Articles by Saniya Sakenova

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to increase exports to Armenia to $350 million, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a joint media briefing with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on April 15, reported Akorda. Tokayev arrived for an official visit to Yerevan earlier today.  Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that Armenia is a very important and reliable partner…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed laws amending penalties for violence against women and children on April 15, reported the Akorda press service. The President instructed to tighten responsibility for violence against women and children in his addresses to the people of Kazakhstan twice, first in March 2022 and then in September 2023. In addition…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed their strong commitment to enhancing multifaceted ties at an April 15 meeting in Yerevan, reported the Akorda press service. The President stressed the significance he places on this official visit, considering it as an important stage in the development of bilateral relations.…

ASTANA – Residents of the Kostanai Region, which has been in meltwater since the end of March, are gradually recovering after experiencing the first massive floods in three decades. The last time such floods occurred was in 1994, before the dam construction, Kazinform reported on April 10. During the 1994 floods, private and two-story houses…

ASTANA – After nearly two years of developing an effective technology for producing oxidation-resistant silver nanoparticles, scientists from Karaganda Buketov University and Kazakhstan’s National Academy of Sciences have made antiviral masks with relatively high antibacterial and antifungal properties, Kazinform reported on April 11. Viral respiratory infections are the most common diseases worldwide. They are caused…

ASTANA — The Senate, the upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, approved the law on women’s rights and children’s safety at an April 11 session, State Counselor Erlan Karin wrote on his Telegram channel. “Key legislative amendments include the criminalization of domestic violence, tougher penalties for all forms of violence against children, and a range…

ASTANA – Since the beginning of the floods, 97,852 people, including 32,856 children, have been rescued and evacuated, the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations reported on April 11. The involved aircraft rescued 2,823 people, including 865 children. Currently, 7,173 people are housed in temporary accommodation centers, 3,494 of whom are children. Additionally, 88,561 farm animals…

ASTANA – Youth resource centers and organizations initiated a large-scale environmental campaign, titled Taza (clean) Kazakhstan across all regions of the country on April 8, reported the Culture and Information Ministry’s press service. The campaign will last five weeks, with each week focusing on a specific theme. During the first week, running until April 13,…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to the people of Kazakhstan and leaders of foreign countries for their support and assistance in addressing the recent floods, reported Akorda. On his Instagram account, Tokayev mentioned messages of sympathy and offers of aid he received from heads of friendly countries during the days of the natural…

ASTANA – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) launched maintenance work and installation of new equipment at the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil trunk pipeline facilities on April 9, reported the CPC’s press office. Oil shipments at the CPC marine terminal have been suspended, with plans for resumption scheduled for April 11 so far. “Such 72-hour shutdowns of pumping…

ASTANA – Muslims in Kazakhstan and globally will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, also known as Eid or Oraza Ait, marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan tomorrow. Eid al-Fitr, the feast of breaking the fast, begins with a morning prayer called Ait-namaz, usually performed collectively in mosques. Ramadan, the sacred month of spiritual renewal…

ASTANA – Lieutenant Colonel Altynbek Zhalmukhanov and Major Batyr Tuyakov have been stationed on the African continent since last year as part of the United Nations (UN) Stabilization Mission in Congo, the Kazakh Defense Ministry’s press service reported on April 6. Zhalmukhanov serves as the commander of a group of military observers in Kivanja in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s manufacturing sector saw a 7.4% increase in January and February, particularly in mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemistry and light industries, Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev said at an April 8 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported Akorda. The minister recalled plans to launch 180 projects worth 1.5 trillion tenge ($3.3 billion),…

ASTANA – The costume of the famous Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen was sold at a charity auction in Almaty for two million tenge (approximately $5,000), aimed at supporting flood victims in Kazakhstan, reported Kazinform. The costume was bought by Almaty broker Yerkebulan Aripbay, marking the largest lot sold.  Other items auctioned at the charity evening,…

ASTANA – As of April 9, over 86,000 people, including 29,000 children, have been rescued and evacuated since the floods began in Kazakhstan, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations. According to the ministry, the involved aircraft rescued 2,823 people, of whom 865 were children. Temporary accommodation centers housed 8,472 people, including 4,055 children. Over…

ASTANA – Kazakh kobyz player Olzhas Kurmanbek will accompany world-famous singer Dimash Kudaibergen in performances across Hungary and Türkiye as part of the Stranger concert tour in May, the Culture and Information Ministry’s press service reported on April 2. After playing the traditional Kazakh instrument for two decades, Kurmanbek has been performing on the big…

ASTANA – Heads of several United Nations’ (UN) agencies presented their outcomes and identified key priorities for work in Kazakhstan for 2024 at an annual meeting of the Steering Committee of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025 on April 4, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov…

ASTANA – With significant influence on local and international levels, spiritual leaders could assist in addressing climate change, inequality, and extremism, helping to end conflicts and wars through unity, Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, said at an April 4 roundtable discussion during his working visit to the…

ASTANA – The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) positively noted Kazakhstan’s efforts in improving anti-corruption legislation following the country’s first report presented at the 96th plenary meeting of GRECO in Strasbourg, France, the Anti-Corruption Agency’s press service reported on April 5. In particular, experts commended actions on the return of criminal proceeds, establishing a…

ASTANA – The Kazakh leadership is committed to upholding gender equality and protecting women’s rights, Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko said during a two-day seminar on April 4 in Astana, reported the ministry’s press service. The seminar, titled Protection of Women’s Rights: International and European Approaches, was organized with the support of the Council of…

ASTANA – Inspired by Kazakh skyrunner athlete Anar Burasheva, the Kazakh Everest Team is all set to conquer the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest, starting April 6, reported El.kz. The expedition’s goal is to hoist the national flag of Kazakhstan on Everest. Burasheva is confident that gender equality needs to be developed in mountaineering,…

ASTANA – The traditional KazChess Awards honored top players, coaches, referees, and those who have contributed to chess sports’ development in Kazakhstan on April 2 for the second consecutive year, reported the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s press service. This year, the list of nominations has been expanded to 12 categories from last year’s nine. The…

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon signed a memorandum to provide scholarships to Kazakh students at a meeting on April 2, reported the ministry’s press service. Starting this year, the Seoul administration will provide five educational grants to Kazakh citizens for master’s studies in technical…

ASTANA – The Aisholpan international cultural and educational project introduced PODCAST AISHOLPAN: the power of inspiration, a series of educational podcasts for teenage girls on YouTube on April 3 in Astana, reported the project’s press service. The project’s mission is aimed at empowering adolescents, enhancing female leadership from an early age, building generational connections, and…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID) and the Singaporean Foreign Ministry launched the Dostyk Digitalization program to enhance the digital skills of civil servants from Central Asian countries, the agency’s press service reported on April 1. The program, running from April 1 to 5, provides training on digital governance and e-government in English…