Almaty to Host World Forum of Central Securities Depositories in 2025
ASTANA – Almaty is set to host the World Forum of Central Securities Depositories (WFC) in 2025 for the first time, reported the Kazakhstan Central Securities Depository (KCSD). This decision was announced at the final day of WFC, which took place on May 24-26 in Prague. Kazakhstan will become the first country in Central Asia…
USAID Expedition to Aral Sea Focuses on Ecosystem Restoration and Donor Coordination
ASTANA – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized an expedition to the dried bottom of the Aral Sea and a donor coordination conference on May 21-26 to draw attention to the Aral Sea disaster and foster dialogue and knowledge sharing among organizations working in the region, reported USAID on May 22. As…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan-China Relations, Shymkent Oil Refinery, Singapore President Halimah Yacob’s Visit to Kazakhstan, and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Kazakh-Chinese partnership and joint projects, Kazakhstan-European Union strategic cooperation, Singapore President Halimah Yacob’s visit to Kazakhstan, and an interview with the Chairwoman of the Kazakh National Center of Public…
Kazakh National Bank Keeps Base Rate at 16.75 Percent
ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan has decided on May 26 to keep the base rate at 16.75 % for the fourth time since December last year, according to the bank’s press service. The decision is based on the bank’s updated forecasts, data analysis, and the inflation risks balance assessment. Pro-inflationary pressures remain in…
Astana to Host Climate Congress in June
ASTANA – ECOJER, Kazakhstan’s Association of Regional Environmental Initiatives, is organizing a third international climate congress dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality. The event will be held in the Kazakh capital on June 2, announced ECOJER. The congress will focus on Kazakhstan’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce the impact of climate change on the…
Kazakhstan and UK Agree to Increase Flight Frequency
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana is set to increase the number of flights between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom from five to seven per week by year-end, reported the Civil Aviation Committee on May 26. Talgat Lastayev, Chair of the Civil Aviation Committee, held talks in London on May 24-25 with Jeff Bevan,…
Four Kazakh Films Reach Final of Eurasian Creative Guild Film Festival
ASTANA – Four Kazakh movies have reached the final of the Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG) Film Festival, reported the festival’s press service. The “Barn” picture by Ramazan Khaliolla is nominated in the Best Short Film category. The “Awakening of a Sleeping Beauty” by Akbobek Tolzhanova and “Segiz” (Eight) by Almas Maksut have been nominated for…
Astana International Forum Announces Lead Speakers
ASTANA – The Astana International Forum, a major international conference aiming to tackle global challenges in foreign policy and international security, climate, food scarcity, and energy security, unveiled keynote speakers among distinguished and influential guests, including heads of state and international leaders. The June 8-9 forum, hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will cover relevant…
Astana to Host Kazakh-German Symposium on Hydrogen Diplomacy in June
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital will host the first Kazakh-German Symposium on Hydrogen Diplomacy on June 7 to identify regional efforts and opportunities for cooperation, according to the Hydrogen Diplomacy Office. The event aims to boost cooperation in green hydrogen in Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region, considering opportunities and risks, geopolitical aspects, international cooperation,…
Kazakhstan, EU Discuss Steps to Deepen Cooperation in Key Areas
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the European Union addressed steps to deepen cooperation during the 20th Cooperation Committee meeting in Astana on May 23, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. Kazakh Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko and Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia, European External Action Service, Luc Devigne chaired the…
Kazakhstan Seeks to Boost Local Film Industry by 2030
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to increase the share of local films in domestic distribution to 35% and films in the Kazakh language to 30% by 2030, Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov wrote in his Telegram channel on May 23. According to Oralov, creating a unified automated system for film monitoring to provide real-time information…
National Fund to Empower Young People with Housing and Education Access, Says Kazakh State Counselor
ASTANA – The deputies of the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Parliament, have begun to discuss a draft law on payments for children from the National Fund on May 24. According to State Counselor Erlan Karin, this fund will allow young people, who have reached the age of majority (18 years), to improve their…
Kazakhstan Aims to Expand Presence on UNESCO World Heritage List by 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to increase the number of included objects in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list from 10 to 16 by 2025, the Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov wrote in his Telegram channel on May 23. Oralov said they work with the Kyrgyz Republic,…
Kazakh Capital to Host Astana Finance Days Conference on June 7
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital will host the Astana Finance Days (AFD) 2023 on June 7, reported the Astana International Financial Centre’s (AIFC) press service on May 4. The event is supposed to gather at least 3,000 participants and 200 speakers from more than 70 countries. AFD is an annual international financial conference that since…
Karagandy Region – Kazakhstan’s Top Exporter of Copper and Rolled Metals
ASTANA – The Karagandy Region is the country’s leading exporter of raw materials, the Economic Research Institute reported on May 16. Foreign trade turnover of the region totaled $ 9.1 billion in 2022, with exports reaching $ 6.5 billion and imports $ 2.7 billion. The region ranks fourth in Kazakhstan in sales abroad, exporting 16%…
New Tourist Season to Kick Off at Alakol Lake on June 15
ASTANA – The tourist season at Alakol Lake, a popular tourist destination in east Kazakhstan, will begin on June 15, announced the Abai Region’s first deputy akim (governor) Aidyn Karimov on May 16. Infrastructure development According to Karimov, the Abai Region akimat (city administration) is prioritizing the region’s infrastructure, ecology, and safety. It has started implementing…
Kymyz Fest Festival Publicizes Kazakh National Drink in Türkiye
ASTANA – The first Kymyz (horse milk) Fest festival dedicated to the Kazakh national drink took place in Ankara on May 21, announced the Kazakh embassy in Ankara on its Instagram page. The organizers discussed the health benefits of kymyz, shared the secrets of grazing horses on zhailau (pasture), showed the process of making the…
Kazakhstan’s Unemployment Rate at 1.4% in 2022
ASTANA – Approximately 132,200 people, 1.4% of the workforce, were registered as unemployed by the end of 2022, informed Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms Aset Irgaliyev in his response to a parliamentary inquiry on May 12. According to Irgaliyev, the labor market indicators are based on the norms of the International…
Kazakhstan Resumes Flights Between Astana and Tashkent
ASTANA – Fly Arystan, the Kazakh low-cost airline, plans to launch flights on the Astana-Tashkent route from July 3, the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee announced on May 20. Regular flights will be operated by the Airbus-320 aircraft twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays. Fly Arystan also resumed flights from Astana to Ankara on May…
Fly Arystan Resumes Flights to Ankara
ASTANA – Fly Arystan, the Kazakh low-cost airline, plans to launch flights on the Astana-Ankara route from May 23, the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee reported on its Telegram channel on May 19. Regular flights will be operated by the Airbus-320 aircraft twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. According to the committee, this measure will…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan-EU Relations, Upcoming Astana International Forum, Tokayev’s Visit to China and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media across the world this week. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Kazakhstan-European Union partnership, Kazakh-Chinese cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Astana International Forum, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China, and an interview with…
Kazakh Capital to Host International Volunteer Forum in June
ASTANA – The government presented a plan for the upcoming International Volunteer Forum on June 20-21 in Astana during a May 18 meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The forum’s agenda will cover international volunteer organizations’ activities, the role of corporate responsibility in supporting civil initiatives, environmental volunteering, education, healthcare and emergencies. The symbol…
Tang Lotus Garden Hosts Official Greeting Ceremony for China’s and Central Asian Presidents
ASTANA – An official ceremony greeting the heads of state participating in the China-Central Asia summit took place in Xian’s Tang Lotus Garden, China, on May 18, reported the Akorda press service. A theatrical show was staged on the square in front of the Lotus Palace for Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, China’s President Xi Jinping,…
Kazakhstan to Launch National Digital Investment Platform
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will launch the National Digital Investment Platform to attract investors and monitor the implementation of investment projects, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry’s Investment Committee, the Eurasian Development Bank, and National Information Technologies company signed a memorandum of cooperation launching this platform on May 16 at the annual 46th…
Kazakh Congress to Unite Ethnic Kazakhs Worldwide
ASTANA – Several countries with a significant Kazakh diaspora will host qurultai (сongress) this year, said the President of Otandastar (compatriots) Foundation Abzal Saparbekuly during the foundation’s public commission meeting on May 17. According to Saparbekuly, Cologne will host a traditional qurultai on May 26-28, while members of the Kazakh communities in Russia will meet…
