President Tokayev’s First Visit to Serbia Opens New Chapter in Bilateral Ties
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the significance of his first official visit to Serbia as the head of state, describing it as the beginning of a new and important chapter in Kazakh-Serbian relations during narrow-format talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Nov. 19, Akorda reported. Tokayev acknowledged the trust-based partnership between the two…
Kazakhstan to Launch First Forest Climate Project
ASTANA – SEFE Marketing & Trading international energy company signed an Emission Removal Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with Kazakhstan’s SAFC – agency to remove and reduce greenhouse gas emissions – on Nov. 18 to finance a forest planting initiative and issue carbon units over 30 years, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The project will establish…
Kazakhstan Enters Top Ten Countries Worldwide for Internet Accessibility
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has entered the top ten countries with the lowest cost for one gigabyte (GB) of mobile data, according to the 2024 MoneySuperMarket Internet Accessibility Index published on Sept. 6. The average price of the internet in Kazakhstan is only $0.59 per 1 GB. In general, Central Asian countries demonstrate high internet availability.…
President Highlights Priorities for Kazakhstan’s Agriculture Development
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key priorities to advance Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial complex at the first Forum of Agricultural Workers on Nov. 15, reported Akorda. Despite the challenging year, Kazakhstan harvested 26.7 million tons of grain, a record figure in the past ten years. The country ranks sixth globally in terms of arable land and…
Mitsubishi Corporation to Expand Presence in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Mitsubishi Corporation expressed interest in expanding its presence in Kazakhstan and launching new initiatives to support the region’s sustainable development, CEO of Mitsubishi Corporation in Kazakhstan Tetsuya Sugita said at a Nov. 13 meeting with Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov and Kazakh Invest Deputy Chairman Madiyar Sultanbek. Mitsubishi Corporation representatives outlined their…
Kazakhstan to Launch Digital Investment Coin Next Year
ASTANA – In celebration of the national currency day – tenge, on Nov. 15, the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) announced plans to launch a Digital Investment Coin in the first quarter of 2025. According to the NBK’s press service, gold investment coins will be available for online purchase and sale at any time globally…
Kazakh Movie Wins Special Jury Prize at France’s Cinema Heritage Festival
ASTANA – The Kazakh film “Bauryna Salu” (Adoption) by Askhat Kuchincherekov received the Special Jury Prize at the Cinema Heritage annual international film festival, held on Nov. 4-8 in Paris, reported the Culture and Information Ministry’s press service. The festival organizers noted that the movie promotes a deep understanding and value of Kazakh culture, playing…
Kazakhstan Opens New Terminal at Kyzylorda Airport
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov took part in opening a new terminal at Korkyt Ata Airport in Kyzylorda on Nov. 12, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The terminal’s launch is expected to increase the airport’s capacity sevenfold from 300,000 to two million passengers annually. The 7,500-square-meter facility has advanced technologies such as…
Kazakhstan Secures $3.7 Billion in Green Energy Deals at COP29
ASTANA – Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev signed several documents worth nearly $3.7 billion on cooperation with international companies and development institutions in green energy development on Nov. 13 on the sidelines of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, held as part of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on…
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan Sign Agreement on Energy System Integration
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a strategic partnership agreement on production and transfer of green energy on Nov. 13 on the sidelines of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, held as part of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework…
Kazakhstan’s Water Sector Receives Record $1.15 Billion from IsDB
ASTANA – The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) will invest $1.15 billion in Kazakhstan, marking the largest project in the bank’s 51-year history, as was reported during a Nov. 12 meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and IsDB President Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, according to Akorda. The corresponding agreement was signed at the 29th Conference of the…
President Tokayev Meets with Foreign Leaders, Deepens Strategic Partnerships at COP29 Summit
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with leaders of several countries on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on Nov. 12 in Baku, Azerbaijan, reported Akorda. With President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Tokayev highlighted Finland’s role as a reliable and proven partner of Kazakhstan…
Kazakhstan’s Population Rises by 1.4 Million Over Five Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s population grew by over 1.4 million people from 2019 to 2023, reaching 20,033,842 by the end of 2023, Economy.kz reported in an analytical article on Nov. 7. This significant increase resulted from complex demographic processes influenced by internal factors and external challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The population saw increases in both…
Kazakhstan Increases Agricultural Exports, Plans to Boost Machinery Production
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ramping up agricultural exports while meeting domestic needs, increasing preferential financing in the agro-industrial sector, reforming the subsidy system, and enhancing the production and leasing of agricultural machinery, the Prime Minister’s press service reported on Nov. 11. Rising crop exports According to the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company, Kazakhstan…
CAREC Program Invests Over $9 Billion in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program has invested more than $9 billion in Kazakhstan projects out of nearly $51 billion across Central Asia in over 20 years, said Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at the 23rd CAREC Ministerial Conference on Nov. 8. In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s press service,…
News Digest: Foreign Media on President Tokayev’s Visit to France, Green Corridor Project, and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to France, the development of Kazakh-French relations, the goal of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan to implement the Green Corridor project, and insights on how corporations can benefit from partnering with startups…
Kazakhstan Observes US Presidential Elections for First Time
ASTANA – For the first time, a Kazakh delegation, led by Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Nurlan Abdirov, participated in observing the presidential elections in the United States (U.S.) on Nov. 5 at the invitation of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), reported Kazinform. The delegation visited polling stations in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, including…
Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative Wins Prince William’s Earthshot Prize 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative earned the 2024 Earthshot Prize in the Protect and Restore Nature category, as was announced at a star-studded award ceremony on Nov. 6 in Cape Town, South Africa. According to the Earthshot Prize’s press office, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative achieved unprecedented success in protecting the critically endangered…
Record-Breaking 35 Kazakh Universities Enter QS Asia University Rankings 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan set a new record in higher education with 35 universities featured in the QS Asia University Rankings 2025, a ranking of Asia’s best universities, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education reported on Nov. 6. Three of the country’s leading universities are now in Asia’s top 100, with the Al-Farabi Kazakh National…
Kazakhstan Reaffirms Commitment to ICAO’s Goal of Net-Zero Emissions by 2050
ASTANA – Kazakhstan affirms commitment to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) goal of achieving net-zero emissions from international flights by 2050, Kazakh Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev said at the Green Airports seminar, held on Nov. 6 during the ICAO Week in Almaty, reported the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee’s press service. He noted…
Kazakhstan, France Adopt Joint Declaration to Strengthen Strategic Ties
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and French President Emmanuel Macron adopted a joint declaration to strengthen their strategic partnership at a joint media briefing on Nov. 5 in Paris, reported Akorda. Tokayev highlighted the progress in trade and economic development, noting that the $4.2 billion trade volume reached last year was achieved in just the…
France, Kazakhstan Forge Stronger Ties as Presidents Meet in Paris
ASTANA – French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Paris on Nov. 5, marking a pivotal step in the evolving strategic partnership between France and Kazakhstan, reported Akorda. During an expanded-format meeting, Tokayev expressed confidence that the discussions and the Joint Statement being adopted would elevate bilateral relations to a strengthened strategic…
Paris Unveils Exhibition of Great Steppe Artifacts
ASTANA – The Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in Paris opened the “Kazakhstan: Treasures of the Great Steppe” exhibition on Nov. 5, showcasing artifacts covering nearly four millennia of the cultural phenomenon of the Great Steppe in world history, reported the Kazakh Culture and Information Ministry’s press service. The exhibition features 35 rare artifacts…
Kazakhstan Expands Trade Ties at China International Import Expo
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov took part in the opening of the seventh China International Import Expo on Nov. 5 in Shanghai to expand trade and economic ties with foreign partners and introduce Kazakh products to global markets, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Bektenov emphasized the need for stronger international partnerships in…
Kazakhstan, France Strengthen Ties with 24 New Agreements at Business Council Meeting
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and France signed 12 interdepartmental agreements and 12 commercial contracts valued at $2.2 billion at the 13th meeting of the Kazakh-French Business Council on Nov. 4 in Paris, reported the Kazakh Invest National Company’s press service. Gabidulla Ospankulov, the chairman of the Investment Committee of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, noted that the…
