Kazakhstan Ranks 81st in Latest Global Innovation Index
ASTANA – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 on Sept. 16, with Kazakhstan positioned at the 81st spot. Published annually since 2007, the ranking uses 80 indicators – from research and development (R&D) spending, venture capital deals, to high-tech exports and intellectual property filings – to evaluate how…
Scientist Arkhat Abzhanov on Why Evolution Isn’t Over, and Challenges of Modern Genetics
ASTANA – High school textbooks may frame evolution as a thing of the past, but it is very much alive, said Dr. Arkhat Abzhanov, a Reader in Evolution and Developmental Genetics at Imperial College London and researcher at the Natural History Museum in London. “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution,”…
Natural Gas Production Soars 9.2% in 7 months
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s natural gas production grew by 9.2% in seven months, according to the Kazakh Energy Ministry. The ministry reports steady growth in natural gas production. In the first seven months of 2025, the country produced 17.3 billion cubic meters of gas, an increase of 1.46 billion cubic meters, or 9.2%, compared to the…
Kazakhstan’s First Gamified Eco-Trail Opens in Burabay
BURABAY – For years, the steep slopes of Bolektau, one of Burabay’s most prominent sites, have tested even experienced hikers, becoming more challenging in the winter season. Now, a new eco-trail, unveiled on Sept. 5, makes it safer to climb to the peak, while also being more playful and sustainable. Bolektau is considered one of…
Why Safe-Haven Asset Matters and How Kazakhstan is Betting on Gold
ASTANA – Global gold demand surged 45% year-on-year in value terms to $132 billion in the second quarter of 2025, reaffirming the metal’s strong role as a safe-haven asset. Kazakhstan is aligning itself with this global trend, leveraging its gold market and substantial reserves, as experts highlight the resilience of gold amid geopolitical shocks and…
Experts See Promise in Tokayev’s Push for Parliamentary and UN Reform
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined a strategic course for the year ahead in his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8. A proposal to reform the Parliament, which may include dissolving the Senate, its upper chamber, is the biggest step toward developing a proper system of checks and balances, Rassul Kospanov, a senior researcher at…
Experts, Officials Weigh in on Tokayev’s Reforms as Political Season Begins in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – September marks the start of a political season in Kazakhstan, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address setting the tone for the year ahead and outlining strategic priorities. From the new ministry on artificial intelligence to a proposed parliamentary reform, The Astana Times brings insights from experts and state officials on key initiatives outlined…
Key Takeaways from SCO’s Largest Ever Summit in Tianjin
ASTANA – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) convened for its 25th summit in Tianjin on Sept. 1, marking the largest gathering of leaders in the organization’s history. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also attended the summit, delivering remarks that outlined his country’s vision for how the 10-member SCO can move forward. At the summit, Tokayev addressed…
Kazakhstan’s Rare Earth Reserves Estimated at 2.6 Million Tons
ASTANA – Projections for Kazakhstan’s rare earth metal reserves are estimated at 2.6 million tons, the Geology Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction told The Astana Times in a written comment. According to government data, the production of rare and rare earth metals accounts for 2.4% of Kazakhstan’s metallurgy sector. In 2024,…
Tokyo Steps Up Central Asia Engagement with High-Level Foreign Minister Visit
ASTANA – Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is on an official visit to Kazakhstan on Aug. 24-26, meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and his Kazakh counterpart Murat Nurtleu. The key objective of the visit is to facilitate stronger ties with the region and to discuss the preparations for the high-level Japan-Central Asia meeting. “Today, Central…
Every Person Holds Priceless Gems: Kazakhstan’s Bahá’í Community on Education, Unity, and Upcoming Congress
Editor’s Note: In the run-up to the eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled for Sept. 17–18 in Astana, The Astana Times has launched a series exploring the diversity of spiritual life in Kazakhstan. The first article examined the Jewish community. This week, we profile the Bahá’í community, a relatively small yet…
Kazakhstan Eyes Stronger Carbon Market as Global ETS Evolves
ASTANA – With countries around the world racing to reach carbon neutrality goals, a mature carbon trading market is essential in unlocking this objective. Kazakhstan’s emission trading system (ETS), launched in 2013, can significantly benefit from integrating best practices, from building digital platforms to developing a voluntary market and improving reporting standards, writes Assel Aben,…
PM Bektenov Calls for Stronger Economic Ties at Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Meeting
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined key priorities for strengthening regional cooperation at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council’s expanded meeting on Aug. 15 in Cholpon-Ata, reports the Prime Minister’s press office. The council is one of the key bodies of the Eurasian Economic Union, represented by heads of governments of the member states. In…
Kazakhstan Welcomes Trump-Putin Meeting in Alaska as Launch of High-Level Negotiations on Ukraine
ASTANA – Kazakhstan welcomes the meeting of United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 in Anchorage, Alaska, as the start of high-level peace talks on Ukraine, announced Ruslan Zheldibay, advisor to the President and press secretary of the President of Kazakhstan. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes this historic summit became possible…
Three Kilometers That Changed My View on Running
This Sunday, I woke up very early, a rare thing I do on weekends. One and a half hours later, my mom and I were standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of runners, tightening shoelaces and feeling our hearts beating faster seconds before a signal to run. It was my first time joining the Juregimnin…
National Bank Launches Regulatory Sandbox for Digital Assets
ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan launched a special regulatory framework, called a regulatory sandbox, for digital assets, announced the bank’s press service on July 28. The regulatory sandbox enables real-world testing of new services and business models using digital assets. The move comes a month after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law amending…
Kazakhstan’s Unemployment Rate Hits 4.6%, While Structural Pressures Remain
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s unemployment rate hit 4.6% as of 2024, Vice Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population Askar Biakhmetov said at a July 29 government meeting. He noted that the main contribution to employment growth was made by employed workers, whose number reached 7.1 million, while the number of self-employed was 2.1…
When Erdoğan Tells Tokayev ‘Welcome to Your Second Home,’ I Feel It Too
When President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev flew into the Esenboğa international airport in Ankara, he was greeted there by President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a move full of symbolism, but also a rare one. The smiles and the long handshake that proceeded further and were captured nicely in photos speak a lot about the nature of…
What We Know about Data Leak Affecting 16 Million Kazakh Citizens
ASTANA – A database containing personal information of nearly 16 million Kazakh citizens was leaked in June, sparking fresh concerns about data security. As an official investigation is underway, The Astana Times digs deeper into what this incident reveals about the country’s digital infrastructure and why digital hygiene matters now more than ever. Digitalization is…
What Happens to Kazakhstan’s Billion-Dollar Asset Recovery Effort
ASTANA – In 2023, Kazakhstan launched a large-scale asset recovery campaign to recover millions of dollars stolen and transferred abroad by corrupt officials. Two years later, the volume of returned assets exceeded 1.2 trillion tenge (US$2.3 billion). The Astana Times delves into key facts, figures, and results of this ambitious effort. A law born from…
Central Asia Attracts $25 Billion, as China’s Belt and Road Investment Hits Half-Year Record
ASTANA – Africa and Central Asia emerged as the top destinations for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments, attracting $39 billion and $25 billion, respectively, in the first half of 2025, according to a joint research report by Australia-based Griffith University and the Beijing-based Green Finance and Development Center. The report, published on July 17,…
Presidential Advisor Zulfiya Suleimenova Outlines Kazakhstan’s Vision for Climate Action
ASTANA – When leaders gathered for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku in November, expectations were high and stakes even higher. As the world looks ahead to COP30 in Belém, Special Representative to the President on International Environmental Cooperation Zulfiya Suleimenova explains in an interview with The Astana Times why climate…
IFC Reaffirms Support for Kazakhstan’s Diversification Push
ASTANA – Wiebke Schloemer, a regional director for Türkiye and Central Asia at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), explores key milestones in more than 30 years of partnership with Kazakhstan and what comes next in an interview with The Astana Times YouTube channel. IFC is a private sector arm of the World Bank Group, and…
Kazakhstan Secures 8 Golds, As World Boxing Cup Stage Wraps Up in Astana
ASTANA – The World Boxing Cup stage concluded in Astana on July 6, with more than 400 boxers representing 31 countries battling it out for medals. Host country Kazakhstan secured eight gold medals, four silver medals, and four bronze medals, reported to the National Olympic Committee. The competition has been hosted in Astana’s Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov…
EBRD President Highlights Shared Strategic Priorities with Kazakhstan
ASTANA – European Bank for Reconstruction and Development President Odile Renaud-Basso commended an enduring partnership with Kazakhstan, one built on trust and shared strategic priorities, in an interview with The Astana Times. Long-standing partnership As the bank enters its 33rd year of partnership with Kazakhstan, it has invested more than 11 billion euros (US$12.7 billion)…
