Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from international media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights the country’s plans to launch Central Asia’s first air taxi service, developments in energy security, transport connectivity and regional diplomacy. Speaking alongside Putin, Kazakh President calls for freeze of Ukraine war Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has taken a new step in its digital transformation agenda by signing an agreement with the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance (DEC40), an international organization promoting cooperation in smart city development and the digital economy, on July 28, to advance collaboration in smart cities, artificial intelligence and regional innovation.  The partnership between…

ASTANA – A tanker loading Kazakh oil at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal was attacked by drones on July 30, causing a fire on board and suspending loading operations. No casualties or oil spill were reported. According to CPC, the tanker Nissos Sifnos under the flag of the Marshall Islands, carrying crude oil…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan continues to operate one of the world’s most affordable toll road systems, with passenger vehicles paying an average of 207 tenge (US$0,44) per 100 kilometers on Category I highways, the country’s highest-standard roads, using prepaid accounts. According to national road operator KazAvtoZhol’s release from July 28, comparable toll roads in China, France,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is facing increasing climate-related risks as temperatures rise at around twice the global average, putting growing pressure on public health systems and communities. Experts warn that more frequent and intense heatwaves require stronger adaptation measures, including a national Heat-Health Action Plan. According to Kazhydromet, 2025 was the warmest year in Kazakhstan’s recorded…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Housing Company (KHC), a subsidiary of the Baiterek national management holding, has launched the beta version of KHC. Analytics, a platform designed to provide comprehensive data on Kazakhstan’s housing market and the shared-equity construction sector. Centralized housing market data The platform consolidates housing market information into interactive dashboards, offering data that the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is undertaking one of its largest energy infrastructure upgrades to address a key challenge: maintaining affordable electricity while ensuring a reliable supply for a growing economy. Through the National Project on Modernization of the Energy and Utilities Sectors, the country plans to expand generation capacity, upgrade aging networks and digitalize energy management.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to significantly expand repairs of its aging energy and utilities infrastructure under a 13 trillion tenge (US$27.3 billion) national modernization program, with the government aiming to double the pace of network upgrades while increasing the use of domestic manufacturers, officials said at a July 28 government meeting. Launched at the end…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court launched audio and video versions of the new Constitution in both Kazakh and Russian on July 23 to improve access to legal information. A complete video version has also been published on the court’s official social media platforms. The initiative is designed to ensure broader and more equal access to…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s decision to become a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) marks a significant step in the country’s ambition to help shape global artificial intelligence governance while strengthening its position as an emerging regional AI hub. The agreement establishing WAICO was signed on July 16 during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is intensifying efforts to raise public awareness of organ donation and improve its transplant system as 4,739 patients, including 126 children, remain on the national transplant waiting list, with transplantation representing the only chance of survival for many of them. Documentary raises public awareness A documentary film, “4739,” produced by the Khabar…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 53rd out of 150 countries in the May 2026 Special Edition of the Global Investment Risk and Resilience Index (GIRRI), improving from 70th place in the original 2025 ranking, as the updated index reflects the impact of recent geopolitical and economic developments on global investment risk. The updated ranking was released…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has opened accreditation on July 23 for foreign journalists planning to cover the election of deputies to the Kurultai of Kazakhstan, scheduled for Aug. 23. Under Kazakhstan’s legislation, foreign journalists may carry out professional activities in the country only if they hold a valid permanent or temporary accreditation issued by…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has temporarily reduced oil production following the suspension of loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea, the Energy Ministry said on July 23. Loading operations at the CPC marine terminal have been temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of vessels, crews and the environment in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s government has allocated 10.4 billion tenge (US$22.3 million) to begin developing the KazSat-3R communications satellite, which will replace the existing KazSat-3 spacecraft and ensure the uninterrupted operation of the country’s national satellite communications system. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed the corresponding resolution as part of the implementation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directive…

ASTANA – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recognized the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kazakhstan’s system for preparing Olympic delegations as a Best Practice and recommended it to other National Olympic Committees. The IOC highlighted Kazakhstan’s Athlete and Team Official Agreements (ATOA), developed by the NOC to complement the IOC’s standard Conditions of Participation…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has announced on July 22 the composition of election commissions established at the country’s diplomatic missions abroad to organize voting in the elections of deputies to the Kurultai, scheduled for Aug. 23. A total of 82 overseas polling stations have been formed at Kazakh embassies, consulates and permanent missions across…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is accelerating restoration of the North Aral Sea while advancing large-scale water management reforms, including new reservoirs, irrigation modernization, water-saving technologies and industrial water reuse.   North Aral restoration During a working visit to the Kyzylorda Region, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov met with fishermen in the Aral district to…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan is set to expand its air connectivity with China as China Eastern Airlines plans to launch direct flights between Astana and Shanghai this autumn, while FlyArystan will open a new route between Almaty and Chongqing in September. Chair of the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry Saltanat Tompiyeva met with China…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global and regional media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China, the growing role of the Middle Corridor in regional connectivity, and more. Xi meets Kazakh president in Shanghai Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Kazakh…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for fair, inclusive and human-centered global governance of artificial intelligence at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17, urging stronger international cooperation and proposing new initiatives to expand AI development, regulation and digital connectivity. AI governance requires global cooperation Addressing the…

ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed government agencies to finalize an investment agreement with China Tianying Inc. within two weeks to support the construction of solid waste treatment plants in at least three major cities, advancing Kazakhstan’s waste recycling and waste-to-energy infrastructure. During a July 16 meeting with China Tianying Party Committee Secretary…

ASTANA – The 120th anniversary of the birth of composer, educator and public figure Latif Khamidi (1906-1976) is being marked on July 17. One of the leading figures in the formation of Kazakhstan’s professional musical culture, Khamidi devoted more than five decades to the development of the country’s musical life through composition, education, research and…

ASTANA – The Almaty Zoo has welcomed a Przewalski’s horse foal, marking another milestone in its efforts to conserve one of the world’s rarest wild horse species. Born on June 14, the female foal was named Zhelmaya. She is the second offspring of the mare Kurbankul. The foal’s father is Merey, reported the zoo’s press…

ASTANA – Eleven service members of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan have arrived in Lebanon to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where they will carry out peacekeeping duties in southern Lebanon as part of the Indian contingent. The Kazakh peacekeepers have begun carrying out tasks that include monitoring the ceasefire,…