Kazakhstan to Modernize Passenger Railcar Fleet by 2030
ALMATY — Kazakhstan is set to completely renew its passenger railcar fleet by 2030. The large-scale modernization program aims to enhance passenger comfort, safety and travel efficiency, reported the Samruk Kazyna Fund’s press service on Sept. 8. The first 51 passenger railcars, manufactured at the domestic Stadler Kazakhstan plant in Astana, will be delivered by…
Kazakhstan Receives Rare 11th-Century Map Depicting Central Asia
ALMATY – Kazakh National Center of Manuscripts and Rare Books received a copy of a unique 11th-century map on Sept. 8. The map shows parts of Central Asia, including the territory of modern Kazakhstan. The artifact was donated by the British Embassy and originates from the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, reported the…
Kazakhstan-Originated Industrial Group to Launch Manufacturing Project in US
ALMATY – 1Thirty Holding, a leading company in chemical manufacturing and industrial innovation, has held high-level talks with senior leadership of the United States Chamber of Commerce to launch a new industrial project in the U.S. The meeting took place in Astana with Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President, and Jennifer Miel, Vice President for Middle…
Tokayev: Kazakhstan to Boost Science, Elevate Blue-Collar Professions, and Reform Migration Policy
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will strengthen its transition to a knowledge-based economy by integrating the management of science, education, and innovation, while also raising the prestige of working professions and tightening migration policy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his Sept. 8 state-of-the-nation address. “In the context of the transition to a knowledge economy, it is important…
Tokayev Calls for Unified Digital Water Platform to Address Resource Challenges
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed the government to create a unified digital platform for managing Kazakhstan’s water resources, emphasizing the sector’s strategic importance for social stability. He addressed the issue during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8. Tokayev stressed that resolving water management challenges is one of Kazakhstan’s top priorities. Over the…
Kazakhstan to Expand Nuclear Energy, Accelerate High-Tech Industrial Projects
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the strategic importance of developing nuclear energy to secure Kazakhstan’s energy future and ensure sustainable economic growth during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8 at a joint session of the parliament’s chambers. Tokayev announced that over the next five years, Kazakhstan plans to introduce an additional 6.3 GW…
Tokayev Targets $1 Billion Tech Investment, Proposes State Digital Asset Fund
ALMATY — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed measures to optimize the use of the National Fund and accelerate the development of a digital asset ecosystem during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8. Tokayev proposed renaming the Committee for the Return of Illegally Acquired Assets under the Prosecutor General’s Office into the Committee for the…
Tokayev Calls for Overhaul of Investment Policy to Drive Growth
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed the government to develop a comprehensive action plan for a fundamental overhaul of Kazakhstan’s investment policy during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8. Speaking at a recent meeting on economic development, Tokayev stressed that, despite growing global competition for capital, Kazakhstan must create the conditions for a…
Kazakhstan Passport Climbs to 61st in Global Index, Strongest in Central Asia
ALMATY – Kazakhstan has strengthened its standing in the Henley Passport Index 2025, climbing two positions to 61st place. The updated ranking released on Aug. 20 shows that Kazakh citizens can now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 79 destinations worldwide, reflecting the country’s growing global mobility. Within Central Asia, Kazakhstan continues to lead the…
Immersive Sonic Experience Brings Art and Ecology Together at Charyn Canyon
ALMATY – Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan’s natural wonder, turned into the stage for a unique musical and ecological experience on Aug. 31, as the first-ever SUAQ audio expedition in the Sonic Journey format invited visitors to explore the relationship between sound, silence and nature. Organized by TOLK Studio in collaboration with the Qazaq National Parks (QNP),…
Kazakhstan Boosts Cargo Capacity on Transcaspian Corridor Sixfold
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s role as a regional transport hub continues to strengthen as cargo shipments along the Transcaspian International Transport Route (TITR) have increased sixfold over the past five years, rising from 800,000 tonnes in 2020 to 4.5 million tonnes in 2024. The figures were announced on Sept. 4 by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev…
Kazakhstan Expands Gold, Silver and Copper Reserves Through New Deposits
ALMATY – Kazakhstan has recorded a significant increase in the reserves of solid minerals following the registration of five new deposits on the State Geological Register in 2025. The newly identified sites – Kok-Zhon, Altyn-Shoko, Samombet, Studencheskiy and Takyr-Kaldzhir – are expected to substantially strengthen the country’s mineral resource base, according to the Prime Minister’s…
Kazakhstan Accelerates Industrial Modernization and Diversification
ALMATY – Kazakhstan demonstrates a profound transformation of the industrial sector, developing high-value-added production to introduce systemic measures for the country’s industrial sovereignty reinforcement, in alignment with the priorities set out in the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s 2024 state-of-the-nation address. Industrial sector shows strong momentum Kazakhstan’s industrial output grew by 6.9% in the first seven months…
Kazakhstan, Mongolia Promote Investment, Strengthen Parliamentary Cooperation
ALMATY – Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov and Chairman of the Investment Committee Gabidulla Ospankulov met with Dashzegviin Amarbayasgalan, Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, along with members of the Mongolian parliamentary and business delegation to discuss investment and trade partnership during a high-level meeting in Astana on Sept. 4. The…
Kazakhstan to Approve Three-Year Budget and Economic Forecast
ALMATY – The Government has approved and submitted to Parliament Kazakhstan’s socio-economic development forecast and the republican budget for the next three years, announced Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at an extended meeting of the AMANAT Party faction on Sept. 4. Under the baseline scenario, Kazakhstan’s economy is projected to achieve an average annual real GDP…
President Tokayev Honors Oil and Gas Industry Workers
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry workers and veterans on their professional holiday at a solemn ceremony in Akorda, highlighting the sector’s crucial role in the nation’s economic development, reported Akorda press service on Sept. 5. In his address, Tokayev emphasized the historical significance and continued importance of the industry.…
Kazakhstan, Thailand to Launch New Direct Flights in December
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee (CAC) has announced the launch of new direct passenger flights connecting Bangkok and Almaty, as part of ongoing efforts to expand the country’s international flight network and strengthen air connectivity, reported the Ministry of Transport press service on Sept. 3. Starting Dec.1, Thai AirAsia X, a low-cost carrier from…
KTZ Launches New Innovative Format for Vegetable Oil Shipments to China
ALMATY – Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) has introduced a new format for transporting vegetable oil to China, carrying out its first shipment in 40-foot containers equipped with flexitanks, the company’s press service reported on Sept. 2. The pilot batch of sunflower oil was shipped from Predgornaya station in East Kazakhstan to Nantong City in China’s…
Kazakhstan Faces Persistent Inflation Pressures, Says National Bank Governor
ALMATY – Inflation remains one of the main challenges for Kazakhstan’s economic development and citizens’ well-being, said the Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) Timur Suleimenov at a joint session of Parliament’s chambers, Kazinform reported on Sept. 2. Suleimenov noted that the country’s annual inflation rate currently stands at 12%, stressing that addressing…
Kazakh Tennis Player Reaches Third Round of US Open Juniors
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s 17-year-old tennis player Zangar Nurlanuly advanced to the third round of the junior US Open in New York after defeating Alan Wazny from Poland, ranking 13th in the world, reported the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation (KTF) on Sept. 2. He secured the victory in straight sets – 6-4, 6-4 – and will next…
Building Bridges of Faith: How Pentecostalism Supports Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Unity
Editor’s Note: In the run-up to the eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled for Sept. 17–18 in Astana, The Astana Times has launched a special series exploring the diversity of spiritual life in Kazakhstan. The first articles highlighted the Jewish, Orthodox, and Bahá’í communities. This edition turns to the Pentecostal Church…
Kazakhstan Strengthens Position in International Peace Ranking
ALMATY – The Global Peace Index report (GPI) published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) has revealed that Kazakhstan has improved its position, rising five places compared to last year to secure 56th position among 163 countries and territories, Kazinform reported on Sept. 2. According to the 2025 index, Kazakhstan ranks third in…
Kazakhstan, China to Build Advanced Green Data Center
ALMATY — During President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Beijing on Sept. 2, Kazakhtelecom and China Energy Overseas Investment signed a landmark agreement to launch the joint construction of a data center, wrote Bagdat Mussin, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhtelecom, on his Telegram channel on Sept. 3. Mussin emphasized the scale of the initiative,…
Kazakhstan Reports High Public Trust in Presidential Institution
ALMATY – A nationwide survey conducted by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) revealed on Sept. 2 a consistently high level of public trust in the presidential institution. According to the findings, 82.4% of citizens expressed trust in President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reflecting his steady leadership and the positive public perception of ongoing governmental policies.…
Tokayev Calls for UN Security Council Reform at SCO Plus Meeting
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations to strengthen multilateral diplomacy and ensure the organization’s effectiveness during Sept. 1 SCO Plus summit meeting in Tianjin, China, reported the Akorda press service. During his speech, Tokayev also noted the upcoming 80th anniversaries of the end of World War II and…
