Incumbent President Nazarbayev Accepts Party Nomination, Presents Policy Priorities
ASTANA – Incumbent Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on March 11 accepted the Nur Otan party’s nomination to be the party’s candidate in the April 26 early presidential election and laid out his policy priorities for another term. “Thank you all for your appreciation of my work for the benefit of Kazakhstan and its people. There…
Kazakhstan Committed to Free and Fair Presidential Election, Says FM Idrissov
ASTANA – Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov briefed the heads of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in the country on Feb. 27 on the upcoming presidential election stressing the country’s commitment to conducting a free and fair election. “We are talking about the growing pressure from economic challenges such as the decline in oil prices,…
Almaty Begins 2015 as Capital of Islamic Culture
Almaty’s year as the capital of Islamic culture began on Feb. 24 with an international conference, the Almaty mayor’s office said on its official website. Opening the conference, Akim (Mayor) Akhmetzhan Yessimov stressed the significance of the event and read out a congratulatory telegramme on behalf of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. “It is symbolic that Almaty…
Kazakh, Hungarian Cooperation Increases during Hungarian FM’s First Visit
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártófollowed their Feb. 19 meeting by signing a working plan between the foreign ministries for 2015-16. “Kazakhstan is our strategic partner in Central Asia. Hungary continues to aim to develop cooperation with Kazakhstan,” said the Hungarian minister during his…
Nazarbayev Calls for Peace in Ukraine, Stronger UN and New Pan-Eurasian Security Treaty
ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev urged separating Islam from terrorism, restoring peace in Ukraine, strengthening the United Nations and adopting a new pan-Eurasian treaty akin to the famous 1975 Helsinki Act which led to the establishment of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Kazakh leader delivered this and other messages in…
Early Election Won’t Affect Kazakhstan’s Image Abroad, FM Says
ASTANA – An early presidential election, if it is to take place, will not affect the international image of Kazakhstan, the country’s foreign minister said. Talking to reporters in the Mazhilis (the lower chamber of Parliament) of Kazakhstan on Feb. 16, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov threw his personal support behind the idea first broached on…
FM Idrissov Evaluates Kazakh Foreign Policy During Time of ‘Radical Change’
ASTANA – Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov presented a report regarding implementing Kazakhstan’s Concept of Foreign Policy for 2014-2020 during the Feb.16 Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) government hour. During the session that actually lasted slightly more than two hours, Idrissov emphasised that recent world events indicated “a radical change in the geopolitical environment and the…
Leaders of Eurasian Economic Union Countries Discuss Increasing Cooperation, Adding Kyrgyzstan in Moscow
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov attended the first meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) intergovernmental council, held Feb. 6 in Moscow. The prime ministers of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, Belarus Andrei Kobyakov, Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan and Kyrgyzstan Djoomart Otorbayev also attended the meeting. During the meeting, the parties discussed a wide range of…
Astana Hosts Marathon Dedicated to 550th Anniversary of Kazakh Khanate
ASTANA – A flash-mob marathon celebrating the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate was organised Jan. 31 by the Astana Akimat (city administration) and the Kazakhstan Amateur Triathlon Federation, reported the Astana Akimat press service. “The capital was the first city to host an event dedicated to this date. During the year, we will carry…
Steppe Eagle – 2015 Multinational Peacekeeping Exercises to be Held in April and June
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Defence announced Jan. 31 that the multinational military peacekeeping exercises Steppe Eagle – 2015 will be held in April and June and are expected to include the participation of troops from the United States. The April exercises will involve the Kazbat peacekeeping battalion operating within a multinational force under…
Air Astana Introduces Economy Sleeper Class
ASTANA – Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flagship carrier, announced the launch of a new economy sleeper class beginning Feb. 3 on selected international flights, including between Astana and London Heathrow, Frankfurt and Paris. “In the framework of the ongoing process of updating services, Air Astana is glad to present a new economy sleeping class, which provides…
Senate Defines Kazakhstan’s Youth Policy, Seeks Youth Participation in Country’s Political Life
ASTANA – The Jan. 22 Senate plenary session established a new basis for youth policy in Kazakhstan, approving a draft law “On State Youth Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan” and introducing amendments to the existing legislation. “The draft law defines the main objectives and directions of the state youth policy, competence of central government…
Almaty to Host Feb. 23-24 Kazakhstan Oil and Gas Summit
Almaty will be hosting the 2015 Kazakhstan Oil and Gas Summit on Feb.23-24 dedicated to developments and opportunities arising across all aspects of the country’s oil and gas sector. The two-day event, consisting of a conference and workshops on current and future oil and gas projects across the state, will gather key stakeholders in the…
Kazakhstan, Venezuela Deepen Ties during Venezuelan FM’s First Visit to Astana
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and his Venezuelan counterpart Delcy Rodriguez signed a memorandum on political consultations Jan. 16 during the latter’s first visit to Kazakhstan. “We are new partners so we have made plans to deepen our relations and signed a memorandum on political consultations between the two countries. Kazakhstan and Venezuela…
Kazakh Government Seeks to Preserve Economic Growth, Ease Burden of Hardships on Citizens
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev assessed the state of the national economy and financial sector during a Jan. 15 meeting at the Akorda on the nation’s social and economic development. The meeting focused on measures to ease the burden of the expected economic woes on citizens, given the regional economic uncertainty and the expected…
Kazakh-Spanish Film Wins Diamond Award at California Film Awards
ASTANA – The Kazakh-Spanish film “Los Olvidados de Karagandá” won an accolade in the Documentary Film Competition, receiving a diamond award of the California Film Awards 2014. The 50-minute documentary “Los Olvidados de Karagandá” or “The Forgotten of Karaganda”, directed by Yolanda Mendiola, tells the story of 152 Spaniards held during the later years of…
Eastern Kazakhstan Resort Offers Opportunities for Relaxing Winter Holidays
This season Kazakhstan enjoys surprisingly warm weather, perfect for engaging in winter sport activities, such as visiting a snow ski resort “Altaic Alps” in the eastern Kazakhstan. “Altaic Alps” is situated 24 kilometres away from the regional capital of Ust-Kamenogorsk, on the slopes of the Ulbinka Mountain, 660 metres above the sea level. It attracts…
Astana Opera to Tour Italy
ASTANA – Performances of “Spartacus” will highlight the first appearance by the Astana Opera ballet troupe at the Teatro Carlo Felice, the ancient theatre and principal opera house in Genoa, Italy. The tour, which will also include the “Gala Ballet,” will be held Jan. 21, 23, 24, 25 and 27. “Getting an invitation from such…
Kazakhstan’s Government, National Bank Project 4-5% Economic Growth in 2015
ASTANA – The Government and the National Bank of Kazakhstan will seek to achieve real economic growth in the country of 4-5 percent next year, the two organisations said in a joint communiqué on major directions of economic policy for 2015 published on Dec. 24. The document reviews economic situation in Kazakhstan in 2014, underlining…
New Enterprises Are the Answer to Economic Crises, President Says
ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev, summing up the results of the first five years of the industrialisation programme on Dec. 25, confirmed that new industries, import substitution and manufacturing of products that have not been produced locally before would assist the national economy in dealing with economic crises. “Expended costs have already returned to the…
IMF Welcomes Kazakhstan’s Efforts to Advance Country’s Economy
ASTANA – An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission in Kazakhstan recently commended the state’s actions to advance the economy’s potential through additional fiscal stimulus from the National Fund and multilateral development banks, modernising physical infrastructure, promoting private sector development and reviving the financial sector. TheIMF mission, led by Hossein Samiei,a division chief at the organisation’s…
SCO Prime Ministers Discuss Increasing Economic Cooperation at Council in Astana
ASTANA – The heads of the governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) states met in Astana’s Palace of Independence on Dec.15 to examine ways to deepen trade, economic and humanitarian relations within the organisation. This is the third time the SCO heads of governments have met in Kazakhstan. “The organisation is gaining political clout…
Major Almaty-Area Road Project Presented to Investors in London
The Big Almaty Ring Road (BAKAD) project concept was presented Dec. 9 to British investors at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London. BAKAD seeks to clear Almaty’s city roads from transportation traffic, particularly addressing transit commercial vehicles, and establish near-road infrastructure. According to government information, the project envisages…
President Visits South Kazakhstan, Reviews Region’s Economic and Energy Development
President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited on Dec. 4 South Kazakhstan and its capital Shymkent, which is Kazakhstan’s third most populous city and is expected to become a national economic and cultural centre. “Along with the capital we need to develop other cities of the country. It is big cities where we can develop science, technology and…
ALSTOM doubles its stake in Kazakh locomotive joint venture EKZ
ASTANA – Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) and ALSTOM signed an agreement Dec. 5 for the latter to purchase an additional 25 percent stake in EKZ, its Kazakh locomotive joint venture. ALSTOM produces power generating and power distribution equipment, rail equipment, streetcars and ship equipment and the move will expand its scope to include maintenance activities through…
