Articles by Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA — Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway operator, reported that freight volumes across its network reached 287.8 million tons in January-November, 4% higher than the same period last year. Export shipments increased to 80.2 million tons, up 6%, with coal shipments rising 8% to 31.2 million tons, driven by higher supplies to Russia,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has risen to 44th place in the World Bank’s Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI) for 2024, marking a significant improvement of 21 positions. The SPI overall score is now available for 188 economies, according to the bank’s press service.  The SPI is published annually and evaluates national statistical systems using internationally recognized data…

ASTANA — The 27th Asian Youth Chess Championship concluded on Nov. 29 in Bangkok, with Kazakh players winning 11 medals, including five gold medals across the classical, rapid, and blitz events.  Kazakhstan’s 2025 Asian champions include Milana Filippova (G10) and Maria Kholyavko (G14) in classical chess, Amirzhan Anetov (O10) in rapid, and Alisher Abdsattar (O14)…

ASTANA — Almaty has expanded its international air links with the launch of new direct routes to Bangkok by Thai AirAsia X and to Chengdu by Air China, strengthening tourism, trade, and regional cooperation. Long-haul low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia X has launched a new international route between Almaty and Bangkok (Don Mueang) on Dec. 1.…

ASTANA — Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev met with major Swiss business leaders during his official visit to Switzerland on Dec. 2 to advance investment projects in transport, logistics, energy, and the agro-industrial sector, highlighting strong interest in expanding Swiss participation in Kazakhstan’s key industries. Kosherbayev held meetings with the management of EuroAirport, senior management…

ASTANA — Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and Federal Councillor and Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis reaffirmed the strong, trust-based partnership between Astana and Bern during Dec. 2 talks in Switzerland. Kosherbayev emphasized Switzerland’s role as a key and reliable partner in Europe, highlighting steady political dialogue, expanding regional…

ASTANA — Iran has opened its first specialized center for the conservation, treatment, and dissection of Caspian seals in Bojaq National Park in the Caspian Sea province of Gilan. The center aims to revive and care for the seals, the only marine mammal in the Caspian Sea, reported The Tehran Times on Nov. 21.  The…

ASTANA — The eight OPEC+ countries — Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — met virtually on Nov. 30 to review global market conditions and the outlook. The participating countries reaffirmed their Nov. 2 decision to pause production increases in January, February, and March 2026 due to seasonal factors. They…

ASTANA — Kazakh chess players won the most medals in all FIDE competitions in 2024, President of International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich said during a Nov. 28 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Dvorkovich presented the Comprehensive Chess Development Plan adopted in Kazakhstan, which outlines new avenues for cooperation between the state, the private…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights Central Asia’s push for stronger regional agency, Kazakhstan-Estonia’s expanding technological partnership, Japan’s preparations for its first summit with Central Asian states and more. Enhancing EU-Kazakhstan cooperation for a sustainable future Kazakhstan and the EU share a long-term…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway operator has increased grain shipments to Azerbaijan by 25 times, transporting 600,000 tons to date, said  KTZ Chairman Talgat Aldybergenov following the plenary session of the Council for Railway Transport of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on Nov. 26 in Baku.  The surge is attributed to…

ASTANA — Azerbaijan plans to increase freight volume along the North-South transport corridor to 5 million tons by 2028, with a long-term goal of expanding the route’s annual capacity to 15 million tons, said Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s minister of Digital Development and Transport, at the 83rd meeting of the CIS Council for Railway Transport in…

ASTANA – SCAT Airlines will launch new flights connecting Turkistan with Bukhara, Urgench (Khiva), and Samarkand starting Dec. 1. Each route will operate three times per week, with one-way fares beginning at 40,000 tenge (US$77).  The initial stage of operations will be subsidized to maintain stable passenger demand, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on…

ASTANA – A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Galymzhan Koishybayev took part in the third European Union-Central Asia Economic Forum on Nov. 26 in Tashkent, highlighting Kazakhstan’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation with the EU. The forum brought together representatives of the European Commission, senior officials from Central Asian countries, and representatives of…

ASTANA — President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization meetings on Nov. 27 in Bishkek. The meetings brought together the heads of state of Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, and Tajikistan to discuss pressing topics of international and regional security. During the sessions, leaders reviewed…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry underscored the ethical and legal dangers posed by AI-driven weapons, as Director of International Security Department Arsen Omarov called for a preemptive global ban on fully autonomous systems and stronger international regulation. Omarov participated in the Regional Roundtable on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), held by the International Committee of…

ASTANA — Almaty’s FC Kairat may have fallen 3-2 to Denmark’s FC Copenhagen on Nov. 26, but the match will be remembered as a breakthrough moment for Kazakhstan’s football and for its two rising stars. In a UEFA Champions League match in Copenhagen, Kairat’s homegrown talents Dastan Satpayev and Olzhas Baibek scored both goals for…

ASTANA — Presidents of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Serdar Berdimuhamedov, held talks on Nov. 25 to reaffirm the strong foundations and strategic depth of relations between the two neighboring states. President Tokayev warmly welcomed his counterpart, noting that Kazakhstan considers Turkmenistan a strategic partner and fraternal nation, united by centuries-old friendship, shared history,…

ASTANA — The third EU-Central Asia Economic Forum will take place in Tashkent on Nov. 26, gathering representatives of the EU and its member states, Central Asian governments, the private sector from Europe and Central Asia, International Financial Institutions, and other international organizations. As a key platform for EU-CA cooperation, in line with the EU’s…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Passenger Transportation company will launch a new Talgo train service on the Almaty–Kostanai route starting Dec. 16, operating on even-numbered days. The Talgo will reduce travel time by 12 hours compared to standard passenger trains, offering a significantly faster option for long-distance travel. The train will accommodate over 600 passengers and stop…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Armenia unveiled trade plans and cultural initiatives to deepen ties. Following high-level talks, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a media briefing on Nov. 21, emphasizing the growing strategic partnership between the countries. Tokayev underscored that Armenia is an important and reliable partner for Kazakhstan, noting…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency held a meeting dedicated to expanding local production within the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, Balkhash. Discussions centered on involving domestic enterprises, technology transfer, strengthening industrial capacity, and creating sustainable employment, reported the agency’s press service on Nov. 20. A significant portion of nuclear plant construction…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has launched the Academy of IT Architects, a new training program aimed at improving the architectural and AI competencies of specialists responsible for building the country’s digital government. The initiative, developed by the Digital Government Support Center, addresses a key challenge of accelerated digitalization: fragmentation…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has signed a trilateral agreement with the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) to launch a $5.3 million project aimed at transforming the country’s irrigation system and improving water management efficiency. The agreement was signed by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, UNDP Resident Representative in…

ASTANA — The state visit of Estonian President Alar Karis to Kazakhstan on Nov. 17 marked a renewed push to strengthen cooperation in trade, digital technologies, logistics, and international diplomacy, with both countries committing to advancing a broad strategic partnership. During talks, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan views Estonia as a key and trusted…