Fair Sentence in High-Profile Murder Case: Bishimbayev Gets 24 Years in Prison
ASTANA – A jury trial found Kuandyk Bishimbayev, the former Kazakh Minister of National Economy, guilty of torturing and murdering with extreme cruelty his common-law wife, Saltanat Nukenova. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison on May 13. Bakhytzhan Baizhanov, another defendant in the Nukenova murder case, received a four-year prison sentence for failing…
Kazakh, American Experts Launch Venture Fund for Innovative Medical Technologies
ASTANA — The first Kazakh-U.S. venture fund for innovative medical technologies, FutureMED Ventures KZ, was launched in the state of Delaware, reported Kazinform on May 13. The fund’s staff comprises leading experts from the United States and Kazakhstan who specialize in commercializing scientific advancements in the biomedicine and medical device industries. The total planned volume…
South Korean University to Open Drone Industry Department in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – South Korean professors will train personnel for the drone industry in Kazakhstan. This was announced during the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction delegation’s visit to South Korea, reported 24KZ TV channel on May 12. According to the ministry, so far only two universities in Kazakhstan have drone industry departments. Another one will…
First Kazakh Woman Reaches Mount Everest
ASTANA – The Kazakh Everest Team, consisting of Kazakh skyrunner athlete Anar Burasheva and legendary Kazakh climber Maksut Zhumayev, climbed the highest mountain peak in the world at the height of 8,848 meters above sea level – Mount Everest, reported the Kazakh Everest Team’s press service on May 12. The Kazakh expedition reached the peak…
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Address Transport Cooperation Priorities
ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev met with Uzbek Minister of Transport Ilhom Makhkamov to discuss priority areas of cooperation and its advancement, as reported by the Kazakh ministry’s press service on May 11. During the meeting, the sides addressed the implementation of joint projects to develop international transport corridors, railway and road…
Housing Restoration After Floods Continues in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Some 54,755 people returned to their homes and 5,291 people remain in temporary accommodation centers as of May 12. Nearly 130 families have received houses and apartments to replace destroyed ones. In the Aktobe, Kostanai, North Kazakhstan and Pavlodar Regions, 239 new houses are being built for affected citizens. In addition, 568 families…
Armenia, Azerbaijan Thank Kazakhstan for Initiating Peace Talks in Almaty
ASTANA – Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan expressed appreciation to the Kazakh side for hosting the negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on May 10-11 in Almaty, reported the ministries’ press service. “The ministers welcomed the progress on delimitation and agreements reached in this regard. The ministers and…
Kazakh President Signs Decree on Measures to Liberalize Economy
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the decree on measures to liberalize the economy on May 10 aimed at ensuring freedom of entrepreneurship by developing competition, reducing state stakes in the economy, and decreasing business costs, reported the Akorda press service. Firstly, it is envisaged to create a National Privatization Office at the Kazakh…
Azerbaijan, Armenia Hold Peace Talks in Almaty
ASTANA – Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan began negotiations in Almaty on May 10. Welcoming his counterparts, Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu emphasized Kazakhstan’s readiness to conscientiously carry out the duties of the excellent office without assuming the role of a mediator, reported Kazinform news agency. “Azerbaijan…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Victory Day, AI in Railway Transportation and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Victory Day celebrations, artificial intelligence in railway transportation, and more. EU considers vital to raise alternative Kazakh oil supply routes – ambassador The European Union (EU) sees the development of alternative routes for oil supplies…
Civil Aviation Academy’s Female Crew Makes its First Flight
ASTANA – The female crew of the Civil Aviation Academy made its first flight at the Taraz airfield, reported the Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Transport Ministry on May 10. The historical crew consisted of instructor pilot Adelina Lutsenko and student Yekaterina Styopina. The women took off on a Tecnam 2002JF single-engine training aircraft.…
Kazakhstan, Netherlands Sign Eight Commercial Documents
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed eight commercial documents aimed at promoting bilateral relations in agriculture, healthcare, ecology, and education, reported the Kazakh Invest on May 10. The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture and the Dutch company VISCON signed a memorandum of understanding on implementing a project for the construction of an…
Kazakhstan, Vietnam Introduce Visa-Free Travel This Month
ASTANA – The agreement on a visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and Vietnam will come into force on May 25, said Aibek Smadiyarov, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, during his weekly briefing on May 6, reported the ministry’s press service. The relevant agreement was signed in August last year in Hanoi. “Citizens of the two nations…
Floods in Kazakhstan: More People Return Home, Companies Donate Funds
ASTANA – According to the latest Ministry of Emergency Situations data, 54,276 people returned to their homes, and 5,284 people remain in temporary accommodation centers. The Kazakh government continues compensating families affected by devastating floods, and more large businesses are expressing their readiness to assist with flood mitigation measures. Kazakhstan’s three large companies will allocate…
Kazakhstan Highlights OIC’s Vital Role in Ensuring Peace in Muslim States
ASTANA — Kazakhstan stressed the significance of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) role in ensuring peace and security in several Muslim countries during the 15th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Gambia on May 4-5, reported the ministry’s press service. A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev and other event…
Kazakhstan to Use Flood Water Collected in Reservoirs for Agricultural, Industrial Needs
ASTANA — Water collected in reservoirs will be used for agricultural and industrial needs, reported by the press service of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation on May 3. Specialists in the West Kazakhstan Region are carrying out the safe passage of flood waters, as the region experiences its second wave of floods. The region’s…
Chinese Companies Donate Funds for Flood Victims in Kazakhstan
ASTANA — The General Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan organized a fundraiser to help with flood relief and reconstruction work after a natural disaster, reported the Kazakh Invest national company’s press service on May 3. To date, Chinese companies have allocated funds worth 300 million tenge (US$676,896) and provided humanitarian assistance through special equipment,…
Kazakh Invest Presents Investors’ Guide for Project Implementation
ASTANA – The Kazakh Invest national company presented a new methodological guide, which describes the investor’s path at a May 4 Investment Promotion Council, chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on May 4. The guide maps the route from initiation to the implementation of the project. The…
Washington Hosts Green 5+1 for Central Asia to Address Environmental Challenges
ASTANA – The Jamestown Foundation think tank hosted The Green 5+1 for Central Asia event on April 25 in Washington, D.C. to examine Central Asia’s environmental challenges and discuss cooperation between Central Asian states and the United States in addressing the impact of climate change, water management, and energy transition in the region, reported the…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Azerbaijani-Armenian Talks in Almaty, Kazakh-US Ties and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Azerbaijani-Armenian talks in Almaty, Kazakh-U.S. cooperation, and more. Kazakhstan and U.S. strategy The National Interest published an article on May 1 about the U.S. engagement with the Central Asian region, notably with Kazakhstan, authored…
Residents in Affected Regions Return Home as Floodwaters Recede
ASTANA – As of May 4, around 48,750 Kazakh citizens have returned to their homes in flood-affected regions, according to Askar Sharip, a representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, speaking at a briefing at the Central Communications Service on the same day. Across the country, water has been diverted and pumped from 8,378 residential…
Tashkent Investment Forum Focuses on Central Asian Development
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Nazira Nurbayeva took part in the Tashkent International Investment Forum, which focused on the development prospects of the Central Asian region and launched the Trade Connect Central Asia+ project on May 2-3, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. During the event, Nurbayeva outlined combined efforts by Kazakhstan and…
President Tokayev Outlines AIFC’s Key Role in Region’s Development
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted the critical role of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in attracting green funding for the region and developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) during a May 2 meeting with AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev said that more than 60% of green bonds…
Kazakhstan Prioritizes Development of Special Economic, Industrial Zones
ASTANA – Kazakhstan intends to allocate more than 70 billion tenge (US$157.7 million) to construct missing infrastructure at the special economic (SEZ) and industrial zone (IZ) sites, said Kazakh Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev at an April 29 meeting in the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the Mazhilis’ press…
Shymkent to Launch New Agriculture Production Facilities
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin visited Shymkent on May 1 to take a closer look at the progress of construction and the work of existing large production and agricultural facilities, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. A 5-hectare multifunctional warehouse complex, estimated to cost 10.2 billion tenge (US$23.1 million), is being built…
