Articles by Dana Omirgazy

News Digest: Foreign Media on United States-Central Asia Cooperation, Kazakh-Iranian Ties and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has compiled a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes coverage of the United States-Central Asia cooperation prospects, Kazakh-Iranian ties, and other topics. Biden meets five Central Asia leaders on UN sidelines President Joe Biden is turning Washington’s gaze to Central Asia…

Kazakhstan Welcomes 450,000 Foreign Tourists in Summer

ASTANA – According to the eQonaq information system, some 448,000 foreign tourists visited Kazakhstan during the summer, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports on Sept. 21. Almaty leads among the regions in the number of foreign guests with nearly 139,000 tourists, followed by Astana with some 68,000 visitors. The Almaty Region closes the…

Kazakh Lawmakers Ratify Agreement Establishing Turkic Investment Fund

ASTANA – Deputies of the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, ratified the agreement to establish the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) at a Sept. 20 plenary meeting, reported the Mazhilis’ press service. The member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan – agreed…

Asian Development Bank Revises Kazakh Economic Growth Rate Upward

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised its growth forecast for Kazakhstan, projecting a 4.1% rise in 2023 and 4.3% in 2024, up from the 3.7% and 4.1% previously estimated in April. This adjustment, detailed in the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) released on Sept. 20, is attributed to heightened consumption and investment spurred…

AIFC, Kyrgyz Republic to Enhance Cooperation in Capital Markets

ASTANA – The Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), a regulator of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), and the Kyrgyz Republic’s Service for Regulation and Supervision of the Financial Market (SSRSFM) under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation in capital markets, reported the AFSA press service…

Kazakh Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Discussions in New York

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Murat Nurtleu, met with foreign counterparts to enhance cooperation during a working trip to New York, reported the ministry’s press service on Sept. 21. During the extraordinary meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers Council, chaired by Nurtleu, the parties discussed the prospects for…

Kazakh Government: New Law on Illegally Acquired Assets Will Not Affect Diligent Investors 

ASTANA – The new law on the return of illegally withdrawn assets will not affect conscientious investors, according to a statement on the Kazakh Prime Minister’s website on Sept. 21. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the law on the return of illegally acquired assets to the state in July. The law provides a framework for the…

Kazakhstan Reiterates Commitment to Support UN Agenda

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will remain a staunch advocate of a strong and effective role of the United Nations (UN) in sustainable development, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addressing the first session of the Leaders’ Dialogue that discussed scaling up actions on key transitions to accelerate Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) progress on Sept. 18 in…

Kazakh President Addresses Prospects for Enhancing Ties with EU States, Iran

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held bilateral meetings with Presidents of Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iran, and Slovenia on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on Sept. 18 in New York, reported the Akorda press service. At the meeting with Hungarian President Katalin Novák, Tokayev highlighted the…

Kazatomprom Plans to Increase Uranium Exports via Middle Corridor

ASTANA – Dastan Kosherbayev, chief commercial officer of Kazatomprom national atomic company, spoke about uranium supplies along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, in an interview to Bloor Street Capital as part of the World Nuclear Symposium 2023 on Sept. 6-8 in London. During his interview, published on the…

Kazakh President Outlines Priorities for Resolving Water Issues, Aral Sea Crisis

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reaffirmed the country’s readiness to make every effort to strengthen the work of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) during a Sept. 15 meeting of the Council of Heads of the IFAS Founding States in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev said this year…

News Digest: Foreign Media on Middle Corridor, Kazakh-Chinese Ties and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has compiled a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes coverage of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, Kazakh-Chinese cooperation and other topics. Route to Kazakhstan – connecting Central Asia and Europe through the Middle Corridor Maersk, a Dutch integrated transport and logistics…

Kazakhstan Chess Federation Announces Rebranding, Launches Nationwide Tournament

ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KCF) announced its major rebranding with an updated corporate identity, strategic concept, and a new logo reflecting the heritage of Kazakh culture, and launched the Chess Caravan national project, reported the federation’s press service on Sept. 11. “We want to rethink the brand, fill it with new meanings, and…

Kazakhstan’s Economy Grows Nearly 5% from January to August

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economy expanded by 4.9% in January-August, including a 4.4% growth in the real sector and a 4.8% increase in the service sector, Deputy Minister of National Economy Azamat Amrin announced at a government meeting on Sept. 13, according to the Prime Minister’s press service.   Positive dynamics were observed in the main industries,…

Kazakhstan Opens Silkroad Innovation Hub Office to Promote Regional Startups  

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is opening the Silkroad Innovation Hub representative office on Sept. 15 to support and promote startups from Central Asian and Turkic states. The announcement was made by Bagdat Mussin, the Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, during a Sept. 13 government meeting chaired by Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov,…

Kazakh Invest Presents Investment Opportunities for American Business

ASTANA – Kazakh Invest national company released an article on Sept. 11, presenting investment opportunities in Kazakhstan and encouraging U.S. business to explore new areas of cooperation and deepen existing ties to enhance competitiveness, promote economic growth, and contribute to regional development. Oil & gas Kazakhstan, a global energy player with substantial oil and gas…

President Tokayev Urges New Model of Dialogue Between State and Businesses

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for a completely new model of relations between the state and businesses as he addressed the country’s business leaders on Sept. 12 in Astana, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev mentioned the new economic development model proposed in the state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1. He stressed the need…

Astana Street Named After Anadolu to Mark 100th Anniversary of Türkiye

ASTANA – A street in Astana will be named after Anadolu (Turkish form of Anatolia) to mark the centennial anniversary of Türkiye. This was announced during the meeting of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sept. 11, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev congratulated Fidan on his appointment and expressed…

Kazakhstan to Launch New Anabay Gas Field This Year

ASTANA – The QazaqGaz national company plans to launch a new Anabay gas field in the Zhambyl Region this year, according to the company’s Chair Sanzhar Zharkeshov. The announcement was made during a Sept. 11 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as reported by the Akorda press service. The meeting focused on the company’s key…

Kazakhstan, UNESCO Review Cooperation Prospects

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov and Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Almaty Cluster Office and UNESCO Representative to Kazakhstan Amir Piric discussed prospects for cooperation during a Sept. 7 meeting, reported the ministry’s press service. According to Umarov, the cooperation between Kazakhstan and UNESCO has…

Kazakhstan’s Legendary Cyclist Alexander Vinokurov Wins Gold at IRONMAN World Championship 2023

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s legendary cyclist and  General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team Alexander Vinokurov won gold medal in the male 50-54 category at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship 2023 in Nice on Sept. 10, reported the team’s press service. Vinokurov completed a 140.6-mile (226.2 kilometers) quest that combined ocean swimming, cycling and running along…

Kazakhstan’s Danilina and Finland’s Heliovaara Win 2023 US Open Mixed Doubles Final

ASTANA – Kazakh tennis player Anna Danilina together with Finland’s Harri Heliovaara won their first Grand Slam title on Sept. 9 by defeating Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek of the United States 6:3, 6:4 in the US Open 2023 mixed doubles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, reported the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation. “I…

Kazakhstan Seeks to Intensify Trade Cooperation with Eastern Countries

ASTANA – Kazakh government plans to develop a roadmap for promising joint investment projects with eastern countries and provide an effective algorithm for interaction with Chinese business executives, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on Sept. 9. Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, heads of government agencies and national companies discussed the progress of work and…

Kazakh Football Team Beats Northern Ireland in EURO 2024 Qualifying

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national football team defeated Northern Ireland 1:0 securing fourth victory in Euro 2024 qualifying at the Astana Arena on Sept. 10. Maksim Samorodov scored the only goal for Kazakhstan in the first half.   President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and boxing legend Gennady Golovkin attended the match. Tokayev congratulated the team on their brilliant victory…

Besbarmak Named Most Popular National Dish Among Foreigners

ASTANA – Besbarmak, a traditional Kazakh dish of boiled meat served with pastry noodles and potatoes, has been named the most popular national dish among foreign visitors, according to surveys conducted by domestic tour operators, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports on Sept. 7. Besbarmak can be made with various types of meat,…