Foreign Tourists Spend Over $2.6 Billion in Kazakhstan in 2024
ASTANA – Foreign tourists spent more than $2.6 billion in Kazakhstan in 2024, according to the Tourism Industry Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The highest spending came from visitors from China ($307 million), Germany ($56 million), Türkiye ($53 million), and the United States ($47 million). The National Bank reports that average spending…
Kazakhstan Enhances Cooperation with Türkiye in Agro-Industrial and Food Industries
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with the leadership of two Turkish companies to discuss investment projects aimed at the development of Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial and food industries on April 17 in Istanbul, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service. With Orzax CEO Yunus Emre Alimoğlu, Nurtleu focused on the company’s…
Kazakhstan’s Primary Health Care Model in Spotlight at WHO-Led Workshop
ASTANA – National health leaders, local decision-makers and primary health care (PHC) experts gathered in Astana on April 16 for a workshop organized by the World Health Organization to explore best practices in PHC in Kazakhstan. The event, organized with the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry and Kazakhstan’s PHC Center, showcased Kazakhstan’s pioneering role in this field…
Kazatomprom Secures Czech Uranium Deal, Eyes Europe Growth
ASTANA – Kazatomprom national atomic company has signed a landmark agreement with ČEZ, a. s., marking an expanded presence in Europe and strengthened position in the global uranium market. In the next seven years, the supply of Kazakh natural uranium concentrates can cover approximately one-third of the uranium needs for Westinghouse-manufactured fuel assemblies at the…
Kazakhstan Relaunches Healthcare Program to Support Students from Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Agency for International Development (KazAID) has relaunched its Avicenna: Healthcare program to support students from medical institutions of the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, KazAID announced on April 14. Ten students from the two countries participate in an academic mobility program at Astana Medical University (AMU) from April 10 to May 2. Organized…
ADB Projects Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth to Remain Steady in 2025
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow at 4.9% in 2025, followed by a slight moderation to 4.1% in 2026, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025, ADB’s flagship economic publication, projects an increase in Kazakhstan’s economic growth in 2025 due to…
Jennifer Lopez to Perform in Kazakhstan This August
ASTANA – Global superstar Jennifer Lopez will perform on Aug. 1 at the Astana Arena as part of her Up All Night tour, as was announced on her Instagram page. The tour kicks off on July 1 and runs through Aug. 3, covering 17 cities worldwide, including Antalya, Istanbul, Madrid, Barcelona, Budapest, Warsaw, Bucharest, Abu…
Kazakhstan’s Fashion Supply Chain Gets Boost with New Railway Logistics Model
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s fashion retail sector is set to benefit from a faster, more efficient supply chain as Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company launches a new logistics model using Talgo passenger trains for cargo transportation, reported the KTZ press service on April 7. In a first for the country, a commercial shipment weighing…
EU, Kazakhstan Strengthen Cooperation on Critical Raw Materials
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the European Union endorsed the partnership roadmap for 2025-2026 in the framework of the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand on April 4. The roadmap will include more concrete goals to implement the memorandum of understanding between the EU and Kazakhstan, signed in November 2022, on a strategic partnership in the…
Caspian Green Energy Corridor Moves Forward with New Multilateral MOU
ASTANA — The Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the energy ministries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 4 in Baku to support the Feasibility Study for the Caspian Green Energy Corridor Project. The initiative is part of ADB’s regional technical assistance for…
AIF 2025 to Unite Global Leaders to Discuss Security, Energy, and Economy
ASTANA – From May 29–30, the capital of Kazakhstan will host the Astana International Forum (AIF2025) – the largest business event in the region, uniting global leaders, experts, investors, and business representatives, the Kazakh Ministry of Economy reported on April 7. The forum’s agenda will tackle today’s most urgent global challenges, featuring a high-level plenary…
President Tokayev Meets President Mirziyoyev Ahead of Central Asia-EU Summit
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attaches exceptional importance to the upcoming Central Asia-EU Summit. He expressed confidence that it will contribute to the development of the region’s dialogue with the EU at an April 3 meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. As reported by Akorda, the Presidents highlighted the fruitful meeting in Almaty, which…
EBRD Plans to Invest $2.2 Billion in Green Transition Program
ASTANA – President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso updated President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the progress of the green transition program, in which EBRD plans to invest two billion euros (US$2.2 billion), at an April 3 meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. According to the Akorda press service, in 2024, the EBRD…
Tokayev Holds Talks with European Council President to Strengthen Strategic Cooperation
ASTANA – On the sidelines of the Central Asia – EU summit in Samarkand, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with the President of the European Council, António Costa, on April 3 to explore ways to deepen and broaden strategic cooperation. The presidents discussed strengthening multifaceted cooperation across various economic sectors and emphasized the…
Kazakhstan Bans Low-Altitude Flights Near Flamingo Habitats
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has banned low-altitude aircraft flights over flamingo nesting areas, Kazinform reported on March 30, citing the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Last month, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to protect pink flamingos, which face threats from human activity. Listed as a rare and endangered species in Kazakhstan, the flamingo population…
Kazakhstan Reallocates More Than 70 Hectares of Former Nuclear Test Site for Industrial Use
ASTANA – The Kazakh government has approved the transfer of 71.37 hectares from the reserve lands of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in the Abai Region for industrial, transport, and communications purposes, according to a resolution dated March 27, reported online.zakon.kz. The land was moved into the category of lands designated for industry, transport,…
President of Kazakhstan to Participate in Central Asia-EU Summit This Week
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will participate in the Central Asia-European Union (EU) Summit during his working visit to Samarkand on April 3-4, reported the President’s press office. He is also expected to attend the inaugural Samarkand Climate Forum. Tokayev’s visit comes shortly after President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s invitation to Uzbekistan following his recent trip to…
Kazakhstan Launches Direct Flights Between Almaty and Guangzhou
ASTANA – Air Astana has launched a new direct route between Almaty and Guangzhou, Kazakh Tourism national company reported on April 1. Flights will be operating three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Kazakh Tourism and Air Astana are hosting a familiarization tour for leading tour operators, journalists, and bloggers from Guangzhou to…
US Geological Survey: Kazakhstan Ranks Among Top 10 Gold Producers in 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranks among the top 10 gold-producing countries in 2024, with an output of 130 metric tons, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The country’s gold production has nearly doubled since 2016, with major contributions from the Altyntau Kokshetau mine and SolidCore Resources. Altyntau Kokshetau mine, owned by Glencore produced 603,000 ounces in…
Kazakhstan Considers South Korea for Nuclear Technology Partnership
ASTANA – Almassadam Satkaliyev, the chairman of Kazakhstan’s newly established Nuclear Energy Agency, completed negotiations with Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) President and CEO Whang Joo-ho, a potential supplier of nuclear technologies for the construction of a nuclear power plant on March 26, Kazinform reported, citing the agency’s press service. Satkaliyev highlighted KHNP’s experience…
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs to Visit Kazakhstan This Week
ASTANA – Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Vice-President of the European Commission, will visit Almaty on March 28 to meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, reported the press service of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan. Her visit will follow the 20th…
Kazakhstan Emerges as Leading Tech Hub, Growing 18x Since 2019
ASTANA – Dealroom.co report released on March 25 highlights Kazakhstan’s remarkable transformation from a resource-based economy to one of the fastest-growing tech hubs globally, with significant growth in its startup ecosystem and government-backed initiatives supporting technology and AI development. “In just six years, Kazakhstan has evolved from a resource-driven economy to become one of the…
World Bank Backs Crucial Kambarata HPP Project for Central Asia
ASTANA – The Kyrgyz Republic will receive an $11 million concessional loan and a $2.6 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank to provide technical support for the Kambarata-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) construction project, Kazinform reported. On March 18, Kyrgyzstan ratified the Financing Agreement and Grant Agreement Letter with…
Ancient Burials in Kazakhstan Reveal High Status of Women in Nomad Culture
ASTANA – Ramazan Zhanuzak, an anthropologist at the Alkey Margulan Institute of Archaeology, spoke about the ancient burials with the high status of women in ancient nomadic societies of the Saka and Turkic periods in an interview with Kazinform. The institute’s physical anthropology laboratory studies and preserves human remains from archaeological excavations across Kazakhstan. Findings…
Kazakhstan Introduces Mutual Visa-Free Travel with Morocco
ASTANA – The agreement on mutual exemption from visa requirements between Kazakhstan and Morocco came into force on March 19, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. Citizens of both countries with national passports can stay visa-free for up to 30 days within six months. The agreement is expected to boost tourism, business, and cultural…
