Also, 174 employees of one…

ASTANA – KazTransOil national oil transporter plans to deliver 120,000 tons of Kazakh oil to Germany this month, reported the company’s press service on April 15. Between January and March, the volume of Kazakh oil delivered through the trunk oil pipeline system of Transneft towards the Adamova Zastava oil delivery point for further delivery to…

ASTANA – British Minister of State (Minister for Europe) in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Nusrat Ghani expressed support for everyone impacted by Kazakhstan’s severe floods. “The ongoing flooding in Kazakhstan has devastated communities across the north and west of the country. My thoughts are with all who have been impacted, especially those who…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev took part in the second Ministerial Meeting of the Central Asia – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue on April 15 in Tashkent, reported the ministry’s press service. The ministers from Central Asia and GCC discussed the state and prospects of interregional cooperation, as well as current…

ASTANA – The next 10 days will be critical for Kazakhstan, which has been grappling with floods since the end of March, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with the evacuated people of flood-hit North Kazakhstan Region on April 16, reported the Akorda press service. He assured the public the state would take care…

ASTANA—The United Nations (UN) expressed appreciation to Kazakhstan on April 15 for enacting legislation to protect victims of domestic violence, reported the UN news service. “This is a significant advancement in eradicating gender-based violence,” said UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey. On April 15, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law amending penalties…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev set goals for the advancement of science and technology in Kazakhstan during an April 12 meeting of the National Council for Science and Technology, reported the Akorda press service. The event marked the Day of Science Workers. Welcoming the meeting participants, Tokayev drew their attention to the current situation in…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik expressed intention to foster cooperation during an April 11 meeting in Minsk, reported the ministry’s press service. The parties discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Kazakh-Belarusian ties in the political, trade, economic, cultural and…

ASTANA – Chairman of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, supported the initiative of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the joint development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) during an April 12 meeting, reported the Akorda press service. The President stated that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the comprehensive strengthening of relations with Georgia, one…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers the European Union-Kazakhstan’s cooperation on critical raw materials, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and more. EU expands international cooperation on critical raw materials EU Reporter published an article on April 7 by Political Editor Nick…

ASTANA – Brussels hosted the seventh meeting of the Kazakhstan-European Union (EU) Committee in trade configuration on April 9, chaired by Kazakh Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev and Acting Director of Directorate E in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade Léon Delvaux, reported the ministry’s press service. The discussion focused on a…

ASTANA – The monetary policy committee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has decided on April 12 to keep the base rate at 14.75%, announced the bank’s press service. The annual inflation slowed to 9.1% in March, slightly above the forecast trajectory. “As the global grain price trend continues to decline, the external inflationary…

ASTANA – According to the latest data from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 99,869 people, including 36,591 children, have been rescued and evacuated since the beginning of the floods. This was announced by Saipash Erasyl, a senior officer of the Civil Defense and Military Units Committee, during an April 12 briefing at the Central Communications…

ASTANA — The Delegation of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly (PA), headed by the Special Representative on Central Asia Farah Karimi, arrived in Astana to discuss cooperation prospects, climate change and ecology with Kazakh officials and a number of international organizations. During an April 9 meeting with the Chairman…

ASTANA — Despite an emergency due to floods in 10 regions of Kazakhstan, the system of main oil pipelines of KazTransOil, the national oil transporter, operates as usual, reported the company’s press service on April 9. “There is no threat of flooding of KazTransOil’s production facilities. Oil transportation to the country’s refineries and export destinations…

ASTANA – Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov expressed the country’s commitment to promote the continued growth of trade and economic cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic during an April 9 meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.   During negotiations with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov, the sides discussed…