Articles by Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA – Islamic banking in Kazakhstan has grown significantly over the past years but still accounts for a small share of the financial system. Its long-term value will depend on whether it attracts new investors and channels additional funding into businesses and infrastructure, rather than redistributing existing resources, economist Ruslan Sultanov told The Astana Times.…

ASTANA — The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers a new rare-metals research center backed by South Korea, U.S.-Central Asia cooperation on trade and critical minerals, military reforms, investment opportunities, and efforts to expand the Middle Corridor’s shipping capacity. Kazakhstan opens $15 million rare…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 15th among the world’s largest gold-producing countries in 2025, producing 82.4 tons of gold, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). However, output declined 5.4% from 87.1 tons in 2024, while global gold production rose 2% to 3,800 tons. China remained the world’s largest producer with 384.3 tons, followed by Russia…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is seeking to expand cooperation with Egypt and the League of Arab States in diplomacy, religious education and interfaith dialogue, as Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi held separate meetings with the region’s senior religious and diplomatic leaders during his official visit to Cairo on Oct. 21. Tileuberdi met with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has proposed establishing a network of artificial intelligence centers under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and integrating regional transport corridors under a unified strategy through 2035, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at an Oct. 20 meeting of SCO heads of government in Dushanbe. Bektenov attended a collective meeting hosted by Tajik President…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s ice cream exports reached $59.5 million in January-August, up from $1.2 million in the same period of 2017, marking an almost 50-fold increase over nine years.    Kazakhstan exported 15,300 tons of ice cream in the first eight months this year. Compared with the same period last year, export volumes rose 28.9%, while…

ASTANA – The United States and five Central Asian countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic, energy, security, and cultural cooperation at the C5+1 Ministerial meeting in Samarkand on Oct. 19. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is forecast to experience a relatively mild winter, with temperatures above the climatic norm in most regions and increased precipitation expected across parts of the country, mainly in February. The winter is expected to bring moderate precipitation overall, although some areas in the north, northwest, northeast and central parts of the country…

ASTANA – A Kazakh digital platform called PARAQTA is helping readers build consistent reading habits through page tracking, personalized goals and interactive features, bringing together more than 8,400 registered users who have collectively read almost 1 million pages over the past year. The platform was created by Yerdaulet Ayanuly, an engineer by profession who wanted…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Cambodia are seeking to turn political dialogue into tangible economic outcomes by expanding agricultural exports, strengthening business ties and exploring transport and technology partnerships, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos said ahead of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to Kazakhstan. “The principal expected outcome of the visit is agreement…

ASTANA — The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Kazakhstan’s partnerships with Azerbaijan and Belgium, proposed AI rules for newsrooms, and plans to expand Middle Corridor logistics infrastructure. President Ilham Aliyev meets with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and officially inaugurates Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable President of…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan is seeking international support for a fund to protect rare species and conserve biodiversity, while proposing Almaty as the host city for a regional office of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a Leaders’ Summit ahead of the UN biodiversity conference COP17 in Yerevan on Oct.…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan called on all parties in the Middle East to exercise maximum restraint and prioritize dialogue and diplomacy, reaffirming its support for a two-state solution and the need to prevent further escalation. Kazakhstan’s position was presented by Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kairat Umarov during the UN Security Council’s quarterly open debate…

ASTANA – Kuwait’s airline Jazeera Airways is interested in resuming direct flights to Kazakhstan once regional conditions stabilize, potentially restoring a route suspended after its launch in 2021. Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Yerzhan Yelekeyev discussed restoring direct air connectivity with Jazeera Airways CEO Barathan Pasupathi, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported on Oct. 13.  The officials…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Belgium reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, focusing on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and cooperation on international topics, according to a joint statement adopted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and King Philippe of the Belgians on Oct. 12. The statement followed talks during the Belgian royal…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on Oct. 12 terminating the powers of maslikhats, local representative bodies at all levels, before the end of their term. The decision followed consultations with Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kurultai Chair Aibek Dadebay, in accordance with Article 88, Paragraph 5 of Kazakhstan’s Constitution, Akorda reported. The…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s balanced foreign policy, advances in artificial intelligence and institutional reforms offer valuable lessons for Brazil, while cooperation in critical minerals, energy and logistics could strengthen ties between the two countries, said Márcio Coimbra, director of Casa Política and president of the Monitor da Democracia Institute, in an interview with The Astana Times.…

ASTANA — Air Astana will launch weekly flights from Almaty and Astana to Salalah, Oman, starting Oct. 23 and 24, respectively, expanding air connectivity between Kazakhstan and the Middle East. The Almaty-Salalah service will begin on Oct. 23, operating once a week on Fridays, while the Astana-Salalah route will launch on Oct. 24, with weekly…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has officially received the International Judo Federation (IJF) flag to host the 2027 World Judo Championships in Kazakh capital on June 7-14. The event will be the country’s second time hosting the sport’s premier global competition and an important step toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The handover ceremony took place in…

ASTANA – The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), widely known as the Middle Corridor, has evolved from a regional transport initiative into a strategic Eurasian trade route. Its long-term success, however, will depend on whether Kazakhstan and its partners can turn infrastructure investment and political momentum into a reliable, commercially viable and integrated logistics network.…

ASTANA – Filming of the international action film “Armour of God IV: Ultimatum,” starring legendary actor Jackie Chan, has concluded in Kazakhstan, showcasing the country’s potential as a destination for major international film productions. The project, Salem Entertainment’s first international production, was filmed in Almaty and the Almaty and Mangystau Regions, with support from Kazakhstan’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s government securities have been placed on J.P. Morgan’s Index Watch – Positive list for potential inclusion in the Government Bond Index – Emerging Markets (GBI-EM), marking further progress in integrating the country’s government securities market into international capital markets. Market accessibility under review The status was assigned as part of J.P. Morgan’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi took part in a regular meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian states and Azerbaijan in Turkmenbashi on Oct. 7. CIS ministers prepare for upcoming summit The CIS foreign ministers…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Oman agreed to establish a $150 million joint investment fund and expand cooperation in oil and gas, transport and financial connectivity, as Kazakhstan seeks to diversify its investment partnerships and strengthen access to markets across the Gulf, Indian Ocean and beyond. The agreements were signed during Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Denmark are entering a more dynamic stage of their partnership, with the upcoming visit of Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen expected to strengthen political dialogue and expand economic cooperation, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Denmark and Sweden Olzhas Suleimenov told The Astana Times. Rasmussen’s visit on Oct. 1-2 will combine high-level political…