Kazakhstan, Italy Announce Intention to Deepen Mutual Partnership
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Italy confirmed their intention to deepen mutual partnership and explore new forms of collaboration in a joint statement signed by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu and Antonio Tajani, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Sept. 5, reported…
Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund Allocates $315 Million to Support Nation’s Social Welfare
ASTANA – The Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund (to the people of Kazakhstan) has allocated over 146.5 billion tenge ($315.2 million) to finance more than 40 charitable programs and projects. These initiatives target key issues in healthcare, education, social support, culture, and sports, said the fund’s Chair, Bolat Zhamishev, during the meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on…
Air Astana Plans to Launch Flights to Tokyo, Singapore, New York Next Year
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana plans to launch flights to Tokyo and Singapore next year and to New York in 2025, said company’s CEO Peter Foster during a Sept. 6 meeting with Kazakh Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev, reported the ministry’s press service. Foster spoke about the airline’s readiness to enter the initial…
Kazakh PM Encourages NCOC to Increase Kashagan Field’s Production
ASTANA – Production potential of Kashagan field can reach 75 million tons of oil per year, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during a solemn event to mark the 30th anniversary of developing Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea shelf and attended by veterans of the country’s oil and gas industry, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on…
UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution on UN-SCO Cooperation
ASTANA – The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution on Cooperation between the United Nations (UN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Sept. 1, spokesperson of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Aibek Smadiyarov announced at a Sept. 4 press briefing. The resolution was developed and submitted for consideration within Kazakhstan’s…
Kazakh President Observes Military Exercises in Almaty Region
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces, visited the Batyl Toytarys (Bold Rebuff) 2023 military exercises at the Bereg training ground in Konayev, the administrative center of the Almaty Region, on Sept. 5, according to the Akorda press service. Tokayev observed the exercises from a watchtower. Prior…
Standard & Poor’s Reaffirms Kazakhstan’s Sovereign Credit Rating, Outlook Stable
ASTANA – The international rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) confirmed Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit rating at BBB-/A-3 and maintained a stable outlook on Sept. 4. Kazakhstan’s economic growth momentum will moderate as the government tightens fiscal policy in line with its fiscal rules. At the same time, government net debt is low, and the country’s…
KazISS: New Council of Economic Experts to Advise on National Growth
ASTANA – Experts from both the Kazakh state and independent sectors will soon have the opportunity to assess economic development indicators and offer recommendations to the President, the Executive Office of the President, the government, and other relevant parties. Nurlan Sakuov, Deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), revealed the formation of…
Kazakh President Sets Task to National Bank’s New Chair
ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key tasks to the new Chair of the National Bank, Timur Suleimenov, during a Sept. 4 meeting with the bank’s leadership, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev underlined Suleimenov’s extensive experience in the financial and economic field. He headed the socio-economic block of the Presidential Administration for more…
Kazakhstan, Shandong Province Explore Promising Areas for Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov and Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Province Lin Wu discussed the advancement of cooperation in trade, economics, transport and logistics during a Sept. 4 meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. According to Smailov, Shandong makes up more than 6% of the total trade volume between…
Kazakhstan’s New Economic Model to be Citizen-Centered, Says Tokayev
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new economic development model will focus on the interests and needs of its citizens, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his Sept. 1 address to the nation, according to the Akorda press service. “Every year, more than 400,000 children are born in Kazakhstan. By year’s end, the population will reach 20 million. Based…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Int’l Day Against Nuclear Tests, Kazakh Uranium Exports, and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on International Day against Nuclear Tests, Kazakhstan’s uranium exports, gross domestic product growth forecast, and more. Today: International Day against Nuclear Tests Daswetter published an article on Aug. 29 dedicated to…
Kazakhstan to Strengthen Position as Key Transit Hub in Eurasia
ASTANA – During his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan should bolster its role as a vital transit hub in Eurasia and aim to become a full-fledged transport and logistics power, according to the Akorda press service. Tokayev has directed the government to increase the share of the transport and logistics…
Tokayev’s Address Calls for Infrastructure Modernization, Energy, Water Security
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underlined the need for infrastructure modernization, energy efficiency and security during his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address, reported the Akorda press service. “A series of accidents at thermal power plants last winter sharply highlighted the problems of infrastructure depreciation that had accumulated over the years. Outdated infrastructure has a direct…
Tokayev Outlines Key Pillars of New Economic Model in State-of-the-Nation Address
ASTANA – Kazakhstan should resolutely transition to a new economic model, prioritizing tangible improvements in citizens’ lives, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, reported the Akorda press service. “The new economic course of the country will be guided by principles of fairness, inclusiveness and pragmatism,” stated Tokayev. The 90-minute…
From East to West: Foreign Media Contest Winners Awarded in Astana
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry hosted the ceremony on Aug. 29, honoring winners of the eighth Kazakhstan Through the Eyes of Foreign Media contest, initiated by the ministry, the Chief Editors Club, the Kazakh Tourism national company and the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Eight authors…
Kazakhstan, Brazil Seek to Expand Trade, Investment Ties
ASTANA — Kazakh and Brazilian business leaders explored trade and investment prospects during an Aug. 24 round table in Sao Paulo, attended by Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov, reported the ministry’s press service on Aug. 25. The meeting participants exchanged views on increasing the supply of Kazakh goods to Brazil. The Kazakh Invest national…
KIA Corporation to Invest Nearly $194 Million in New Plant in Kostanai
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar and Sang Gwon Jung, President of KIA Corporation Russia and CIS, signed an agreement to establish the KIA Qazaqstan joint venture. The partnership will oversee the construction of a new KIA plant in Kostanai with an investment of 90 billion tenge ($193.5 million), reported the Prime Minister’s…
Kazakhstan to Share Best Practices in Digital Government with Tajikistan
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited the Digital Government Office on Aug. 26, as part of Rahmon’s visit to Astana, reported the Akorda press service. Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin presented IT platforms facilitating effective interaction between government agencies and citizens.…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Tokayev’s Address at BRICS Session, Vietnamese-Kazakh Ties, and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media across the world. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the BRICS session, the Vietnamese-Kazakh partnership, Trans-Caspian fiber optic project, and more. Kazakhstan expresses interest in joining BRICS Kazakhstan indicated its interest…
Kazakh President Advocates Uniting BRICS, SCO Efforts to Promote Global Peace
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated via video call in the BRICS Plus dialogue session, part of the 15th BRICS Summit on Aug. 24 in Johannesburg, reported the Akorda press service. The President participated in the meeting as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Chair (SCO). In his speech, Tokayev expressed gratitude…
Almaty Hosts First Meeting of SCO Council of National Coordinators
ASTANA – Almaty, designated the cultural and tourism capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for 2023-2024, hosted the first meeting of the SCO Council of National Coordinators on Aug. 21-24, reported the Foreign Ministry on Aug. 24. The development of effective solutions to issues on the regional and international agenda will be a primary…
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic Hold Military Exercises
ASTANA — Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic conducted special tactical exercises involving armed forces units at the Edelweiss training ground in Balykchy town of Issyk-Kul region, reported the Kazakh Defense Ministry on Aug. 23. The participants carried out joint actions of forces for the rapid deployment and execution of joint combat and special tasks, focusing…
UN Commends Kazakhstan’s Efforts to Strengthen Peace, Promote Dialogue in Central Asia
ASTANA – Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Kaha Imnadze noted Kazakhstan’s significant contribution to strengthening peace and promoting dialogue in the region during an Aug. 24 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev…
Kazakhtelecom, AzerTelecom Agree to Construct Fiber Optic Communication Lines in Caspian Sea
ASTANA – The Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom companies signed an agreement on registering a joint venture responsible for the construction of fiber optic communication lines (FOCL) along the bottom of the Caspian Sea on Aug. 23, reported Kazakhtelecom’s press service. The initiative, a part of the Digital Silk Road project, aims to improve the quality of…
