State-of-the-Nation Address: Outcomes Reviewed, New Goals Set
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined nine strategic directions in his annual state-of-the-nation address titled ‘Just Kazakhstan: Law and Order, Economic Growth, Public Optimism’ at a joint meeting of the houses of the Parliament on Sept. 2. Tokayev instructed the elimination of imbalances between monetary and fiscal policies, the enhancement of the investment climate and…
Dara Foundation Promotes Contemporary Art of Kazakhstan and Central Asia at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
ASTANA –Dara Presidential Initiatives Foundation hosted the Fringe Fusion: Kazakhstan and Global Art Partnerships event on Aug. 20 as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, reported the foundation’s press service. The event seeks to advance the region’s creative industry and performing arts globally. According to foundation’s president Assel Shildebayeva, strengthening international partnerships with…
Organization of Turkic States Strengthens Unity and Cooperation Among Turkic Nations
ASTANA—Kubanychbek Omuraliev, the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), recently spoke with The Astana Times about the organization’s activities, development and plans. Could you share the priorities of the OTS? A common language, culture, tradition and history unite our fraternal countries. The leaders of Turkic-speaking states have been developing Turkic cooperation since…
Regionalism Trends Reshape Future for Central Asian States, Says Expert
ASTANA – Why does regionalism matter in the region? How do countries implement multilateral dialogue? Which country is an informal authority in the region? These are the topics we discussed with Filippo Costa Buranelli, Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of St. Andrews, in a recent interview. As an expert, Costa Buranelli published…
Kazakh Journalists Join Global Discussions on Journalism’s Future at DW Media Forum
BONN – Media professionals from Kazakhstan participated in the 17th edition of the Deutsche Welle (DW) Global Media Forum 2024 on June 17-18 at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB). The initiative was supported by the Embassy of Germany in Kazakhstan. The fellowship program of the German Foreign Office included a meeting with DW editor-in-chief…
EU to Increase Schengen Visa Fees
ASTANA – The European Commission is set to increase short stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12% as of June 11, reported SchengenNews on May 20. The visa fees will be 90 euros (US$97) for adults and 45 euros (US$48) for children aged six to below 12 years. It is reported that…
Kazakhstan Celebrates Children’s Day
ASTANA – Kazakhstan marks the International Children’s Day with major events nationwide on June 1. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the Kazakh people on this day. “Children are the future of Kazakhstan. Creating conditions for the harmonious development of children, protecting their rights, and safeguarding the health of young citizens are always top priorities for our…
Fitch Affirms Kazakhstan’s Rating at BBB with Stable Outlook
ASTANA – The Fitch credit rating agency affirmed Kazakhstan’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) at ‘BBB’ with a stable outlook, according to the Fitch ratings released on May 17, reported the agency. The key rating factors include strong sovereign external and fiscal balance sheets that have been resilient to shocks, and financing flexibility…
Connectivity and Collaboration are Key Within Each of Central Asian Countries, Says Expert
ASTANA – Enhancing intra-regional connectivity among Central Asian countries depends on strengthening connections within each of the five countries, said Kamran Bokhari, the senior director of the Eurasian Security and Prosperity portfolio at the New Lines Institute, in a recent interview for this story. Bokhari is an expert in geopolitics and international security. He served…
Kazakh Tourism Advances Creative Projects to Unlock Potential of Regions
TURKISTAN – The Creative Tourism Forum 2023 was held on Dec. 1 in Turkistan to address the challenges and opportunities in tourism experiences and to activate the potential of creative industries. The forum was initiated by the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports, with support from the region’s administration and Kazakh Tourism national company. The…
National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights is Pivotal for Kazakhstan, Says Expert
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has been implementing the Business and Human Rights project by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), designed to strengthen the mechanisms for protecting the rights of citizens by adhering to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. A National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights has been conducted, paving…
Eni Plenitude’s Arm Wind Launches First Solar Power Plant in Turkistan Region
ASTANA – Eni’s Plenitude unveiled a 50-megawatt solar power plant operated by Arm Wind company, its local renewable subsidiary, in the Turkistan Region on Sept. 27. This is the company’s first solar project and the third renewable project in the country. During an interview with The Astana Times, Alex Stillavato, the Managing Director of Arm…
Expert Discusses Kazakhstan’s Priorities as SCO Chair
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is interested in developing multifaceted cooperation as part of its chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Aidar Kurmashev, head of the Asian Studies Department at the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies, said in an interview with The Astana Times. “Kazakhstan aims to strengthen economic ties among member states by developing transport…
UN Kazakhstan Country Team Discusses Agenda of SDG Summit with Media
ASTANA – The United Nations Office in Kazakhstan held a meeting with media representatives to highlight the upcoming agenda for the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit and address issues related to sustainable development on Sept. 6 in Astana. The SDG Summit will be held on Sept. 18-19 in New York and seeks to assess…
FM Tajani: “Italy Wants To Be Key Partner for Kazakhstan”
ASTANA – Antonio Tajani, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is paying an official visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 5. In an interview with The Astana Times, Minister Tajani spoke about cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy, as well as some of the key partnership projects. Minister Tajani, welcome…
UN Assistant Secretary-General Talks Digitalization, Gender Equality
ASTANA – Ivana Živković, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and UN Assistant Secretary-General, visited Kazakhstan on June 8-9 to participate in the Astana International Forum (AIF). As part of the UN delegation, she also met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Živković spoke about the…
Citi Commits to Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth as Trusted Partner
ASTANA – The Astana Times spoke with David Livingstone, Citi’s Chief Executive Officer in Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the company’s strategy in the region and expansion plans on the sidelines of the meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana on June 8. Could you share with us some of the major projects…
Singapore and Kazakhstan are Forward-Looking Nations Committed to Human Capital Development, Sustainable Growth, Says Singapore’s President
ASTANA – President of Singapore Halimah Yacob gave an exclusive interview to The Astana Times on the eve of the state visit to Kazakhstan. Halimah Yacob spoke about the strategic partnership, trade connections, and other areas of cooperation between the two countries during the interview. 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan…
Kazakh Tech Company Launches Fourth-Generation University to Bring Digital Solutions for SMEs
ASTANA — Almaty-based DAR company has announced expansion plans by launching a next-generation corporate university to meet the demand for specific technology experts in the country. The DAR University (DAR U) is focused on education, research, and internal process automation and offers a hybrid form of learning. The university offers education in seven areas, including…
Malaysian Education Agency Seeks to Strengthen Ties with Kazakhstan in Academic Sphere
ASTANA – The Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) took a step towards establishing stronger ties with Kazakhstan in higher education by embarking on a four-day visit to the country this March. The agency aims to enhance collaboration and strategic partnerships with Kazakh officials while promoting its activities and exploring potential opportunities during the visit. This…
Astana to Host 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships
ASTANA – More than 300 athletes from 24 countries will take part in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana April 9-14, Deputy Chair of Sports and Physical Culture Committee Aigul Bektenova said at an April 7 briefing. “The list of participants includes seven Olympic medalists and five World Cup winners. We expect an amazing competition.…
Investments, Reforms Vital for Energy Security in Central Asia, World Bank Officials Say
ASTANA – As energy transition remains a priority for Central Asia, the World Bank is committed to support the region in promoting efficient mechanisms for regional electricity trading and developing joint actions to improve regional cooperation and activities that contribute to the transition to a carbon neutral economy. On March 2-3, Central Asia Energy Trade…
UK Foreign Secretary Visits Kazakhstan, Meets President Tokayev
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is the United Kingdom’s primary trading partner in Central Asia, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK James Cleverly said during his meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana as part of his first visit to the nation on March 18. According to the President’s press office,…
Kazakh National Bank Releases Statement on Domestic Exchange Market Following Collapse of American Banks
ASTANA – The Kazakh National Bank (NB) reserves the right to conduct currency interventions to maintain liquidity in the foreign exchange market and smooth out sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate, the bank’s press service reported on March 16. This will support market exchange rate mechanisms without limiting the likely volatility of the tenge. The…
British and International Experts Discuss Water Issues in Green Hydrogen Production As Part of UK-Kazakhstan Dialogue
ASTANA – The UK-Kazakhstan workshop on water resources for green hydrogen production was held at the Astana International Financial Center on March 9, where UK, Kazakh and international experts were brought together to discuss possible ways for Kazakhstan to meet this challenge. The event’s agenda included discussions about managing water resources for hydrogen production, water…
