Kazakh University Teachers Set to Improve Qualifications in Finland
ASTANA – A total of 1,800 teachers from 43 universities in Kazakhstan will have an opportunity to advance their skills through an enhanced model of teacher education launched by Nazarbayev University (NU) and Finland’s two leading universities, the NU Graduate School of Education (GSE) press service reported on Jan. 15. Renowned as one of Europe’s…
Kazakh Ministry Outlines Key Priorities for Creative Industry Development
STANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information has revealed priority areas for advancing the creative industry, as it plans to formulate a new сoncept for the development of creative industries for 2024-2029, Kazinform reported on Jan. 15. The document will be based on this year’s extensive analysis of the creative sector. The analysis…
Kazakhstan Plans to Increase E-Commerce Share to 20% by 2030
ASTANA – Kazakhstan seeks to increase the share of e-commerce in its total retail volume to 20% by 2030, said Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev at a Jan. 16 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Shakkaliyev highlighted that e-commerce has become one of the new drivers of global economic growth. Its…
Kazakhstan Adopts Roadmap to Develop Volunteering in Next Three Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan adopted the roadmap for the development and support of volunteering for 2024-2026, reported the Culture and Information Ministry’s press service on Jan. 12. The previous roadmap for 2021-2023 also resulted in a threefold increase in the number of volunteer organizations in Kazakhstan, though the ministry does not specify the numbers. The volunteering…
SCO Kicks Off Year of Environment Chaired by Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) began the Year of Environment, chaired by Kazakhstan, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said at a Jan. 15 briefing, reported the ministry’s press service. In July, SCO member states unanimously endorsed Kazakhstan’s initiative to declare 2024 the Year of Environment. The corresponding plan of events was adopted in…
Kazakhstan, World Bank Implement 48 Projects Worth $8 Billion
ASTANA – In more than 30 years of cooperation, Kazakhstan and the World Bank have implemented 48 projects worth over $8 billion, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a Jan. 16 meeting with World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia Tatiana Proskuryakova, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Six projects are in the implementation…
Islamic Organization for Food Security Welcomes New Director General from Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) elected Kazakh diplomat Askar Mussinov as director general on Jan. 1 by the decision of the sixth General Assembly in Doha on Oct. 3, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The career diplomat held the positions of deputy foreign minister. He also served as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to…
Nearly 2,000 Kids in Kazakhstan Enjoy Tours with Free Flights under Kids Go Free Program
ASTANA – In 2023, 1,975 children enjoyed 920 tours offered by 13 travel companies in Kazakhstan, getting free flights as part of the Kids Go Free program, the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 12. The Kids Go Free initiative is a family-oriented holiday program designed to boost domestic tourism in Kazakhstan.…
Kazakhstan Takes Further Steps in Human Rights Protection
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is in the midst of democratic transformation, making progress in strengthening the human rights protection system and aligning it better with the best international practices, the Akorda press service reported in a factsheet posted on Jan. 12. According to the document, significant amendments have been made to legislation pertaining to democratic participation,…
Kazakhstan’s IT Services Sector Shows Rapid Growth in 2023
ASTANA – The volume of services in programming, consulting and related fields in Kazakhstan reached 734.5 billion tenge ($1.6 billion) in January-September 2023, marking a 43.5% surge in value terms compared to the same period in 2022, Finprom.kz reported on Jan. 11. A year earlier, the country witnessed a 46.8% increase. The growth trend extended…
Astana International Exchange Reports Significant Results in 2023
ASTANA – This year, the Astana International Exchange (AIX) demonstrated positive results in listings, trading volume, and capital raised despite challenges posed by high market interest rates and geopolitical uncertainties, the AIX’s press service reported on Jan. 12. As of Dec. 31, 94 different issuers listed 150 securities on the AIX. Debt capital raised since…
New York Times Features Almaty in 2024 Top Travel Destinations List
ASTANA – The New York Times published on Jan. 9 its annual list of 52 travel destinations in 2024, featuring Kazakhstan’s Almaty on the 25th spot. From the Portal Eclipse Festival in Mazatlán in April to Yamaguchi city in Japan to Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia, the list highlights 52…
Kazakhstan Achieves Record Grain Exports to China in 2023
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has set a new record for grain exports to China in 2023, encompassing wheat, barley, soybeans, flax, and sunflower seeds, with the total shipments reaching 2.2 million tons, reports El Dala news website focusing on agribusiness in Kazakhstan. Experts from DataHub, an analytical service in Kazakhstan, note the surge in exports was…
Kazakh Schoolchildren Secure 7 Awards at International Robotics Competition
ASTANA – Kazakh schoolchildren won seven awards in the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition that took place on Jan. 5-7 in Depok, Indonesia, announced the Kazakh Education Ministry on Jan. 9. The Kazakh students were among 150 young robotics enthusiasts from grades 9-11 from Southeast Asian countries who showcased their innovative projects. Four teams represented…
World Bank: Economic Growth in Europe and Central Asia Remains Stable Amidst Global Slowdown
ASTANA – In 2023, economic growth in Europe and Central Asia surged to 2.7% compared to 1.2% recorded in 2022, marking a rebound attributed to the expansion of domestic demand, stable market conditions in the labor market, and the resumption of growth in the Russian Federation and Ukraine, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic…
Kazakhstan Welcomes New Town – Alatau
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on Jan. 9 to turn the village of Jetigen in the Ili district of the Almaty Region into a town of regional significance and rename it Alatau, reported the Akorda press service. With a total area of 88,000 hectares, Alatau is located 47 kilometers north of Almaty’s…
American Students to Spend One Month Teaching Kids in Eastern Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Two students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will spend 26 days teaching schoolchildren at the secondary school named after Seitkamzy Lastayev in the Katon-Karagai village in the East Kazakhstan Region, the Fund for Sustainable Development of Education (FSDE) reported on Jan. 8. Alexander-Eduard Shertsnev and Hanna Park will lead workshops for…
World Bank Releases Monthly Economic Update for Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The World Bank has published a monthly economic update for Kazakhstan for December, reviewing trends in business activity, inflation, and trade dynamics. Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for manufacturing contracts decreased to 48 points from 50.3 points in October. Services PMI also dropped to 49.2, indicating weakening activity in both sectors. Real GDP grew…
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Sign Protocol on Mutual Cooperation Expansion
ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev and Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov signed a protocol on expanding mutual cooperation at a Jan. 5 meeting in Tashkent, reported the Kazakh Trade and Integration Ministry’s press service. The ministers discussed the stages of implementation of agreements within the roadmaps…
Kazakhstan’s Aviation Administration Confirms Safety of Boeing 737 MAX 9 Fleet Following US Incident
ASTANA – Five Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft registered in Kazakhstan have valid airworthiness certificates, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) reported on Jan. 7. The statement comes after an incident involving Boeing 737 MAX 9, operated by Alaska Airlines, which lost a fuselage section mid-flight in Oregon, United States (U.S.) on Jan. 5. On…
Kazakhstan’s SDG Coordination Council Approves 2024 Action Plan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Coordination Council on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved a plan of measures for 2024 at the council’s seventh meeting on Jan. 5, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, the meeting highlighted the need to revise national indicators, particularly to update those on…
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina Wins Brisbane International, Defeats World No. 2
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s top seed Elena Rybakina defeated world’s No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus with a 6-0, 6-3 score to clinch the Brisbane International on Jan. 7, reported the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Rybakina expressed her sentiments on the court after receiving the Evonne Goolagong Cawley Trophy from former world No. 3 Wendy Turnbull,…
Square in Bishkek Raises New Kyrgyz Flag
ASTANA – A new flag of the Kyrgyz Republic was hoisted on Ala-Too square in Bishkek, accompanied by the renovation of the guard of honor cabin, 24.kg reported on Jan. 3. President Sadyr Japarov endorsed the law on the updated national flag, which was approved by the Parliament on Dec. 20. Initiated by Parliament Speaker…
Kazakhstan Reduces Quota for Attracting Foreign Workers in 2024
ASTANA – The Kazakh Minister of Labor has issued an order dated Dec. 28, 2023, setting the quota for attracting foreign workers for labor activities in Kazakhstan in 2024, reported Zakon.kz. The order, effective from Jan. 14, delineates the following quotas as a percentage of the workforce: 0.23% for permits issued by the local executive…
Inflation in Kazakhstan Falls Below 10% for First Time Since February 2022
ASTANA – The annual increase in prices for goods and services in December hit 9.8%, 0.5% less than in November, DataHub reported on Jan. 3. Throughout 2023, the indicator has consistently fallen since March, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. The most noticeable price increase was recorded in paid services, which grew 12.4%. Inflation…
