President Tokayev Meets UEFA President, Highlights Football Growth in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin on April 25, commending UEFA’s support for Kazakhstan and emphasizing football’s growing popularity in the country. According to Tokayev, some 13% of all those involved in sports or 1 million citizens play football. He emphasized the importance of establishing a sustainable market-oriented model for…
Kazakhstan Reports High Digital Literacy and Internet Usage
ASTANA – Kazakhstan Bureau of National Statistics has conducted a survey in 2024, revealing high levels of digital engagement in Kazakhstan, with over 96% of the population using the internet and more than 92% demonstrating strong digital literacy skills across a range of devices and services. According to the survey, based on data from 21,000…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Diplomacy, Tourism Growth, Global Investment, and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated a selection of articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes topics such as Kazakhstan’s foreign policy, tourism growth, global investment and more. How has Kazakhstan’s foreign policy evolved under Tokayev? The Diplomat published an article on April 21 discussing Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s foreign…
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to Launch Flights to Kazakhstan in June
ASTANA – Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, an Emirati low-cost airline, plans to launch regular passenger flights on the Abu Dhabi–Almaty route starting in June, with three flights per week on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. “We are glad to launch our new service to Almaty, further expanding our international reach from Zayed International Airport. This new…
Kazakhstan, Austria Deepen Strategic Partnership Through Diversified Economic Ties
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Austria are strengthening their partnership through expanded economic cooperation, as highlighted during the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Economic, Agricultural, Environmental, Industrial, Technical, and Technological Cooperation held on April 24. Co-chaired by Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko and Austrian Director General for Economics, Innovation and International Cooperation…
Recovered Assets to Build New Medical Facilities in Aktobe Region
ASTANA – The Kazakh government allocated returned illegally acquired assets from the Special State Fund to finance the construction of medical facilities in the Aktobe Region worth 1.4 billion tenge (US$2.7 million). The funds are directed to construction of 11 facilities, including feldsher-obstetric stations, medical centers, and outpatient clinics across several rural districts, reported Prime…
Kazakhstan, Afghanistan Launch Strategic Turgundi–Herat Railway Project
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Afghanistan signed a protocol of intent to begin construction on the Turgundi–Herat–Kandahar–Spin Boldak railway line. The agreement was reached during a recent visit to Afghanistan by a Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin. The protocol, signed between Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration…
Kazakhstan and Croatia Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation During High-Level Visit
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman on April 23, highlighting growing cooperation between Kazakhstan and Croatia. Tokayev believes Kazakhstan-Croatia ties would continue to develop in a spirit of mutual trust and constructive dialogue, reported Akorda. He noted the increasing interest of Croatian businesses…
Kazakhstan, Afghanistan to Create Technical Commission to Study Afghan Mineral Deposits
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Afghanistan agreed to create a technical commission to study Afghan mineral deposits during a recent meeting between Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Hidayatullah Badri in Kabul. Expressing satisfaction with the significant progress in developing relations in the industrial…
Kazakhstan to Expand Access to Natural Gas to 12.8 Million People This Year
ASTANA – By the end of this year, Kazakhstan plans to complete 60 gasification projects in 71 populated areas, expanding access to natural gas for an additional 218,000 people, bringing the total to 12.8 million, said Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov at an April 23 government meeting. In the previous year, 62.4% of the country’s population,…
Uzbekistan to Offer Five-Year Residence Permits to Foreign Investors Starting June
ASTANA – To attract foreign investment, Uzbekistan will introduce a simplified procedure for issuing 5-year residence permits starting June 1. Foreign nationals and stateless persons will be eligible if they invest $250,000, with an additional $150,000 required for each accompanying family member, including spouses, children, or parents, reported the country’s Justice Ministry on April 19.…
Kazakh Citizens in US Advised to Return Voluntarily Over Immigration Concerns
ASTANA – On April 17, the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a call for Kazakh citizens currently residing in the United States who are subject to deportation orders to voluntarily return home. The appeal encourages individuals to use the CBP Home mobile application, which facilitates a safe and organized departure process. Citizens who are…
President Tokayev Highlights National Environmental Efforts at Taza Kazakhstan Festival
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the importance of ecological responsibility and civic unity during an April 21 Taza Kazakhstan environmental festival. He focused on the campaign’s achievements, including the planting of millions of trees and the involvement of volunteers throughout the country. Speaking about the significance of the campaign, Tokayev noted that maintaining…
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni to Visit Kazakhstan This Week
ASTANA – Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni is set to make an official visit to Kazakhstan on April 26–27, following an invitation from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. High-level talks will focus on strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Italy. On April 27, Astana will host the first-ever Central Asia–Italy summit, reported Akorda. During the…
Kazakhstan Archaeology Journal Gains Global Recognition with SJR Ranking
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Archaeology scientific journal of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology officially entered the first quartile (Q1) of the international SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) ranking, receiving an impact factor of 0.532. The inclusion of the journal in Q1 confirms its high scientific level, international significance and relevance of the published research. This success…
Top Five Tourist Regions of Kazakhstan in 2024
ASTANA – In 2024, Kazakhstan welcomed 9.1 million tourists who used hotels and other accommodation facilities nationwide. The volume of services reached 300 billion tenge (US$573.3 million), reported the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports on April 16. Almaty was once again recognized as the most popular destination among tourists. The city attracted 2.3 million…
Shares of Kazakhstan’s Companies Show Growth Despite Market Volatility
ASTANA – Despite global market uncertainty, Kazakhstan’s stock market remained resilient in January-March, with the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) Index rising by 1.4% to reach 5,658.74 points. The volume of transactions with index shares on the secondary market reached 59.7 billion tenge (US$114 million), an increase of 17.1 billion tenge (US$32.7 million) compared to the…
Marriage Trends Shift in Kazakhstan with Rising Age and Regional Disparities
ASTANA – In Kazakhstan, April 15 is celebrated as Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan Sulu Day, a holiday symbolizing true love, often considered an alternative to Valentine’s Day. A study by Shynar Toleshova, a leading expert at Kazakhstan’s Economic Research, examined changing trends in marriage and family life. Toleshova pointed out that shifts in marital patterns, such…
Massive Asset Recovery of $1.2 Bln Boosts Kazakhstan’s Social Development
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has recovered assets worth approximately 610 billion tenge (US$1.2 billion), including 506 billion tenge (US$977.2 million) in cash and property valued at over 103 billion tenge (US$198.9 million), as part of ongoing efforts to return illegally acquired assets to the state. The results were reviewed at an April 14 meeting of the…
Kazakhstan, Chevron Seek Energy Expansion, Oil Route Diversification, and Industrial Growth
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the key role of Chevron in the sustainable development of the country’s energy sector and congratulated Chevron CEO Michael Wirth on the completion of the Tengiz field expansion project during an April 14 meeting. The meeting discussed further implementation of large investment projects, including the production of gas…
Astana to Host Central Asian Media Forum Tomorrow
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital is set to host the second Central Asian Media Forum on April 16-17 in Astana. The media forum will bring together media leaders and experts from Azerbaijan, China, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Qatar, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Over two days, the panel sessions of the media forum…
Kazakhstan Showcases Innovation and Heritage at EXPO 2025 in Osaka
ASTANA – The World Expo 2025 officially opened on April 13 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka, Japan. Running until October, this major international event has brought together 158 countries and nine international organizations under the central theme: Future Society for Our Lives. The theme is explored through three thematic zones — Saving…
President Tokayev Addresses Global Trade Tensions During Shymkent Visit
ASTANA – During the working visit to Shymkent on April 11, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the local public, highlighting Kazakhstan’s economic resilience, the importance of unity, and the government’s response to global economic challenges. Tokayev noted Shymkent’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, emphasizing that nearly 140,000 small and medium-sized enterprises contribute to over half of the city’s…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Ties with EU and UK, Kazakhstan Airports’ Awards and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Kazakhstan’s relations with the European Union and the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan airports winning Skytrax awards and more. Kazakhstan and EU strengthen ties at Samarkand summit: Visa facilitation, innovation and strategic co-operation on the agenda At…
CIS Foreign Ministers Gather in Almaty to Deepen Ties and Launch New Initiatives
ASTANA – The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Foreign Ministers convened in Almaty on April 11 to discuss the international agenda and the current state and future of cooperation within the organization. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration and strengthening the CIS’s multifaceted potential. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister…
