Kazakhstan Among Leaders in Hosting Global Events in Central Asia and Caucasus
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is one of the leading countries in hosting international events in Central Asia and the Caucasus, according to the Country and City Rankings 2022 report by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), reported the association’s press service. Kazakhstan ranks third among five regional countries after Georgia and Azerbaijan. According to the…
Twenty Mobilography Fest Winners in Kazakhstan to Undergo Internship in New York
ASTANA – Twenty winners of the Mob Fest mobilography festival organized in Kazakhstan for the first time will intern at the New York Film Academy, Kazinform reported on June 15. One hundred participants selected after the festival’s first stage compete for the internship in the United States. Only 20 best video authors will take a…
Kazakhstan’s Aisultan Seitov Wins Best Director Award at Shanghai International Film Festival
ASTANA – Kazakh filmmaker Aisultan Seitov won Best Director Award for his “QASH” (Run) debut movie at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai, according to Qara production’s press statement on June 16. The shortlisted entries “QASH” picture was presented in the Best Film, Best Director and Best Scriptwriter nominations in the Asian New Talent…
No Referendum on Nuclear Power Plant Construction in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan will not be put to a referendum, Vice Minister of Energy Zhandos Nurmaganbetov said on the sidelines of a June 15 meeting of the Senate, an upper house of the Parliament, reported Kazinform. Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the construction of the…
Gennadiy Golovkin Renounces All Championship Belts
ASTANA – Kazakh legendary boxer Gennadiy Golovkin officially relinquished the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) middleweight title, the last belt he had since vacating the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBO) belts, Sports.kz reported on June 14. Golovkin, 41, started resigning from his world champion positions in February before fights where he…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakh-EU Ties, IMF Regional Center in Almaty, Middle Corridor 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 Kazakhstan’s green transition, the opening of the IMF Regional Capacity Development Center in Almaty, the Astana International Forum, energy security, the country’s cooperation with the European Union…
Air Astana Launches Almaty-Tel Aviv Flights in September
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana plans to launch Almaty – Tel Aviv flights starting from Sept. 7, reported the Civil Aviation Committee’s press service on June 15. Flights will be operated twice a week on Airbus A321 aircraft. According to the committee, the new route will facilitate the development of trade, economic, investment,…
Trade Turnover Between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Reaches $1.1 Billion in January-March
ASTANA – The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has reached $1.1 billion in the first three months of this year, a 5.2% increase from the same period of 2022, Finprom.kz reported on June 14. Exports from Kazakhstan accounted for most of the turnover (76.7%), rising 0.9% to $821.3 million since the beginning of the…
Kazakh Officials Sign Major Investment and Partnership Projects at Astana International Forum
ASTANA – Significant agreements and deals were signed during the Astana International Forum on June 8-9 to boost Kazakhstan’s investment and economic growth. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Italian energy company Eni, to discuss the company’s activities and decarbonization initiatives in the country, reported the Akorda. Following the meeting, Eni and…
Kazakh Animated Film Wins at Indian Festival
ASTANA – Kazakh short animated movie “Besik Zhyry” (Lullaby) was recognized as the best animated film at the Roshani International Film Festival 2023 in India, the Culture and Sports Ministry press service reported on June 13. Released in 2021 with the support of the State Center for the Support of National Cinema under the ministry,…
Eurasian Development Bank Forecasts 4.4% Economic Growth in Kazakhstan in 2024-2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economic growth could reach 4.3% in 2023 and 4.4% in 2024-2025, according to the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) macroeconomic outlook report for 2023-2025, published on June 1. “The government’s initiatives aimed at diversifying the economy, strengthening investment potential, and expanding production capacity will support economic activity,” reads the report. Strong domestic demand…
Kazakh President Appoints Ombudsperson for Rights of Socially Vulnerable Groups, New Commissioner for Children’s Rights
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed Svetlana Zhakupova as the Ombudsperson for the Rights of Socially Vulnerable Categories of the Population on June 12, reported the Akorda press service. Born in 1968, Zhakupova graduated from the Tselinograd State Pedagogical Institute in 1991. She also studied at the Almaty Academy of Economics and Statistics. Zhakupova previously…
Kazakhstan and Canada Discuss Establishing North American Mining Hub in Central Asia
ASTANA – A group of major Canadian companies visited Astana to discuss with Kazakh officials the potential launch of a U.S.-Canada regional hub as part of the 13th Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress on June 1-2, reported the Kazakh Embassy in Canada. A special session was held to assess the opportunities, legal framework and cooperation…
Tourist Arrivals in Kazakhstan Almost Quadruple in Three Months of 2023
ASTANA – The number of international tourist arrivals in Kazakhstan increased 3.9 times to 1.1 million in the first three months of this year, the country’s Bureau of National Statistics reported on June 8. This number has stood at 293,200 over the same period from January to March 2022. Some 1.4 million Kazakh citizens traveled…
Delegates from 34 States to Participate in International Volunteer Forum This Month
ASTANA – Delegates from 34 countries will attend the International Volunteer Forum on June 20-21 in the Kazakh capital, said Deputy Minister of Information and Social Development Daniyar Kadyrov at a June 6 briefing at the Central Communications Center, reported Kazinform. According to him, the forum seeks to display Kazakhstan’s experience in developing and supporting…
Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina Agree to Intensify Bilateral Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović agreed to strengthen cooperation during a June 9 meeting in Astana, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev expressed gratitude to Cvijanović for her participation in the work of the Astana International Forum (AIF), emphasizing that Kazakhstan considers Bosnia…
Kazakhstan and US Investment Roundtable Generates New Opportunities for Collaboration
ASTANA – Kazakh and United States (U.S.) officials and business leaders explored new investment opportunities and cooperation prospects at a June 7 U.S. – Kazakhstan Investment Roundtable in Astana. Addressing the participants, Kazakh Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov emphasized decades-long cooperation with major U.S. companies and the growth of U.S. investments and companies in…
Astana International Forum Kicks Off
ASTANA – The Astana International Forum (AIF), a platform for dialogue addressing key global challenges, will kick off today at 11.00 a.m. Astana time (6 a.m. GMT) at the capital’s Congress Centre of the EXPO Business District in Astana. The AIF was launched at the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to him, the event…
International Monetary Fund Reaffirms Willingness to Support Kazakhstan’s Reforms and Development
ASTANA – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is willing to support Kazakhstan’s reforms and development, said the Head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission for Kazakhstan, Nicolas Blanchet, during a June 6 meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The sides addressed the state and measures to develop…
Kazakh Musical Triumphs at Daegu International Musical Festival
ASTANA – A musical dedicated to legendary Kazakh pop and opera singer Roza Baglanova won two awards at the Daegu International Musical Festival in South Korea, reported the Kazakh Ministry Culture and Sports on June 6. The production, staged by Astana Musical Theater based at the Kazakhconcert state musical organization named after Roza Baglanova, won…
Kazakhstan’s Freight Transportation by Sea Surpasses 1.1 Million in 2022
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s freight transportation by sea surged by 46,8% in 2022, compared to the previous year, exceeding 1.1 million tons, reported the Kazakh Bureau of National Statistics on its Telegram channel on June 5. Freight turnover by sea climbed by 23,3% to 681.9 million ton-kilometers, with 89,200 people transported. Kazakhstan registered 282 sea vessels,…
Kazakhstan Expands International Flights to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding international flights to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye. Turkmenistan Airlines launched regular flights from Almaty to Ashgabat on June 2, reported the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development on June 3. The flight will be carried out once a week on Fridays on the Boeing-737 aircraft. Uzbek low-cost airline My Frighter…
Astana International Forum to Open with Panel on Peace, Conflict and Global Order
ASTANA – The first day of the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8 will open with a panel session Rethinking Peace, Conflict, and the Global Order, which covers one of the AIF’s four major themes – Foreign Policy and International Security. The other three pillars of the AIF are International Development and Sustainability, Energy…
Tokayev Reviews Key Issues of Upcoming Astana International Forum
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reviewed key issues on the agenda of the upcoming Astana International Forum (AIF) at a June 6 meeting with Margareta Cederfelt, the President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, reported the Akorda press service. The AIF, a major international conference aiming to…
Kazakhstan Skateboard Federation Constructs Modern Skatepark for SOS Children’s Village to Promote Active Lifestyle
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Skateboard Federation (KSF) has begun the construction of a cutting-edge skateboard park at SOS Children’s Village to promote physical and emotional well-being, the federation announced on June 2. The new facility provides a safe place tailored to teenagers from the SOS Children’s Village, Astana’s only children’s home for teenagers. KFS donates…
