Articles by Staff report

ASTANA – The first round of negotiations on the conclusion of a free trade agreement between the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia began on April 3, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration reported. “The future free trade agreement will allow Kazakh suppliers to enter the market of this country with one…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Business Activity Index (BAI) improved to 51.7 points in March despite supply chain bottlenecks, said Rustem Orazalin, director of the monetary policy department at the National Bank on April 4, reported the bank’s press service. The BAI is an indicator that characterizes the state of the economy in the real sector while…

ASTANA –  Tengizchevroil (TCO) invested $70 billion over 30 years and delivered more than $160 billion in direct financial payments to Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the company’s anniversary event on April 4, the Akorda press service reported. Established in 1993 as a joint venture between Chevron and Kazakhstan, TCO operates two major oilfields…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan observed a record growth in domestic tourism demand in 2022, following the country’s efforts to support the tourism sector, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports on April 4. The number of domestic tourists grew by 20 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year reaching 8.6 million people.  “The number…

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts Kazakhstan’s economic growth to accelerate in 2023 and 2024, driven by recovering industry, services, and domestic demand, according to the ADB report released on April 4. ADB economic publication projects Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to be 3.7 percent in 2023 and 4.1 percent in 2024,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Cerebra AI-powered software for early stroke detection and faster and more accurate treatment won Best VerTech Startup 2023 at Global Startup Awards, the world’s largest independent startup ecosystem competition on March 28-29 in Copenhagen, according to the competition’s official website. The competition brought together startups from more than 120 countries.  The Kazakh…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov outlined the main priorities for this year, focusing on the country’s social and economic development and measures to improve the quality of life in the country at an April 4 expanded government meeting, the first one after Smailov’s reappointment,  reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Addressing the measures…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev formed the new government with most ministers retaining their positions, according to an April 4 decree published on the President’s official website. Seventeen out of 19 ministers have retained their positions in the new cabinet line-up, including Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov, Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov,…

ASTANA – The Astana Ballet theater will premiere two ballet productions in April with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, reported the theater’s press service.  The audience can expect a harmonious fusion of outstanding performance technique and acting talents of artists, innovative musical solutions for ballets, and elements considered to the tiniest…

ASTANA – Fly Arystan, the Kazakh low-cost airline, plans to launch flights on the Aktau-Yerevan route from May 4, reported the company’s press service. Regular flights will be operated twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays.  Fly Arystan launched flights to Yerevan from Almaty in May 2022, but were suspended in September 2022 due to…

ASTANA – Almaty has become the cultural and tourism capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for 2023-2024 after the SCO culture ministers and SCO Deputy Secretary-General Janesh Kain supported the proposal to grant the Kazakh city a new status during an April 3 virtual meeting, announced the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports.   Addressing…

ASTANA – Kazakh IT startups that are part of the Astana Hub international technopark of IT startups were recognized as best in the region at the Central Asian Tech Awards in Bishkek, winning a free trip to Silicon Valley, the Astana Hub press service announced on March 28. The Astana Hub won three out of…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan will cut oil production output by 78,000 barrels per day from May, following the latest agreement reached by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on April 2, the Kazakh Energy Ministry reported.  OPEC and other oil producing nations, known as OPEC+, including Kazakhstan, committed to oil output cuts of around 1.16…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made several key government appointments on April 3, reported Akorda press service.  The reshuffle comes two weeks after the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan and one week after the government’s resignation. President Tokayev addressed the first session of the Kazakh Parliament in this convocation on March 29, after which Prime Minister…

ASTANA – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts stated on April 1 that Kazakhstan has made significant progress in fulfilling the recommendations of the previous Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, reported the Kazakh Energy Ministry’s press service. The previous INIR mission in 2016 examined the state of nuclear infrastructure development using the criteria of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan held its first-ever national Nauryz awards on March 31, organized by the Kazakh Ministry of Information and Social Development, to recognize excellence in the TV series industry, reported the ministry’s press service.  Darkhan Kydyrali, Acting Minister of Information and Social Development, said the awards are intended to enhance the standard of domestic…

ASTANA – Astana will host the FIDE World Chess Championship 2023 from April 7 to May 1, as announced by the International Chess Federation on March 23.  The championship will be contested by Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi and China’s Ding Liren after incumbent champion Magnus Carlsen decided not to defend his title. Ding Liren finished as…

ASTANA – The gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow in Kazakhstan reached $28 billion in 2022, a record-high in the past ten years, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.  FDI inflow went up by 17.7 percent since 2021 when it reached $23.8 billion. In 2012, this figure stood at $28.9 billion. The top investing countries in…

ASTANA – A 33-year-old Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic beat Kazakhstan’s top seed Elena Rybakina, 23, in straight sets 7-6, 6-2 at the Miami Open 2023 Tennis Tournament at Hard Rock Stadium on April 1, reported Sports.kz. Rybakina’s career-best 13-match winning streak was snapped, ending her hopes of claiming the “Sunshine Double” of both…

ASTANA – Nine former law enforcement officers have so far been sentenced to prison for torture, while other legal proceedings are underway in connection to the January 2022 events, Kazakh Deputy Prosecutor General Bulat Dembayev said during a March 31 meeting on preventing torture.  The General Prosecutor’s Office hosted the round table meeting with non-governmental…

ASTANA – The League of Arab States (LAS) expressed its interest in participation in the upcoming Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8-9, said LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit during his meeting with Kazakh Ambassador to Egypt Kairat Lama Sharif on March 29 in Cairo, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.  The diplomats agreed…

ASTANA – Dozens of camera traps have recorded rare footage of snow leopards, Kazakh argali (mountain sheep), and bears in the Zhongar-Alatau mountains, reported Tabigat National Union of Hunters on March 27. As part of the project to develop sustainable tourism, the union’s experts, zoologists and rangers monitored snow leopards and other animals on the…

ASTANA – President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev extending gratitude for the support and emergency assistance provided by Kazakhstan to the Turkish people after the Feb. 6 devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, reported the Akorda press service on March 30. “During a natural disaster, the solidarity…

ASTANA – The online festival organized by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports and TikTok to mark Nauryz garnered more than 120 million views, reported the ministry’s press service on March 29. As part of the festival with the Nauryz2023 hashtag, Kazakh citizens created and posted videos on the platform showing how they celebrate…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will provide 550 scholarships to foreign nationals, including 490 for bachelor’s degrees, 50 for master’s degrees, and ten for PhD, reported the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science on March 31.  Applications are open from March 30 through June 30. The ministry’s National Center for the Development of…