World of Nomads festival presents ancient traditions, martial arts competitions
NUR-SULTAN – The fourth Koshpendiler Alemi (World of Nomads) festival took place June 28-30 at the Ethnoaul national cultural complex in the capital. The festival included competitions of professional archers, kokpar (the ancient nomadic game) players, eagle hunters, warrior battles to create the atmosphere of life of ancient nomads. “The main purpose of the event…
Karaganda Region to launch compulsory health insurance pilot project this fall
NUR-SULTAN – Karaganda Region will launch a pilot project on compulsory social health insurance from September. The pilot will test practices for providing services, identifying insurance status and accounting. A new model of guaranteed free healthcare was developed for the compulsory social health insurance system in 2018. It will take effect January 1. Minister of…
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Justice to open intellectual property rights coordination centre to secure investments
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Justice plans to create an intellectual property rights coordination centre to secure investments and protect intellectual property using the experience of the U.S.-based National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre (NIPRCC). Operating under the Department of Homeland Security since 2000, NIPRCC unites 23 organisations including 19 key federal agencies and…
Almaty stays atop World Bank’s Subnational Doing Business report for Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Doing business is easiest in Almaty, Aktau and Aktobe among the 16 locations in Kazakhstan rated by the second World Bank’s Subnational Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2019 report, released June 17. The report studied business regulations in four areas – starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and registering property –…
International observers note high voter turnout, democratic processes in Kazakh presidential election
NUR-SULTAN – On the day following Kazakhstan’s early presidential election, international observation mission heads and delegates shared their views regarding voting procedure and citizen participation. This year, the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) accredited 1,013 international observers, including 866 from nine international organisations and 147 from 41 foreign countries. The following observations were made by…
Kazakhstan: international observers attend polling stations nationwide to monitor voting, election law
NUR-SULTAN – The foreign observers started their mission to ensure that the June 9 presidential election meets international standards throughout Kazakhstan. Overall, Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has accredited 1,013 international observers, including 866 observers from nine international organisations and 147 observers from 41 foreign countries. Ambassador Urszula Gacek, who heads the Election Observation Mission…
Number of foreign journalists accredited to cover Kazakh presidential election jumps more than 35% over 2015 election
NUR-SULTAN – The number of foreign journalists accredited to cover Kazakhstan’s June 9 presidential election has increased more than 35 percent over the number of reporters accredited to cover the 2015 presidential election. Approximately 227 foreign journalists from 40 countries have been accredited to cover this year’s election, while this number does not take into…
AIFC Bureau launches expert school to address financial challenges in Eurasian integration processes
NUR-SULTAN – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Bureau launched an expert school May 27 on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) common financial space. The first such platform in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) aims to increase the potential of qualified experts, form a common financial space to provide financial services, ensure beneficiary protection…
Kazakh government plans significant improvements to country’s drinking water supply by 2023
NUR-SULTAN – The water supply will be improved this year for 126,800 people in 68 Kazakh villages. Approximately 90.2 percent or 16.5 million people out of Kazakhstan’s 18.4 million population have access to the centralised water supply. Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Roman Sklyar said at a June 4 government meeting that it is…
Major tourist facility to open next year in Aktau, other investment projects to launch this year
NUR-SULTAN – Turkey’s Sembol Construction will build a 600-room resort on the Caspian Sea coast in Aktau, said Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin May 31 during the ceremony to lay the foundation stone at the site. The facility, with a heated swimming pool, children’s water park, golf zone, casino, football field, tennis court, villas and…
Incumbent President Tokayev campaigns on platform of continuity, justice and progress
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President and Nur Otan Party candidate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s campaign platform is based on “peace and harmony, a decent life for all and democratisation.” Founded in 1999, Nur Otan has become the leading political party in the country under the leadership of former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Nur Otan Party nominated incumbent…
318 projects to launch at Kazakhstan’s economic and industrial zones from 2019-2021
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development will launch approximately 320 projects by 2021 at special economic zones (SEZ) and industrial zones. SEZ and industrial zones attract investment and promote exports, said Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Roman Sklyar at a May 21 government meeting. One hundred and forty-seven of those projects…
Kazakhstan accredits 125 international observers for presidential election, accreditation continues until June 3
NUR-SULTAN – The Central Election Commission (CEC) has accredited 125 international observers, including 22 long-term observers from the Election Observation Mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe Kazakhstan’s June 9 presidential election, said CEC Member Zauresh Baimoldina at a…
Joint efforts key to protecting children’s rights, says UNICEF representative in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s ratification of it. The Astana Times spoke with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Kazakhstan Yuri Oksamitniy to learn more about the country’s challenges and achievements in protecting…
UN Women calls for women’s economic autonomy, equality, childcare schemes
NUR-SULTAN – Gender equality is the solution to our current problems and we all need to step up and speak out, said Åsa Regnér, Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director, at the May 17 First Kazakhstan Forum on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Astana Economic Forum. Regnér noted…
Financial inclusion contributes to growth, strengthening banking system in Kazakhstan, says WB economist
NUR-SULTAN – Attracting foreign investment, developing the private sector and diversifying the economy are important aspects for Kazakhstan’s next stage of development, said World Bank Chief Economist for Europe and Central Asia Asli Demirguc-Kunt in an interview with The Astana Times. “The Astana International Financial Centre will play an important role in being a one-stop…
Kazakhstan’s GDP growth reaches 4 percent, investment continues to increase
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product grew 4 percent so far this year compared to the same period in 2018 and in the first four months of 2019 inflation has remained in the targeted corridor of 1.8 percent, Minister of National Economy Ruslan Dalenov told a May 14 government meeting. “GDP growth accelerated to 4…
U.K., Kazakhstan set to deepen strong strategic partnership, says British Trade Envoy
NUR-SULTAN – The United Kingdom and Kazakhstan have enormous potential in all sectors, said Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, the U.K. Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy for Kazakhstan, in a recent interview with The Astana Times. “I’m very excited to be here. We have a strategic partnership between our two nations and we’re all very proud…
“Taste of Europe” cookbook presented in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The European Union (EU) delegation to Kazakhstan presented “Taste of Europe” May 2 to mark the Day of Europe celebration in the capital. The cookbook, featuring traditional recipes from 28 European countries, has recipe modification tips, bright illustrations by Alya Sharipova and historical background of the dishes. Europe has been a laboratory of…
EU, UNICEF support Kazakhstan’s approaches to juvenile justice reforms
NUR-SULTAN – The European Union (EU) delegation in Kazakhstan and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the country’s justice system for every child, according to a statement at the April 30 Justice for Children: Improving Approaches and Services meeting in the capital. The law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain…
Astana International Exchange to align with Green Investment Principles; CCB joins AIFC
NUR-SULTAN – The Astana International Exchange (AIX) recently announced plans to align with the Green Investment Principles (GIP), reported the organisation’s press service. The GIPs aim to build an international network to improve the management of environmental risks for investments in the Belt and Road Initiative region. The GIPs were developed by China Green Finance…
Auyl party nominates Toleutai Rakhimbekov as presidential candidate
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s social democratic party, Auyl (Village), nominated National Agrarian Research and Education Centre Chair Toleutai Rakhimbekov as its candidate for Kazakhstan’s upcoming presidential elections, Auyl Chair Ali Bektayev reported to the April 25 party congress. “We have discussed who would be nominated as a presidential candidate from the party since the first days…
Chevron’s Zangar project prepares Atyrau Region youth for careers in science, technology
NUR-SULTAN – The Zangar programme has reached more than 9,600 young people in the Atyrau Region as part of the Chevron youth development programme. The International Youth Foundation (IYF) launched the project in partnership with the Atyrau regional akimat (administration) in 2015. It prepares youth to succeed in their careers with 21st century skills and…
President Tokayev, other presidential candidate pass language proficiency tests
NUR-SULTAN – Ruling Nur Otan party candidate and incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev passed the Kazakh language examination, the Central Election Commission reported April 23. Candidates for the June 9 presidential election are required to demonstrate proficiency in the Kazakh language by writing a maximum two-page essay in Kazakh, reading Kazakh text provided to them and…
UK sees Kazakhstan as major strategic partner in Central Asia, says British minister
NUR-SULTAN – The United Kingdom views Kazakhstan as one of its major strategic partners in Central Asia, U.K. Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan said in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. He spoke about the U.K.’s support for the continuity represented by Kazakhstan’s domestic leadership transition. The stability…
