48th Anniversary of ASEAN Celebrated in Astana
ASTANA – Heads of diplomatic corps accredited in Kazakhstan joined with Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Askar Mussinov in Astana Aug. 6 for the reception dedicated to the 48th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In his remarks to the gathering, Mussinov noted the ASEAN community, which consists of the 10 largest nations…
‘The Road to School’ Charity Campaign to Help Low-Income Children Kicks Off
ASTANA – The eighth annual “The Road to School” charity campaign to help children in need is being held in Astana from the beginning of August until the end of September. The campaign, which is operating under the slogan “Let’s help children together!,” seeks to identify children who are not in school as well as…
Nazarbayev Attends SCO, BRICS Summits in Ufa
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev travelled to Ufa, Russia July 9-10 to take part in the fifteenth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the seventh summit of BRICS, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The gathering was attended by the leaders of the SCO member states (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and…
Kazakhstan Continues Liberalising Visa Regime, Works to Facilitate EU Entry for its Citizens
ASTANA – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev said Kazakhstan was both moving forward with further liberalisation of its visa regime for foreigners and working to facilitate travel for its own citizens to European countries. “In accordance with the government decree, the citizens of Australia, Hungary, Italy, Monaco, Belgium, Spain, the…
Kazakhstan Chooses Winners of Second International Journalism Contest
ASTANA – On the eve of Astana Day, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry and the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan announced the winners of their second international journalism contest, “Kazakhstan through the eyes of foreign media.” The contest attracted 55 entries from 35 countries, with five regional prizes awarded to journalists representing the Commonwealth of Independent…
Plans for 26 Projects, 12 MOCs Signed at Kazakh-Indian Business Forum
ASTANA – A Kazakh-Indian business forum with the participation of Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi took place in Astana on July 7. The forum was held in the framework of Modi’s official visit to Kazakhstan. More than 100 people, including Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan Harsh Kumar…
President Nazarbayev Receives Kyrgyz Order of Friendship
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev was awarded the Order of Manas of the first degree by President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev during his working visit to Astana on July 6. On behalf of the people of Kyrgyzstan, Atambayev awarded the Order of Manas to his counterpart for his significant contribution to the friendship…
Book Chronicling Nazarbayev’s Efforts to Bring Peace in Ukraine Released
ASTANA – “The Peacemaker,” a new book dedicated to the activities of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to help advance the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, was presented July 2 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The book covers the events from Maidan to the Feb. 11 meeting in Minsk of the leaders of Norman…
In Twitter Chat, Kazakh FM Covers Ukraine, Afghanistan, EXPO 2017, Visa Free Regime
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov held a live Twitter chat with Internet users July 1 on the eve of the Day of Diplomatic Service. Announcements about the upcoming chat were posted in advance on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Twitter page. Users had a chance to directly ask Idrissov a wide range…
In Milan, Nazarbayev Announces Extension of Visa Free Regime for 20 Countries
MILANO – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that his country will extend and expand the trial visa-free regime announced last year and due to end this July. Now, citizens from 20 countries will not need visas for short trips to Kazakhstan, he announced at a Kazakh-Italian business forum in Milan on June 27. About 20…
Day of Kazakhstan’s Pavilion at EXPO 2015 to be Held in Milan
MILAN – The world exposition EXPO Milano 2015 opened in Italy in early May and will last for six months. EXPO Milano 2015 examines human history through the lens of two aspects of food production: traditional cultural values and the use of new technologies, its organisers say. They expect up to 20 million visitors during…
Kazakhstan Seeks Stronger African Ties during 25th Assembly of AU Leaders
A Kazakh delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Askar Mussinov participated in the 25th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Johannesburg, South Africa June 12-15. The AU assembly examined women’s empowerment and development in relation to Africa’s Agenda 2063 programme. Regional security and migration policies were…
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Praises Kazakh Social Development Efforts
ASTANA – Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors travelled to Astana to participate in the conference dedicated to the 20thanniversary of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan (APK). During her visit, she held a meeting June 15 with Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov where theydiscussed…
Nazarbayev Meets Leaders of Finland, Jordan
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev met with President of Finland Sauli Niinistö and King Abdullah II of Jordan on June 10 and 11. The leaders had come to the Kazakh capital to attend the fifth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. During a June 10 meeting with the Finnish leader at…
UN Secretary-General Visits Kazakhstan for Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev met United Nations(UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Astana’s Palace of Peace and Harmony on June 10 to discuss the work of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and other ways of cooperation. Nazarbayev noted that the participation of the UN Secretary-General in the Congress,…
CIS Prime Ministers Meet in Burabai, Sign Economic, Transport, Cultural Agreements for Coming Years — Vietnam Becomes First Country to Sign Free Trade Agreement with EAEU
ASTANA – The Burabai resort area 200 kilometres north of Astana hosted the meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of Government as well as the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on May 29, resulting in the signing of a number of documents. These included a joint action plan to address pressing economic…
Syrian Opposition Meeting in Astana Makes Tentative Headway in Finding Way Forward for Peace Process
ASTANA – The majority of 30 Syrian opposition figures who met in Astana on May 25-27 issued a joint statement on May 28, in which they appealed for a continued search for political solutions to the lasting conflict in their country. They also thanked the Kazakh government for providing a favourable setting for the latest…
Astana Hosts UN Media Seminar on Middle East Peace
ASTANA – The United Nations (UN) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Kazakhstan held the 23rd International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East on May 26–27. Participants exchanged views on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, difficulties in covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of social media in news…
Kazakhstan to Provide $200,000 in Humanitarian Aid to Nepal
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will provide $200,000 in official humanitarian assistance to Nepal, as decided May 25 by the commission on international humanitarian aid chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev. The funds will be allocated from the government emergency reserve, reported the prime minister’s press service. Nepal was damaged April 25-28 by a 7.8-magnitude…
Report Says Kazakhstan’s Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts Should Redouble
ASTANA – Kazakhstan, a country that is a source, a destination and a transit country trafficking in persons has done a lot to combat this problem, yet it should do much more to more effectively overcome it. This was the gist of a special report of the Human Rights Commission under Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev…
Almaty Honours Kazakh Historian Persecuted Under Stalin with Memorial Plaque
On May 15 in Almaty, a memorial plaque was dedicated to prominent Kazakh historian Ermukhan Bekmakhanov, who would have turned 100 this year. Bekmakhanov was repressed under Stalin, standing accused of “bourgeois nationalism” for his research on the last Kazakh Khan, Kenessary Kassymov, leader of the anti-imperialist uprising of 1837-1847. The memorial was installed on…
International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East to be Held in Astana
ASTANA – Astana is planning to host the 23rd International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East on May 26–27. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the Department of Public Information of the United Nations (UN DPI). The media seminar will be attended by current and former…
Astana Economic Forum to Feature Sessions on Africa, KazAID
ASTANA – The 8th Astana Economic Forum (AEF), to be held May 21-22, will bring world leaders, experts and representatives from the business world together in the city’s Palace of Independence for an international discussion to address global economic and social challenges. The forum has become an authoritative dialogue platform of the Eurasian space, annually…
Enlarged Government Meeting Addresses Action Plan for Five Institutional Reforms
ASTANA – During an enlarged meeting of the Kazakh government on May 6, participants discussed practical aspects of 100 concrete steps to implement five institutional reforms proposed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The President, who chaired the meeting, outlined a number of specific objectives for each reform. In particular, Nazarbayev emphasised that the Agency for Civil…
Kazakhstan’s Pavilion Opens Successfully at EXPO Milano 2015
Milan will be a global showcase for the next six months following the May 1 opening of EXPO Milano 2015. The universal exposition, running through Oct. 31, will allow more than 140 participating countries to show the best of their technology that offers a concrete answer to a vital need: being able to guarantee healthy, safe and…
