Kazakhstan Ranks 62nd Among 140 Countries in WJP Rule of Law Index
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 62nd out of 140 countries in the Criminal Justice section of the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2022. Compared to 2021, the country has risen six positions and improved its score from 0.45 to 0.47. Kazakhstan has the highest ranking in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) represented in…
Kazakhstan Considers Introducing Ombudsperson Position For Rights of Socially Vulnerable Groups
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is considering introducing an Ombudsperson for the Rights of Socially Vulnerable Categories of the Population position, according to a draft decree published on Jan. 16 on the Open Legal Acts website for public consideration. The ombudsperson for the rights of socially vulnerable categories of the population, an initiative voiced by President Kassym-Jomart…
Young Kazakh Singers Win Prestigious International Competition
ASTANA – Young Kazakh singer Yerzhan Maksim won a Grand Prix at the WAF Contest in Skopje, Macedonia, on Jan. 11, while Altynai Tolegen took the second place, reported the press service of the Kazakh National University of Arts (KazNUA). “The victory of the KazNUA vocal school student, Yerzhan Maksim, a young talent with international…
Kazakhstan’s Citizens Can Visit Up to 76 Countries Visa-Free in 2023
ASTANA – The passport of Kazakhstan allows its citizens to visit 76 countries visa-free, reported Henley & Partners in its Global Passport Ranking for the first quarter of 2023. Kazakhstan ranks 70 out of 109, sharing the place with Suriname. Last year, Kazakhstan ranked 73rd, although the number of visa-free countries did not change. The…
Kazakhstan to Attract Nearly 22,000 Foreign Specialists
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has determined its quota for employing foreign workers, reported the press service of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population on Jan. 10. Local employees are allowed to hire up to 22,200 foreign nationals, which is 0.24 percent of the total workforce in the country. The quota is aimed at…
First Kazakhstan-Vietnam Freight Rail Route Starts Operations
ASTANA – The first-ever freight rail route between Kazakhstan and Vietnam was launched on Dec. 31, reported the Chinese Xinhua News Agency. A train containing electronic parts made in Vietnam departed from Pingxiang Railway Station in southern China. It reached Kazakhstan through the China-Europe Express. This was not the first time Vietnam used the China-Europe…
Torture Cannot Be Justified Even in Times of Chaos, Says Prosecutor General During Parliamentary Hearing on January Events
ASTANA – Several law enforcement officers treated their detainees with cruelty during the riots, which cannot be justified, said Prosecutor General Berik Asylov at a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting. “As instructed by the President, persons who used torture, regardless of rank and position, will suffer a well-deserved punishment,” Asylov stated. Overall, 329 criminal cases involving…
January Events Were Attempted Coup, Says Kazakh Prosecutor General
ASTANA – The operation to remove the country’s leaders was carefully planned, said Prosecutor General Berik Asylov during a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting on the results of an ongoing investigation into the January events. “It was an attempted coup. The investigation of the criminal case against the former heads of the National Security Committee (NSC)…
Kazakhstan Allocates Nearly $67 Million For Restoration Efforts After January Riots
ASTANA – The Kazakh government allocated 31 billion tenge (US$66.7 million) for restoring administrative and commercial facilities destroyed during the January riots, said First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar during a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting. “Overall, 37 objects have been restored. This month, the building of the Zhetysu region akimat (governor’s office) will be restored.…
Kazakh Mazhilis Holds Parliamentary Hearing on Results of Ongoing Investigation Into January Events
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Asylov presented a detailed timeline of the January events, summarized the investigation’s findings and provided evidence at a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting. “The January tragedy became an important lesson for all of us. The investigation established a complete timeline of the events and identified key organizers. All the dead…
Dimash Kudaibergen Wins State Scholarship to Study Directing at New York Film Academy
ASTANA – Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen has become a recipient of the Bolashak (future) scholarship to study directing at the New York Film Academy branch in Los Angeles. The Bolashak program posted a list of scholarship recipients on its website on Dec. 27, featuring the name of the famous performer. This year, 178 people received…
Kazakh Chess Player Dinara Saduakassova Wins Silver at World Championship
ASTANA – Kazakh chess player Dinara Saduakassova became the Women’s Rapid section runner-up at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2022, taking place in Almaty on Dec. 25-30, reported the FIDE press service. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Saduakassova, noting that the country is proud of the achievements of its chess players, which are…
DAZN Names Golovkin’s Fight Among Top Five Bouts of 2022
ASTANA – DAZN international sports streaming service listed Gennady Golovkin’s fight with Japanese boxer Ryota Murata among the top five fights of 2022, releasing a YouTube video with highlights. Golovkin, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) middleweight champion, beat Murata, the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super middleweight champion, in the ninth…
Kazakhstan Ranks 32 in Global Food Security Index, Improves Its Position
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 32nd among 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022 report that was released on Dec. 19 by the Economist Impact, a think tank of The Economist magazine. The country has risen from the 41st position that it occupied last year. Kazakhstan’s overall score is 72.1 for this year,…
Kazakhstan Increases Coal Production Due to High Demand from Europe
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has increased its coal production to cover European demand, says the Coal 2022 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) released on Dec. 16. “Kazakhstan’s coal production will rise to 108 million tons (+4.5 percent) in 2022 due to higher demand from Europe, especially Poland, to replace Russian coal. We expect Kazakh…
UN Names Kazakhstan’s Steppe Conservation Initiative One of the World’s Top 10 Restoration Project Flagships
ASTANA – The United Nations (UN) recognized Kazakhstan’s vast grassland restoration initiative as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagship programs during the 2022 Montreal Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) on Dec. 13, reported the UN Environment Program (UNEP) press service. The Altyn Dala (golden steppe) Conservation Initiative aims to conserve and restore steppe, semi-desert,…
Law Enforcement Did Not Use Lethal Weapons During January Riots, Says Prosecutor General’s Office
ASTANA – Law enforcement officers did not use deadly weapons during the January Riots in Almaty, reported Yeldos Kilymzhanov, the Deputy Head of the Criminal Prosecution Service, during a Dec. 14 press briefing at the Central Communication Service. “At the height of the riots, the police did not use lethal weapons but special equipment against…
EDB Gives Positive Assessment of Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s GDP grew 2.7 percent over the January-November period in 2022, according to the Macroeconomic Review by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) released on Dec.13. “The baseline forecast for Kazakhstan is a 4.2 percent increase in GDP in 2023. Government measures to support the economy and expand oil production capacities will outweigh the…
KTZ, Swiss Stadler Rail Sign Manufacture and Supply Agreements Worth $2.5 Billion
ASTANA – Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) signed three agreements worth 2.3 billion euros (US$2.5 billion) with Swiss Stadler Rail for the supply of 537 sleeping and couchette coaches on Dec. 14, reported International Railway Journal. The deal also includes a contract for 20-year service maintenance. Stadler will manufacture 234 forty-seat passenger sleeping cars, 233 couchette…
Just State – Just Economy – Just Society: Kazakh Government Gears Up to Implement New State Policy Initiatives of President Tokayev
ASTANA – The Kazakh government will focus on implementing the election program of recently reelected President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov at the Government meeting on Dec. 14, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. “The government will focus on building a new state policy based on three interrelated principles of Just State –…
Kazakhstan Leader in Fight For Gender Equality Among Central Asian States, Says Top Expert
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is a leader in gender equality progress among the Central Asian states, United Nations (UN) Women National Consultant Madina Jarbussynova told The Astana Times. She shared the progress Kazakhstan has made to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. “All Central Asian countries face similar problems in the field of gender equality and…
Tokayev Discusses Investment and Cooperation Opportunities with French Companies
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid an official visit to Paris on Nov. 29-30, where he met with heads of several French companies to discuss investment and cooperation opportunities, the Akorda press service reported. The President committed to deepening relations with France to advance common economic and political interests. “The GDP grew 2.5 percent…
Kazakh Central Election Commission Approves Calendar Plan for Senate Election in January
ASTANA – The Central Election Commission (CEC) approved the calendar plan for the Senate elections scheduled for Jan. 14 during its Nov. 28 meeting. The candidates’ registration begins on Nov. 29 and ends on Dec. 24. Following registration, the election campaign will run until midnight on Jan. 12. The following day, Jan. 13, is a…
Astana Joins Global Smart Centres Ranking
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital, for the first time, entered the list of the most investment-attractive cities, taking 64th place, ahead of Rome, Warsaw, and Moscow, according to a Nov. 22 sixth edition of the Smart Centres Index (SCI 6) published by London-based commercial think-tank Z/Yen. “The SCI 6 rates the innovation and technology offerings…
Astana Process Participants Reaffirm Commitment to Syria’s Territorial Integrity, Pledge to Combat Terrorism
ASTANA – The representatives of Iran, Russia, and Türkiye, as guarantors of the Astana Format, reaffirmed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity during the 19th international meeting on Syria in Astana on Nov. 22-23. The participants highlighted the role of the Astana Process in resolving issues within the Syrian crisis and…
