Kazakh Government Unveils Strategy to Implement Goals Set in Tokayev’s Address
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and high officials considered measures to implement tasks announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his annual state-of-the-nation address delivered on Sept. 2. During a Sept. 3 government meeting, Bektenov emphasized that the new address “is an important and timely document, each line of which is dictated by the…
Inflation in Kazakhstan Slows Down to 8.4% in August
ASTANA — Inflation in Kazakhstan slowed down to 8.4% year-on-year in August, compared to 8.6% in July. “Prices for paid services increased by 13.6% over the year, non-food products – by 7.7%, food products – by 5.5%,” reported the Bureau of National Statistics on Sept. 2. Utility rates and the cost of some goods and…
Kazakhstan Expects Economic Growth, Focuses on Social Expenses for Coming Years
ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov approved the forecast for the country’s social and economic development for 2025-2029 and draft laws on the national budget for 2025-2027 and on the guaranteed transfer from the National Fund of Kazakhstan for 2025-2027 during an Aug. 27 government meeting. According to Bektenov, the forecast was based on international…
KazPost Presents Postage Stamp to Celebrate Fifth World Nomad Games
ASTANA – KazPost (Kazakhstan’s postal service) has released the anniversary postage stamp designed to reflect the spirit and cultural significance of the fifth World Nomad Games (WNG). The cancellation ceremony – the practice of marking a postage stamp to indicate that it has been used – took place on Aug. 27 with the participation of…
National Bank: Kazakhstan’s Inflation to Slow Down in 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s inflation is expected to slow down from 7.5-9.5% in 2024 to 5.5-7.5% in 2025, said Chairman of the National Bank Timur Suleimenov at an Aug. 27 government meeting. The Prime Minister’s press service reported on Aug. 27 that, according to Suleimenov, the implementation of monetary policy, the stabilization of external prices on…
Kazakhstan Becomes First Central Asia’s Country to Open ICAO Permanent Mission in Montreal
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has become the first country in Central Asia to open its permanent mission to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Aug. 26 in Montreal, Canada. Kazakh Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev, the President of the ICAO Council, the Secretary General of ICAO and the heads of aviation authorities of ICAO member…
Almaty to Host Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition KIOGE 2024 in September
ASTANA – Almaty will host the Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition KIOGE 2024 on Sept. 25-27, which will bring together representatives of state agencies, business and experts. The event is supposed to attract 380 participants from 19 countries. According to the KIOGE press service, the program will highlight key projects in the oil and…
Kazakh Dombra Player Performs Kui at Elbrus Mount
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s dombra player Alibek Kaiyrbek, 26, performed Kazakh composer Kurmangazy’s famous kui “Adai” at the highest point in Europe – Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus. Kaiyrbek, a professional musician and mountaineer, posted a video on his Instagram page on Aug. 24. It took seven days for Kaiyrbek to climb Elbrus at an impressive…
Kazakhstan, Germany to Launch New Initiatives in Agriculture, Water Management
ASTANA – Kazakh and German counterparts have reached agreements on new projects to enhance agricultural cooperation and ensure efficient irrigation and water conservation during Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev’s working visit to Germany. At the meeting with Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research Jens Brandenburg, the sides discussed the…
Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins Silver Medal at Tbilisi FIDE Women’s Grand-Prix 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s chess player Bibisara Assaubayeva won the silver medal at the first stage of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024-2025, which took place in Tbilisi from Aug. 14 to 25. Alina Kashlinskaya from Poland came out on top in the tournament, reported the Kazakhstan Chess Federation on Aug. 25. The second stage will…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Balanced Foreign Policy, Kazakh-Tajik Cooperation and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated a selection of articles about Kazakhstan published in international media outlets around the world. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the country’s balanced foreign policy, Kazakh-Tajik cooperation and more. Kazakhstan’s role in US-China competition The National Interest published an expert article on Aug. 20 about Kazakhstan’s…
IAEA Low-Enriched Uranium Bank Stores 90 Tons of Nuclear Fuel
ASTANA – The Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), located on the territory of the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP), is a physical stock of 90 metric tons of LEU. This reserve is intended for IAEA member states in case of sudden supply disruptions. On Dec. 10 in 2019, the…
Kazakh, Tajik Presidents Outline Priorities, Strengthen Bilateral Ties
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon identified priorities and tasks to strengthen bilateral cooperation during the Aug. 22 talks in Dushanbe. In a narrow-format meeting, Tokayev emphasized that he attaches great importance to regular high-level meetings, which serve as a solid foundation for strengthening the Kazakh-Tajik multifaceted partnership. “This visit…
TikTok, Kazakh Tourism Promote Nation’s Culture, Major Sites Through Travel Content
ASTANA — TikTok, a short-form video hosting service, and Kazakh Tourism national company, are launching a new stage of a large-scale initiative under the GuideToKazakhstan hashtag. The initiative encourages users to take part in a creative competition about Kazakhstan’s tourism. Winners in three nominations will receive valuable prizes — a vacation in hotels in Aktau…
Slight Majority Favor Construction of Nuclear Power Plant in Kazakhstan, Survey Finds
ASTANA – A slight majority of respondents (53.1%) support building a nuclear power plant, hoping it will help resolve electricity shortages by 2030, according to survey results published on Aug. 22 by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS). The telephone survey, which included 1,200 citizens aged 18 and over, was conducted from Aug. 7…
Kazakhstan Prepares Birds of Prey for Fifth World Nomad Games
ASTANA – With less than 20 days before the start of the fifth World Nomad Games, Kazakhstan hosts a training camp for kusbegilik, the art of hunting with birds of prey, from Aug. 12 to 25 in the Akmola Region. Nine berkutchis (eagle hunters) are training with golden eagles, falcons and hawks in Schuchinsk. The…
Kazakhstan’s Urban Population Hits 12.6 Million, Growing Rapidly
ASTANA — According to the Bureau of National Statistics, the urban population in Kazakhstan reached 12.6 million people as of July 1. Five years ago, the urban population made up 58% of the total population; today, this figure has grown to 62.7%. “As of July 1, there were 90 settlements with city status registered in…
National Bank Survey: Kazakhstan Economic Growth Slows, Inflation Steady
ASTANA –The National Bank of Kazakhstan released its latest macroeconomic survey on Aug. 21, revealing key forecasts and expectations from expert respondents. The survey, which includes insights from professional market participants, research institutes, international organizations, and rating agencies, highlighted several important trends for Kazakhstan’s economy. Respondents predict that Brent crude oil prices will average $83.5…
Kazakhstan’s Airlines to Launch New Routes This Year
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s airlines plan to increase international flights and open new routes by the end of this year. Kazakhstan’s flag carrier Air Astana plans to launch direct flights on the Shymkent-Jeddah route in September, the Kazakh Transport Ministry said in a response to Kazinform on Aug. 21. The flights will be operated on an…
Almaty Food Fest to Celebrate Global Cuisines, Unite Int’l Chefs
ASTANA – Chefs from eight nations will demonstrate their cuisines at the Almaty Food Fest international gastronomic festival on Aug. 24-25. Chefs from Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan will take part in the event, reported Kazinform on Aug. 21. Nearly 50 restaurants worldwide and more than 30 farm and…
Inspiring Video Shows US Kokpar Player’s Preparation for Fifth World Nomad Games
ASTANA – A video of the U.S. kokpar player Nick Willert preparing for the kokpar competition to participate in the fifth World Nomad Games (WNG) in September has gained popularity on social networks. The video was published on his Instagram account on Aug. 14. Willert used a kettlebell during training, and a homemade wooden installation…
Kazakhstan Ready to Increase Grain Exports to Three Million Tons to China
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to increase grain exports to three million tons to China, said Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov during talks with the Director of the Economy and Trade Department at the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission Wang Jianjun. Saparov said cooperation in agriculture is an important component of Kazakh-Chinese relations,…
Modern Digital Solutions Enhance Efficiency at Kazakh-Chinese Border Customs
ASTANA — Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov visited the Nur Zholy Customs Service international transport and logistics center in the Zhetisu Region on Aug. 19. The center uses cross-docking technology and an automated vehicle accounting system. It introduces new technologies to simplify and speed up transit and increase cargo turnover. The volume of the region’s…
President Tokayev Reviews Astana’s Readiness for Fifth World Nomad Games
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited sports venues renovated for the upcoming fifth World Nomad Games (WNG), which will take place from Sept. 8 to 13 in the Kazakh capital. According to the Akorda press service, Tokayev visited the Astana Arena stadium on Aug. 20, which will host the opening ceremony of the international…
Kazakh Manufacturing Industry Undergoes Reforms to Boost Domestic Production
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s manufacturing industry has experienced changes, including improved legislation, reduced administrative hurdles, preferential financing and new tools to boost domestic production. The Kazakh government prioritizes mechanical engineering, petrochemistry, advanced metal processing and the automotive industry. The sector’s growth was 105.1% from January to June. According to the Prime Minister’s press service on Aug.…
