Kazakh light industries focus on local market, face shortage of high-quality raw materials
NUR-SULTAN – Light industry is one of the priorities for the Kazakh economy. Product exports were $108.5 million for January-August 2018, 21 percent lower compared to the previous year. Imports reached $845 million, 6.2 percent higher than in 2017. Approximately 992 enterprises, 13 large, 27 medium-sized and 952 small companies, operate in light industry, reported…
Podcasts find growing audience, become new social opinion platform for creative Kazakhs
NUR-SULTAN – Why do creative individuals launch podcasts in a period of YouTube domination? What topics do they explore? Is podcasting becoming more popular in Kazakhstan? The Astana Times interviewed TEDx Ambassador Larissa Pak and engineer Omar-Sayan Karabayev to learn more about their podcasts and activities. Pak’s “Every Day by Day” covers topical and controversial…
Nur Otan party launches project to help public gain access to public services
NUR-SULTAN – The Nur Otan party has responded to recent calls for more public services with the launch of the Khalyqqa Komek (Assistance to the People) project. “The head of state set the task to implement four projects at the 18th Congress of the Nur Otan Party. The first project is aimed at supporting low-income,…
Almaty activists to establish new women’s aid, advocacy organisation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will soon have a new women’s assembly, Aruana, the leaders of nongovernmental organisations in the country announced March 19. The domestic violence crisis and information centre Ihlas Jurek and the Children of Kazakhstan charity foundation have united to help address the major problems women and children face in society. “Our main mission…
Shymkent officials brief PM on city’s development acceleration efforts
ASTANA – Shymkent city officials briefed Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin March 16 on the city’s project to accelerate its comprehensive development and construction plan. The acceleration effort and the development plan through 2023 seek to create new jobs, develop small and medium-sized businesses, improve the quality of public services and address social issues. It…
Khabar TV presents documentary about emerging boxing stars
ASTANA – Khabar TV previewed “Qazaq boks stıli” (Kazakh boxing style), a documentary directed by Kanat Beisekeyev, March 13 in the capital, reported the channel’s press service. The film detailing the life of Kazakh boxers in the U.S. will be released March 16. “Khabar TV has supported sports events for many years, and we are…
More than 100 clinics and hospitals offer free healthcare in Almaty
ASTANA – Approximately 104 private organisations and 81 government organisations provide free government-sponsored healthcare to Almaty residents, said Social Health Insurance Fund director Tleukhan Abildayev at a March 5 press conference. “The number of private healthcare providers working with government has doubled over the past two years. Also, 77 clinics including 38 private offer services,”…
Kyzylorda region sees industrial production and export growth
ASTANA – Approximately 1.7 trillion tenge (US$4.5 billion) was invested in the Kyzylorda region in 2013-2018, the regional press service reported March 3. Investments increased last year by 25.5 percent, mainly due to the growth of the investments provided by the enterprises. Investments in fixed assets were 325.5 billion tenge (US$865 million). Fixed asset investment…
Rakhat Confectionery shows stable growth, leads in chocolate market
ASTANA – Rakhat Confectionery recorded positive growth in all key indicators last year, increasing revenue, profitability and market share, according to the company’s Feb. 26 press release. Income grew by 4.8 percent compared to 2017, with revenue of 59.171 million tenge (US$158 million). Market share grew 2 percent and reached 20.5 percent in the main…
EBRD predicts 3.5-percent GDP growth for Kazakhstan in 2019, tariff-setting and renewable energy should be in focus
ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Transition Report forecasts steady growth for the Kazakh economy, as major structural reforms are expected to improve the situation further. “Kazakhstan’s real GDP grew 4 percent in 2017 and a little bit more in 2018. This has been driven since 2017 primarily by exports and…
Astana Opera to present classical masterpieces
ASTANA – Soprano Maria Mudryak and tenor Medet Chotabaev will present “Masterpieces of Musical Art” March 2 at the Astana Opera House in the capital. The Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra will perform for the first time with maestro Ilya Mashkevich. The programme includes Symphony No. 9 by Czech composer Antonin Dvořák. “I perform this music…
Finland to promote EU-Kazakhstan cooperation, boost economic ties, says envoy
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is the most important Central Asian economic partner for Finland, said Finnish Ambassador Mikko Kivikoski in an interview with The Astana Times which touched upon a number of topics relating to the two nations. “During the second half of this year, Finland will take over the European Union (EU) presidency after Romania.…
Non-profit promotes Central Asian culture in South Korea
ASTANA – The Central Asian Supporters Association (CASA) based, a non profit organisation based in Seoul, South Korea, promotes Central Asian culture and connects citizens of the region living in South Korea. CASA has members from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. “When you are abroad, country borders are washed away and you feel closer…
Digital Kazakhstan measures increase labour productivity, reduce costs
ASTANA – Measures implemented through Digital Kazakhstan have had a 218-billion tenge (US$579 million) economic impact and created more than 43,000 jobs, said Minister of Information and Communication Dauren Abayev Feb. 19. The positive trend is being observed in many sectors. The legislative base has improved and optimised approaches have been developed in production, business…
National Museum presents Urzhar priestess and restored treasures exhibition
ASTANA – The Kazakh National Museum opened the Urzhar Priestess and Restored Treasures: results of conservation and restoration works exhibition Feb. 13 in the capital. The show is dedicated to the museum’s fifth anniversary, reported the Ministry of Culture and Sports press service. The sensational artefact was discovered during a 2013 archaeological expedition headed by…
Kazakh government, EBRD reaffirm support for SMEs, business consulting increases turnover
ASTANA – Small and medium-sized businesses are key focus areas in the country, said European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Kazakhstan Director Agris Preimanis at the sixth annual steering committee meeting. The bank intends to invest $540 million in various projects this year. “Kazakhstan is one of the most important markets for the…
Kazakh retailers see positive dynamics in online shopping, plan to strengthen customer service
ASTANA – The government anticipates e-commerce will account for 2-3 percent of the retail market by 2021. The figure is currently approximately 1.9 percent of the total trade market, according to the Kazakhstan Internet Business and Mobile Commerce Association. The Ministry of National Economy reported the 101-billion tenge (US$270 million) e-commerce market represented 2.9 percent…
Astana Opera premieres “Eugene Onegin”
ASTANA – Astana Opera House presented Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” staged by Italian director Davide Livermore Feb. 8-9 in the capital. Russian baritone Alexey Isaev and Talgat Mussabayev performed the part of Eugene Onegin, Galina Cheplakova and Aigul Niyazova portrayed the leading role of Tatyana and Medet Chotabayev and Zhan Tapin played Vladimir Lensky. “This…
Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare attracts infrastructure modernisation investments, as medical coverage doubles in rural areas
ASTANA – The Ministry of Healthcare intends to attract 1.3 trillion tenge (US$3.4 billion) in investments, bringing private investment in healthcare to 60 percent by 2025, reported Vice Minister of Healthcare Alexey Tsoy at the Feb. 5 meeting. The ministry and regional administrations are implementing a project to develop health infrastructure as part of the…
KazISS among world’s top think tanks for fourth consecutive year
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President (KazISS) was ranked among the world’s top think tanks for the fourth consecutive year, the institute’s press service reported Feb. 4. KazISS was ranked 142th among 8,162 think tanks and the second among those in Central Asia in the 2018 Global To Go Think…
Akmola region achieves positive results in industry, exports; puts social sector in focus
ASTANA – The Akmola region received a positive assessment at the Feb. 2 government meeting for industrial growth and the amount of housing commissioned as part of the 7-20-25 programme. Regional Akim (Governor) Malik Murzalin set the goal of increasing target indicators in the agriculture, entrepreneurship and social sectors. “The Ministry of Agriculture noted the…
Kostanai region economy grows, expands export geography
ASTANA – The Kostanai region’s economy continues to grow, reported Kostanai Region Akim (Governor) Arkhimed Mukhambetov during his Jan. 29 meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev at Akorda. The manufacturing industry increased 8.3 percent compared with 2017 and construction increased 22.3 percent. More than 300,000 square metres of housing were commissioned. “We are working with 11…
Emerging Kazakh female writers captivate audience with real-life stories, use social media to promote books
ASTANA – What challenges do young writers face? What are their sources of inspiration? How can social media increase book sales? The Astana Times spoke with young Kazakh female writers to learn about their stories and ambitions. Meruyert Alonso Karaganda native Meruyert Alonso released her first book, “The short summer of Chanteclaire,” in 2018. A…
Alstom strengthens its positions in Central Asia, focuses on localising technology in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Alstom, the French multinational rail transport company, started delivering Kazakh-produced Prima T8 electric locomotives to Azerbaijan in late December. Capital-based Electric Locomotives Assembly Factory (EKZ) plans to produce 40 freight locomotives for the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars regional railway link operated by Azerbaijan Railways. Launched in 2012, the EKZ plant is the result of a strategic…
EBRD launches Women in Microbusiness programme, focuses on Kazakh regions
ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is accepting applications for the Women in Microbusiness project financed by the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy, reports EBRD’s press service. The business training project will accept 350 women entrepreneurs from 14 regions. Micro-enterprises led by women with up to nine staff and an annual…
