Foreign mural artists make Almaty buildings bright and colourful
ASTANA – Five artists from the United Kingdom, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Ukraine are creating monumental and decorative art in Almaty as part of International Mural Fest, giving them the chance to splash their inner colours out. Britain’s Fanakapan, known for his works in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Berlin, London and…
Kyrgyz election – what it could portend for Central Asia
ASTANA – Perhaps one of the most anticipated and unpredictable intrigues of the year in Central Asia is the Oct. 15 election in the Kyrgyz Republic, a country of slightly more than six million people. Fifty-nine candidates have been registered – 11 from political parties and 48 self-nominated, according to the Kyrgyz central election commission.…
Ironman 70.3 triathlon race to be held in Astana in 2018
ASTANA – The Ironman 70.3 world race will be held in Astana next year, President of the Kazakh triathlon federation Karim Massimov told the media during the July 29-30 Astana Asia Cup Open 2017 event. “On behalf of the Kazakh Triathlon Federation, I would like to welcome all participants, and congratulate organisers and spectators on…
Air Astana’s international traffic increases 22 percent
ASTANA – Thanks to steady economic growth, Air Astana’s international passenger traffic posted significant improvement in the first half of the year. “The economy of Kazakhstan is showing a slight recovery after two difficult years and we expect that the recovery process will accelerate in the process of economic diversification,” company president Peter Foster told…
Astana, Singapore to cooperate in green construction technology
ASTANA – The Kazakh and Singaporean delegations signed agreements on joint cooperation in Astana as part of the Singaporean visit to the EXPO 2017 for the National Day of Singapore, the Astana akimat (city administration) reports. The Kazakh delegation was represented by Akim (Mayor) of Astana Asset Issekeshev and the guests were represented by Senior…
Italy’s EXPO 2017 pavilion showcases nation’s history, achievements
ASTANA – The nearly 900-square metre Italian pavilion is one of the largest at EXPO 2017. The average visit lasts about 20-30 minutes, which top Italian officials assure is enough time to study the country’s ancient history and many achievements. The expo in the Kazakh capital recently crossed the mid-point and keeps amassing dozens of…
Arnasai – eco-friendly weekend getaway for leisure and knowledge
ASTANA – The Arnasai Green Technology Centre, also known as the “Eco-friendly village,” promotes organic agriculture and spreads the culture of conserving and preserving natural resources. The summer season in the city is too short to spend at home on the weekends. If Borabai has been fully explored and one is looking for a short…
Almaty’s FC Kairat to undergo significant changes, says team’s chairman
ASTANA – In a recent interview on the FC (Football Club) Kairat website, supervisory board chairperson Kairat Boranbayev lambasted the recent unsatisfactory results of the team and pledged to introduce changes for improvement. “Speaking about the attitude of players in the club and the results achieved, we can say that it was a ‘one-sided game’…
Japan Day at EXPO 2017 gives visitors glimpse of Japanese culture, energy conservation efforts
ASTANA – The EXPO 2017 Japan pavilion gave expo visitors during the July 22 Japan Day a glimpse of Japanese culture. The event was titled “Become a Samurai of Green Energy” and featured traditional Wagakki music, demonstrated a colourful Osaka parade, dances of geishas and performances of samurais and Osaka’s promotion to host the expo…
Kazakh-Korean cooperation promotes investment climate, addresses foreign investors’ concerns
ASTANA – The Korean Association of Kazakhstan held a Kazakh-Korean Cooperation Forum July 20 to demonstrate the country’s real potential to foreign investors, help resolve essential issues in doing business in Kazakhstan and mark two important anniversaries, Konstantin Kim, editor-in-chief of the association’s Kore Ilbo newspaper, told The Astana Times. “As you know, this year…
UK eager to boost trade with Kazakhstan, says official
ASTANA – U.K. Department for International Trade Minister of State for Trade and Investment Greg Hands visited Astana July 18 to meet with government officials, attend EXPO 2017 and host the London Stock Exchange Group Capital Markets conference and technology partnership forum. The session, held at the British pavilion, was organised by the department and…
Lone Atyrau foster home closes, all children find new homes
ASTANA – The nearly 140 children without parents who have found shelter in the 240-bed Atyrau Sabyr Kazybayev foster home will soon be calling somewhere else “home.” The facility will be closing its doors Aug. 1. All the youngsters have found new situations, as more and more families are willing to adopt, according to local…
Identity of Kazakhstan’s 18 millionth citizen revealed
ASTANA – Baby girl Muslima Samatkyzy born May 11 to a family from Taldykorgan, in the Almaty region was recently identified as Kazakhstan’s 18 millionth citizen. “All the way, while we were going home, our heart was beating with excitement, we knew that in July there will be the 18 millionth inhabitant of the country,…
Serbians celebrate National Day as part of EXPO 2017, promote energy for all concept
ASTANA – Serbia marked its National Day June 28 with cultural events and films about the country, as well as an entertainment programme with stars such as Jela Cello and Jelena Tomašević. “The Serbian pavilion at EXPO 2017 in Astana is a project of national importance,” said Assistant Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Maja…
Int’l expert community addresses risks of chronic non-communicable diseases
ASTANA – The international conference “Modern Approaches in Managing Socially Significant Diseases. Diabetes Mellitus” addressed June 28 the prevalence and risk factors of chronic non-communicable diseases, in particular diabetes, reported the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry. Speakers unveiled current data on the worldwide prevalence of diabetes, shared their expertise in implementing diabetes programmes and provided an overview…
EU and Central Asia ministers of education agree to expand cooperation
ASTANA – The Astana Declaration was signed June 23 at the second meeting of European Union (EU) and Central Asia ministers of education at the capital’s Rixos President Hotel in Astana. The declaration intends to expand educational cooperation between the EU and Central Asian countries. Kazakhstan has made progress implementing the national system of qualifications…
Sanofi focuses on 5 key areas in Central Asia: diabetes, cardiovascular, consumer healthcare, vaccines and rare diseases
ASTANA – Sanofi, one of the world’s five largest pharmaceutical companies, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Kazakhstan this year. In an exclusive interview with The Astana Times, Central Asia General Manager Ranga Welaratne took a resolute stand for company’s highest-quality product. “I would rather lose my entire business than lose the value of my…
EBRD to continue supporting Kazakhstan in economic endeavours, says EBRD official
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital is readying to host the June 22 annual Foreign Investors’ Council (FIC), chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev and co-chaired by the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Sir Suma Chakrabarti. The city has enjoyed the spotlight in early to mid-June as it hosted the Shanghai Cooperation…
French connection: Kazakhstan’s modern history captured by French journalist
ASTANA – A book by French independent journalist Lise Barcellini highlighting Kazakhstan’s prominent figures and published by a private French publisher is intended to serve as a connection to the Francophone world and break some clichés. Barcellini moved to Kazakhstan two years ago with her husband from France, and had to quit her job for…
Monaco pavilion “Mirroring the Future” astonishes crowds at EXPO 2017
ASTANA – Monaco’s 3-million-euro pavilion “Mirroring the Future” leaves EXPO 2017 visitors in awe as it goes in sync with Principality establishments, marine world icons and its theme. “The central installation is composed of blades that oscillate like a wave,” according to pavilion guides. “This structure, never yet realised, reflects the projection of a film…
Astana EXPO 2017 kicks off with dazzling show, concert and fireworks
ASTANA – Visiting more than a hundred countries in one day is now possible thanks to world expositions such as the one happening this year in the Kazakh capital. The long-awaited EXPO 2017 kicked off June 10 with numerous pavilions open for public view. For the 25-year-old country, the exhibition has become the most important…
India, Pakistan expand SCO’s borders, anti-extremism convention tops agenda at Astana SCO summit
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the 17th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit June 8-9, with the accession of India and Pakistan and anti-extremism convention topping the agenda amid hopes of bolstering the organisation’s presence in Eurasia. While the world had its collective eyes on the Kazakh capital as it held the summit and…
Astana’s new Nurly Zhol railway station is open for business
ASTANA – The new Nurly Zhol railway station had its first passengers June 1 and a visit from President Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to akorda.kz. In the run-up to EXPO 2017 in the capital, the whole city is undergoing a make-over – new buildings, hotels and services are being launched – all to accommodate guests during…
Kazakhstan exceeds expectations, says Dominican FM
ASTANA – In an exclusive interview with The Astana Times following his June 5-6 visit to Kazakhstan, Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas said he saw many opportunities for cooperation, particularly in human resources, education and business. “You have great universities here. But mainly our cooperation focuses on trade and commerce. We will also look…
Worst times gone for Kazakhstan, says PwC tax and legal leader for Eurasia
ASTANA – Long-time expat, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Tax & Legal Services leader for Eurasia Michael Ahern believes the worst times of economically tough 2015-2016 are over for Kazakhstan. “We will not return to the boom times of high oil prices, but the trend is up,” he told The Astana Times in an exclusive interview. “In 2015-2016,…
