Articles by Assem Assaniyaz

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) convened the first meeting of the new KazISS GPS Gylym. Pikir. Sayasat. (“science”, “opinion”, “politics” from Kazakh) expert platform on April 5 to discuss political reforms initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The leaders of the political parties, the expert community, and public figures took part in…

NUR-SULTAN – The international rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) affirmed Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit rating at BBB-/A-3 and maintained the stable outlook on Apr. 1, 2022, despite the geopolitical turbulence. The Central Asian nation’s rating is conditioned by the strong government and external balance sheets, along with elevated oil and gold prices to help mitigate…

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated people on the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Akorda press service reported.     “The month of Ramadan carries enduring moral values: humanity, compassion, mercy”, said the President, stressing that the humanistic ideals of Islam play an important role in strengthening the unity of the nation, peace and…

NUR-SULTAN – This year, the Holy Month of Ramadan will begin on April 2 and last through May 1, said the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK).    Ramadan is a holy month of fasting. For Muslims, it is a period of spiritual renewal and purification. People strive to help those in need, make donations and do good. …

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with China reached $1.4 billion as of Jan., which is 53.4 percent more than a year earlier, reported on April 1 Finprom.kz .  China’s share is 16.1 percent of the country’s foreign trade turnover, according to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms.    Exports…

NUR-SULTAN – This year, the international holiday of Nauryz has been widely celebrated as the pandemic restrictions were lifted in many countries. To celebrate Nauryz, the Kazakh embassies organized cultural events to help guests get acquainted with the history and traditions of the Kazakh people, take part in the celebration and enjoy the diverse program,…

NUR-SULTAN – The Uralsk International Airport was renamed after the Hero of the Soviet Union Manshuk Mametova after its reconstruction, the press service of the Uralsk Akimat (city administration) reported on March 28.    The airport is undergoing the registration procedure of the facility after the completion of the construction of a new terminal building to…

NUR-SULTAN – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will support Kazakhstan’s financial institutions in developing and implementing guidelines and rules for the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy, reported the EBRD’s press service.    Within the framework of the memorandum of understanding between the Bank and the Agency of Kazakhstan for Regulation and…

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government plans to develop the import substitution program with a mission to reduce imports, increase export advantages and competitiveness of domestic production, reported the Prime Minister’s Office on March 19.  The state bodies have presented a preliminary plan that includes 444 domestic import substitution projects worth 13.3 trillion tenge (US$26 billion).…

As a freshly minted graduate of the Moscow-based MGIMO University and having written my thesis on the international effort to address global climate change, I have the honor of sharing my personal views on the environmental situation in Kazakhstan.  The problem of climate change is one of the main challenges of our time and requires…