Articles by Assem Assaniyaz

First Round of Europe – Asia International March for Peace Visits Taraz

NUR-SULTAN – The participants of the first round of Europe – Asia international march for peace and accord visited the city of Taraz in southern Kazakhstan on July 10 with a rich program, including concerts, an arts and crafts exhibition, and competitions in national games, according to Khabar 24. The main goal of the march,…

Kazakhstan Reopens 12 Border Crossing Points With Russia and Uzbekistan

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has resumed the work of 12 border crossing points with Russia and Uzbekistan from July 12, reported the Interdepartmental commission on the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus infection on its Telegram channel.  This month, Kondybai, Akbalshyk, Kyzylzhar, Naiza, Zhezkent, Baitanat, Koyanbai, Orda, Shagan, Karashatau will start working across the border…

US Releases List of Countries Through Which Restricted Exports Сould Reach Russia

NUR-SULTAN – The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) have included Kazakhstan in the list of countries through which sanctioned goods can be imported to Russia and Belarus, says the joint alert.  Along with the Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and…

Kazakhstan’s Business Activity Index Remains Stable

NUR-SULTAN – In June this year, the Business Activity Index (BAI) remained stable at 49 points slightly over 48.9 points in May, according to the results of a monthly survey of 469 real sector enterprises, reported the National Bank of Kazakhstan. The BAI is a composite indicator that includes the aggregate of enterprises’ surveys regarding…

Kazakh Prime Minister Calls to Reduce Formal Requirements for Businesses

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov instructed the executive bodies to reduce excessive requirements for entrepreneurs by revising the regulatory framework at a July 7 meeting on business regulation, reported the Prime Minister’s Office. Delivering his report at the meeting, Kazakh Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov outlined unnecessary and overlapping requirements that were…

Kazakh President Calls for Enhancing Transport Potential, Diversifying Oil Export Routes

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined measures to develop alternative cargo delivery chains and diversify oil export routes at the July 7 government meeting in the Akorda, reported the presidential press service. Tokayev emphasized the need to enhance the country’s transport and transit potential and ensure safe and uninterrupted export of domestic products amid…

Kazakhstan Invites Religious Associations to Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

NUR-SULTAN – Chair of the Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilizational Dialogue Bulat Sarsenbayev spoke about the preparations for the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions at the June 27 roundtable titled New York Celebrates Kazakhstan in New York, reports the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.    The congress is…

Out-of-Country Voting in Kazakhstan’s Referendum Shows 73 Percent Voter Turnout

NUR-SULTAN – Voting abroad in the national referendum on constitutional amendments at 65 polling stations in 52 countries has finished with a 72.95 percent voter turnout, reported the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   The last ballots were cast at polling stations in Washington and New York in the United States, and…

Kazakh Citizens Participate in Referendum in 53 Countries

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh citizens cast their votes in the national referendum on constitutional amendments in Kazakhstan and abroad on June 5.  Foreign embassies and consulates of Kazakhstan opened 65 polling stations for living and traveling Kazakh citizens to take part in the country’s major event.  Kazakhs living in Japan and Korea were among the…

Great Kazakh Poet Abai Commemorated in India to Mark 30 Years of Diplomatic Relations

NEW DELHI – A sculpture of the great Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai Kunanbayev was unveiled June 2 in New Delhi to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and India, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service. Deputy Prime Minister – Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov, who visited India…

OPEC+ Countries to Increase Oil Production in July

NUR-SULTAN – The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states announced plans to adjust oil production upward in July by 0.648 million barrels per day at the 29th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on June 2, reports the organization’s press service.  Kazakh Vice Minister of Energy Asset Magauov participated in the meeting via…

Kazakhstan Doubles Traffic Volume Through Caspian Sea

NUR-SULTAN – The Aktau Sea сommercial port, Kuryk port, and Aktau marine north terminal, key points in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), have doubled their volume of shipping, reports the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national company.   Since the beginning of this year, more than 1.2 million tons of cargo have been loaded in the…

Kazakh Foreign Ministry Announces Call for Applications in Contest for Foreign Journalists

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with Kazakhstan’s Chief Editors’ Club, and the Kazakh Tourism National Company, announced the call for applications for the seventh New Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media international contest for foreign journalists. The contest seeks to reward original articles, video stories and blog posts about…

Eighty-Four Percent of Kazakh Citizens Support National Referendum on Constitutional Amendments, Opinion Poll Shows

NUR-SULTAN – Some 83.92 percent of Kazakh citizens support the presidential initiative to hold the June 5 national referendum on amendments to the Constitution, according to the Central Communications Service (CCS) online survey conducted from May 24 to May 29.  This means an increase by 12 percent as compared with the previous poll results provided…

EU Air Safety Committee Commends Kazakhstan’s Accomplishments in Aviation Security

NUR-SULTAN – According to the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) audit results of 2021, Kazakhstan’s aviation safety score remains at 84 percent. The country’s rate is 15 percent higher than the global average. This data was presented by the Kazakh delegation at the May 17 meeting of the European Union Air Safety Committee (ASC) in…

Kazakh Oil and Gas Industry Attracts $121.6 Billion Since 1996

NUR-SULTAN – Since 1996, 52.2 trillion tenge (US$121.6 billion) of investments, were allocated for the development of the oil and gas sector, said Geology Committee Chair of the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Talgat Satiyev at a May 17 Central Communications Service (CCS) briefing.  This accounts for 70 percent of the total…

Kazakh Exports Reach $3.5 Billion, up by 46.6 Percent in January-February

NUR-SULTAN – In the first two months of 2022, exports of processed goods increased by 46.6 percent and reached US$3.5 billion, an official representative of the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration Alisher Omirzak told in an interview with The Astana Times. The growth is supported by more than 20 financial and non-financial instruments implemented…

Conference in Kazakh Capital Focuses on Growing Opportunities for Women in IT Sector

NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Hub International Technopark of IT Startups in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan hosted the IT-Woman 1.0 Conference on female empowerment in IT on May 17 to address the issues of gender inequality in the IT sector, reports Forbes Kazakhstan. 15 successful women in the IT industry shared their stories, knowledge, and experience to inspire…

Kazakhstan Ranks Among Top 55 Countries in Global Health Security Index

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan ranked 55th out of 195 countries in the Global Health Security (GHS) Index scoring 46.1 points out of 100. The index is prepared by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (JHU), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).   The GHS Index is designed to measure the…

Paving the Way for Kazakh Diplomacy

NUR-SULTAN – Nazir Torekulov, the first Soviet Plenipotentiary Envoy to Saudi Arabia (then the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd), played a key role in establishing friendly relations between the Soviet Union and Saudi Arabia. His professional contribution is significant for independent Kazakhstan, which marks the 30th anniversary of its diplomatic corps this year, said Abdizhapar…

Hungary Supports Kazakhstan’s Reforms, Says Hungarian Foreign Minister

NUR-SULTAN – Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on May 3 conveying his country’s full support for President Tokayev’s reforms, reports the presidential press service.  During the meeting, Tokayev conveyed greetings to newly elected Hungarian President Katalin Novak and congratulated the Fidesz party led by Hungarian…

Kazakhstan Hosts International Conference on Cooperation With Venice Commission, Marks 10th Anniversary of Accession

NUR-SULTAN – The conference on constitutional and international aspects of the upholding the rule of law took place in Almaty on April 22 to mark the 10th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s accession to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the 30th anniversary of the country’s membership in the United Nations.   The heads…

International Standards Must Be at Heart of Education System, Says President of KIMEP University

NUR-SULTAN – The main mission of any academic institution is to maximize and optimize the well-being of its students towards the sustainable quality in learning with the help of the Ministry of Education, said Chan Young Bang, the Founding President of the Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research (KIMEP) University, in an interview…

Experts Discuss Kazakhstan’s Initiative to Create Global Agency to Address Biosecurity Issues

NUR-SULTAN – The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the United Nations European Office (UNOG) and the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) hosted an international conference on Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish the International Agency for Biological Safety (IABS) in Geneva on April 12, reported the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kazakh President…

Kazakh Young People Celebrate International Day of Human Space Flight

NUR-SULTAN – The international day of human space flight celebrated on April 12 will be held under the auspices of the Year of Children in Kazakhstan, reported Kazinform.  The international day of human space flight is widely celebrated in the country since the history of space exploration has begun in Kazakhstan. Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin…