Oxford University Embarks on Teaching Kazakh Language
ASTANA – The University of Oxford is set to launch Kazakh language courses following an agreement signed between the university and the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education on Jan. 25, reported the ministry’s press service. The Kazakh delegation, led by Minister Sayasat Nurbek and featuring heads of Kazakhstan’s leading universities, took a tour…
EDB Report: Kazakhstan Leads Regional Investment Activity in Eurasia
ASTANA – In a recent report released by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), Kazakhstan has emerged as a powerhouse in regional investment activity, reported EDB’s telegram channel on Jan. 24. According to Anton Malakhov, head of projects in EDB Research, the monitoring focuses on three key aspects related to the cumulative mutual foreign direct investment…
OTS Establishes Turkic States Competition Council
ASTANA – The Turkic States Competition Council was established in İstanbul on Jan. 23 under the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) at the initiative of the Turkish Competition Authority, reported Kazinform. At the council’s inaugural meeting, participants agreed on the fundamental principles of the council’s activities and a roadmap. Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat highlighted that…
Kazakhstan’s Exports of IT Services Increase 12 Times Since 2020
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s exports of IT services have increased 12-fold since 2020, Yersultan Yermanov, Head of the IT Industry Development Department of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, said at a Jan. 19 briefing in the Central Communications Service (CCS), reported the CCS’s press office. Kazakhstan ranks 28th in the United Nations…
President Tokayev Meets Kazakh Statesman Ikram Adyrbekov
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Ikram Adyrbekov, a Kazakh statesman, diplomat, and member of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on Jan. 23, reported the Akorda press service. They discussed the implementation of the main directions of the “TURKTIME!” program, which Kazakhstan, as chair, presented at the tenth OTS…
Chevron Direct Investment Fund Allocates $41 Million to Two Kazakh Companies
ASTANA – In 2023, Chevron Direct Investment Fund (CDIF) made direct equity investments worth $41 million into the managed service marketplace for businesses Top Cleaning Kazakhstan and Orhun Med healthcare company, Chevron’s press service reported on Jan. 18. Set to expand their businesses using CDIF’s investments, the companies plan to create jobs across Kazakhstan and…
Kazakhstan Gears Up for Spectacular World Nomad Games, Welcoming 107 Nations in Astana
ASTANA – The directorate for preparation and hosting of the World Nomad Games has approved all protocols for the competition’s fifth edition, scheduled from Sept. 8 to 15 in Astana, said Directorate Deputy Head Abylai Kondybayev at a Jan. 23 briefing in the Central Communications Service (CCS), reported the CCS’s press office. Presently, Kazakhstan is…
Kazakhstan Presents Top Five Tourist Destinations of 2023
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Tourism and Sports offered the list of the top five tourist destinations in 2023, revealing the most popular places travelers chose in Kazakhstan. The Almaty mountain cluster recorded the biggest number, with 1,728,000 people visiting local resort areas from January to September last year. The cluster includes the Forest…
Kazakhstan Attracts $4.1 Billion in FDI in First Half of 2023
ASTANA – In the first half of 2023, Kazakhstan surged $4.1 billion in net inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI), 86% more than in the previous year, Acting Chairman of the Kazakh Invest National Company Zhandos Temirgali said in an interview with Forbes, published on Dec. 28, 2023, reported the Kazakh Invest’s press service. The…
Kazakhstan Publishes Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Manuscript Copy Discovered in US
ASTANA – The National Center for Manuscripts and Rare Books published a copy of the manuscript of the great philosopher and scientist, Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, found in the United States, the Kazakh Culture and Information Ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 23. The three-chapter original book “Risala Mirat al-Qulub,” written in the 12th century in…
Kazakh Officials Confirm No Casualties in Almaty Earthquake
ASTANA – Almaty city witnessed an earthquake on Jan. 23 at 12.09 a.m. Astana time, causing no fatalities or severe damage, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, according to the Prime Minister’s press service. With an epicenter 264 kilometers southeast of Almaty on the border of the Kyrgyz Republic and China, the seismic activity continued…
Caspian Pipeline Consortium Transports Record 63.5 Million Tons of Oil in 2023
ASTANA – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) set a historic record by transporting 63.5 million tons of oil in 2023, CPC General Director Nikolay Gorban announced at a press briefing on Jan. 16, reported the CPC’s press office. Of these, 56 million tons came from Kazakh shippers, Gorban added, emphasizing that CPC’s Kazakh segment (CPC-K)…
Tokayev Meets with President Mattarella as Part of Visit to Italy
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with President of Italy Sergio Mattarella during his official visit to Rome on Jan. 18, his first visit to Italy in the capacity of the President, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev noted the long-term relations with Italy, which is a reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the European Union…
Kazakhstan Achieves 99.5% Purity in Selenium Production
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has made a groundbreaking advancement by elevating its selenium enrichment to 99.5% within a year, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, announced on his Instagram page on Jan. 13. On Aug. 28, 2023, at the production facilities of Kazakhmys Progress in Balkhash, Kazakhstan’s first-ever workshop was opened for the production…
Tourist Information Booth Opens at Astana Airport
ASTANA – A new modernized tourist information booth opened in the arrivals area at the Nursultan Nazarbayev international airport on Jan. 18, reported the Astana Development Center’s press service. As a key element to enhance visitors’ comfort, the booth provides information about Astana’s tourist products, sightseeing routes, attractions, events, transport, shopping, and entertainment in Kazakh,…
Astana Moves 25 Spots Up in StartupBlink’s Global Ecosystem Index
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital climbed 25 positions in the Global Ecosystem Index, securing 318th place among 1,000 cities listed in the latest 2023 report of the StartupBlink global startup ecosystem map and research center. StartupBlink works to uncover insights about trends affecting the global startup ecosystem and offers elaborated startup ecosystem dashboards for over…
New International Terminal at Almaty Airport to Open in June
ASTANA – A new international terminal at the Almaty airport will open this June, TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan said during a Jan. 18 meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. As stated by Kaptan, the construction progress has reached an 87% completion to date. Smailov noted the strategic…
Kazakh University Teachers Set to Improve Qualifications in Finland
ASTANA – A total of 1,800 teachers from 43 universities in Kazakhstan will have an opportunity to advance their skills through an enhanced model of teacher education launched by Nazarbayev University (NU) and Finland’s two leading universities, the NU Graduate School of Education (GSE) press service reported on Jan. 15. Renowned as one of Europe’s…
Kazakh Ministry Outlines Key Priorities for Creative Industry Development
STANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information has revealed priority areas for advancing the creative industry, as it plans to formulate a new сoncept for the development of creative industries for 2024-2029, Kazinform reported on Jan. 15. The document will be based on this year’s extensive analysis of the creative sector. The analysis…
Kazakhstan Plans to Increase E-Commerce Share to 20% by 2030
ASTANA – Kazakhstan seeks to increase the share of e-commerce in its total retail volume to 20% by 2030, said Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev at a Jan. 16 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Shakkaliyev highlighted that e-commerce has become one of the new drivers of global economic growth. Its…
Kazakhstan Adopts Roadmap to Develop Volunteering in Next Three Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan adopted the roadmap for the development and support of volunteering for 2024-2026, reported the Culture and Information Ministry’s press service on Jan. 12. The previous roadmap for 2021-2023 also resulted in a threefold increase in the number of volunteer organizations in Kazakhstan, though the ministry does not specify the numbers. The volunteering…
SCO Kicks Off Year of Environment Chaired by Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) began the Year of Environment, chaired by Kazakhstan, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said at a Jan. 15 briefing, reported the ministry’s press service. In July, SCO member states unanimously endorsed Kazakhstan’s initiative to declare 2024 the Year of Environment. The corresponding plan of events was adopted in…
Kazakhstan, World Bank Implement 48 Projects Worth $8 Billion
ASTANA – In more than 30 years of cooperation, Kazakhstan and the World Bank have implemented 48 projects worth over $8 billion, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a Jan. 16 meeting with World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia Tatiana Proskuryakova, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Six projects are in the implementation…
Islamic Organization for Food Security Welcomes New Director General from Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) elected Kazakh diplomat Askar Mussinov as director general on Jan. 1 by the decision of the sixth General Assembly in Doha on Oct. 3, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The career diplomat held the positions of deputy foreign minister. He also served as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to…
Nearly 2,000 Kids in Kazakhstan Enjoy Tours with Free Flights under Kids Go Free Program
ASTANA – In 2023, 1,975 children enjoyed 920 tours offered by 13 travel companies in Kazakhstan, getting free flights as part of the Kids Go Free program, the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 12. The Kids Go Free initiative is a family-oriented holiday program designed to boost domestic tourism in Kazakhstan.…
