IOM Chief Shares Latest Data on Mobility in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan now hosts over 550,000 international migrant workers, nearly 21,000 more than in January, said International Migration Organization (IOM) Chief of Mission Serhan Aktoprak as he discussed the latest Baseline Mobility Assessment during the Astana Think Tank Forum on Oct. 16. “There are over 550,000 migrant workers taking up jobs in various sectors…
Astana Marks UN Day with Orchestra Concert, Blending Kazakh Classics and Global Soundtracks
ASTANA – A full house gathered inside the main hall of the Kuanyshbayev Kazakh State Drama Theater on Oct. 17 evening in Astana, as the United Nations in Kazakhstan marked UN Day with “Music for Global Goals,” a full orchestral concert that replaced policy rhetoric with Kazakh classical depth and global soundtracks. Performed by the…
Hungarian Expert Calls for Evidence-Driven Water Diplomacy at Astana Think Tank Forum
ASTANA – Marton Krasznai, scientific director of the Center for Central Asia Research at the Corvinus University of Budapest, highlighted water diplomacy as a strategic imperative for Central Asia in his remarks to an Oct. 16 panel session at the Astana Think Tank Forum. He reiterated that around 54–56% of Kazakhstan’s water flows originate outside…
Central Asia’s Demographic Dividend is Time-Bound Opportunity, Says UNFPA Expert
ASTANA – Central Asia’s vibrant youth population could become the region’s greatest asset or its greatest risk, hinging on coordinated policy action, said Fabio Losa, regional demographic resilience and policy adviser at the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the United Nations Population Fund. Losa warned that without strategic investment in education,…
Astana Think Tank Forum Aims to Turn Analysis Into Action, Says KazISS Director
ASTANA – The upcoming Astana Think Tank Forum, set for Oct. 15–16 in the Kazakh capital and convened by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), reflects a growing ambition to turn expert debate into actionable policy blueprints. The Astana Times sat down for an interview with Zhandos Shaimardanov, the institute’s director, to discuss how…
Decade after Paris Agreement: New Report Takes Stock of Global Progress, Spotlights Kazakhstan’s Path
ASTANA – Ten years after the Paris Agreement, a new report from the Deep Decarbonization Pathways (DDP) Initiative takes stock of global progress. Analyzing 21 countries, including Kazakhstan, it concludes that the agreement has spurred new approaches to climate governance and policy in these countries, but also warns that momentum has stalled. The DDP initiative,…
UN Nuclear Ban Treaty Gets Majority of States on Board Following Kyrgyzstan’s Signing
ASTANA – The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons now has a majority of countries as either signatories or parties, reflecting the momentum in global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, and marking a milestone that underscores the treaty’s growing influence, even as nuclear powers remain outside it. The Kyrgyz Republic became the 99th…
From Telegram’s AI Lab to Venture Mindset: Digital Bridge Opens with Bold Ideas in Astana
ASTANA – Telegram’s new AI lab in Astana, AI as a digital worker, and a call for a venture mindset set the tone as the Digital Bridge forum opened on Oct. 2 in Astana. World leaders, including President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok, tech leaders and professors staked out bold ideas on how…
Kazakhstan Eyes Role as Eurasian Crypto Destination, Says National Bank Official at WFC2025
ALMATY – Kazakhstan has all the potential to become a key crypto destination of Eurasia, said Binur Zhalenov, the chief digital officer at the National Bank of Kazakhstan, at the World Forum of Central Securities Depositories (WFC 2025) on Sept. 25 in Almaty. He expressed hope that the efforts of the NBK as a regulator…
Girls for Girls Program Helps Women in Central Asia Find Strength via Mentorship
ASTANA – In a world where girls and women struggle with personal doubts and societal pressures that hold them back, what makes a difference is often the helping hand of a person who has already walked that path. That’s precisely what the Girls for Girls mentorship program has been doing for three and a half…
What to Expect from UN High-Level Week in New York
ASTANA – It is this time of year when world leaders are gathering in New York for the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Week, an annual diplomatic marathon that sets the tone for global priorities, from peace and security to climate action and development. This year, it coincides with a particularly important occasion as the…
Kazakhstan’s Digital Tenge Project Wins Award at Global CBDC Conference
ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has received the Pioneering CBDC Initiative Award at this year’s CB+DC Conference, which took place on Sept. 9-11 in Nassau, Bahamas. Kazakhstan’s central bank was recognized for advancing the Digital Tenge, seen as a natural extension of the country’s growing digital finance ecosystem. The project has been…
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…
