Kazakhstan’s Population Projected to Reach 26.3 Million by 2050
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s population is expected to reach 26.3 million by the end of 2050, according to the latest forecasts of the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF). As of Jan. 1, the country’s population stood at over 20.3 million. Of this, 8.7 million people (42.8%) were under the age of 25, 9.7 million (48.0%) were…
World Election Bodies Association Sees Kazakhstan As Gateway to Turkic World
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) is a gateway to the Turkic world, Secretary General of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) In-sik Jang said during his first official visit to Kazakhstan on May 12-16, reported the CEC’s press service. At a meeting with CEC Chairman Nurlan Abdirov, Jang expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan’s…
UN Praises Kazakhstan’s Humanitarian Efforts in Jusan Operation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s experience in reintegrating citizens from conflict zones was highly appreciated during the 34th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Kazinform reported on May 22. Representatives from the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Austrian Foreign Ministry commended Kazakhstan’s…
Kazakhstan Names Top 10 Investor Countries Over Past Decade
ASTANA – The top 10 countries that have invested the most in Kazakhstan from 2015 to 2024 include the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, Russia, China, Belgium, France, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Türkiye, according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The largest and most stable growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) during this period…
Kazakhstan Implements $19.5 Billion Projects in Metallurgical and Petrochemical Sectors
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is advancing five major initiatives with a total investment of approximately $19.5 billion in the metallurgical and petrochemical sectors, expected to create over 8,000 permanent jobs, as was reported during a May 21 government meeting. According to the Prime Minister’s press service, the government also reviewed five projects in the chemical and…
Kazakh-American Expedition Returns to Akmola to Uncover Origins of Horse Domestication
ASTANA – A Kazakh-American archaeological expedition launched new excavations at the Krasny Yar settlement in Akmola Region on May 20 to uncover fresh evidence about the domestication of horses and cattle, a key moment in the development of human civilization, Kazinform reported. The project is led by Sergei Zakharov, the senior researcher at Margulan Institute…
New York Film Academy Branch in Kazakhstan Hosts First Open Day
ASTANA – The newly launched Kazakhstan branch of the New York Film Academy (NYFA) hosted its first open day on May 17 in Kaskelen near Almaty, bringing together applicants, NYFA alumni, and local film industry professionals, reported the NYFA Kazakhstan’s press service. Previously, Kazakh students seeking an American film education had to travel to the…
Astana International Financial Centre Hosts Islamic Finance Forum
ASTANA – The Islamic Finance and Business Forum, held on May 19 at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), gathered over 200 participants from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), reported the AIFC’s press service. The event marked a key step in advancing Islamic finance in the region, building cross-border partnerships,…
President Tokayev Praises Kazakhstan’s Culture and Art Workers
ASTANA – On the eve of Culture and Arts Workers’ Day, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised the contributions of Kazakhstan’s cultural figures on May 20, highlighting their role in enriching the nation’s spiritual life and preserving its identity, reported Akorda. Tokayev emphasized that Kazakh art, including music, cinema, and international events such as the World Nomad…
Central Asia Launches Scops Owl Counting Campaign
ASTANA – Residents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are invited to join a regional campaign to count scops owls — small nocturnal birds best identified by their distinctive calls — from May 15 through the end of the month, Tabigat Media reported. To participate, residents don’t need to go to the forest:…
Kazakh, Kyrgyz Aitys Artists Perform at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for First Time
ASTANA – For the first time in history, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris hosted an international Aitys – the traditional poetic duel of improvisation – featuring Kazakh and Kyrgyz akyns (poets) on May 17, marking the 10th anniversary of Aitysh/Aitys: Art of Improvisation being inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.…
What Turkic Leaders Are to Discuss at Informal Summit in Hungary
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will attend the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on May 20 in Budapest, where OTS leaders are expected to discuss deeper cooperation in trade, security, infrastructure, and cultural preservation, reported Kazinform. This will be the first summit in the OTS’ history…
Korkyt Ata Special Economic Zone Opens in Kyzylorda Region
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed a decree on May 19 to establish the Korkyt Ata Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Kyzylorda Region, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Covering 550 hectares, the facility will serve as a customs control zone with the status of a port SEZ. It will be located…
IAEA Assists Kazakhstan in Selecting Safe Site for First Nuclear Power Plant
ASTANA – A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Kazakhstan on May 19 for a five-day seminar focused on safety considerations for selecting a site for the country’s first nuclear power plant, Kazinform reported. According to Deputy General Director of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants (KNPP) Rinat Okassov, the IAEA was invited…
Supercomputer With NVIDIA Chips Arrives in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has received Central Asia’s first supercomputer cluster with a capacity of approximately two exaflops, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry announced on May 19. With this delivery, Kazakhstan for the first time established a mechanism to import high-tech equipment free of duties and value-added tax (VAT). The supercomputer is…
UNESCO Presents Kazakhstan with Certificate for Betashar Ceremony Inclusion in Heritage List
ASTANA – Director of the UNESCO Almaty Regional Office Amir Piric presented Chairman of the National Commission and State Counselor Erlan Karin with the original certificate confirming the inclusion of the Betashar wedding ritual ceremony in the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on May 16, reported Akorda. During the meeting…
President Tokayev to Visit Hungary for Informal OTS Summit
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will visit Hungary on May 20-21 to participate in the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), reported Akorda. This marks the first time in the OTS’s history that an unofficial summit will be held in an observer country. The event, hosted at…
Kazakhstan Records Lowest Birth Rate in Decade
ASTANA – Kazakhstan registered 77,300 live births from January to March, a nearly 16% drop compared to the same period last year and the lowest figure since at least the first quarter of 2014, Data Hub reported on May 14, citing the Bureau of National Statistics. The peaks in live births are usually recorded at…
Full-Fledged Free Trade Agreement Between EAEU and Iran Enters into Force
ASTANA – A full-fledged Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran officially came into force on May 15, reported the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). It replaces the interim agreement that had been in effect since 2019 and featured restricted commodity coverage. Now the FTA will create…
Air Astana Launches Direct Flights from Astana to Da Nang
ASTANA – Air Astana operated its first flight from Astana to Da Nang on May 14, expanding its route network across Vietnam, reported the airline’s press service. The new route will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays. Da Nang is a picturesque coastal city in central Vietnam, famous for its white-sand beaches, tourist…
Kazakhstan Reveals Top Five Hidden Gems Off Mass Tourist Routes
ASTANA – On May 15, the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports unveiled a list of five little-known but unique destinations to showcase Kazakhstan’s lesser-explored natural and cultural treasures. Tarbagatai Mountains Located in the East Kazakhstan and Abai Regions, the secluded and picturesque Tarbagatai Mountains are rich with petroglyphs, pastures, and wildlife. The area is…
U.S. and Caspian Region Deepen Green Energy Cooperation
ASTANA – The United States (U.S.) – Eurasia Energy and Environment Forum took place on May 14 in San Francisco, bringing together officials from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, reported Kazakhstan’s Consulate General in San Francisco. Kazakh Deputy Minister of Energy Sungat Yessimkhanov outlined Kazakhstan’s clean energy strategy, emphasizing the country’s ambition to become a regional…
U.S. Treasury Lifts Restrictions on Oil Services for CPC and Tengizchevroil Projects
ASTANA – The United States (U.S.) Department of the Treasury issued a general license on May 15, authorizing the provision of oilfield services for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and Tengizchevroil projects, lifting restrictions previously imposed under the Jan. 10 determination on petroleum services. According to the document, all transactions related to these two major…
Kazakhstan Unveils Plan for 100 Energy-Independent Eco-Villages with Major Chinese Investment
ASTANA – Kazakhstan presented the concept of an eco-village project aimed at building 100 autonomous eco-settlements according to BREED and LEED standards at a B2B investment forum on May 13 in Shenzhen, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. At the event, the International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Center and the China-Eurasian…
Kazakhstan, China Eye Investments in Grain, Livestock, Infrastructure
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and China plan to launch a grain processing investment project focused on starch sugar production, as was reported during a May 13 meeting between Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and CITIC Construction Chairman Yang Jianqiang, reported the ministry’s press service. The project, valued at $1.1 billion, will have a processing capacity of 700,000…
