Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – In a wide-ranging interview on Jan. 3, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed Kazakhstan’s foreign policy, reflecting on the dynamics of relations with Russia, China, and the United States, reported the Akorda press service.  “My primary goal is to strengthen the economic potential, sovereignty, and international standing of our state. From the very beginning of…

ASTANA—As the curtains fell on 2024, another year of global turbulence and uncertainty, Kazakhstan’s diplomacy is proving that bridges, not walls, hold the key to lasting influence. The Astana Times presents a recap of Kazakhstan’s proactive diplomacy in 2024.  Middle power that goes above This year, the idea of middle power became somewhat of a…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the nation’s key developments in 2024 in his New Year address, saying the past year has been eventful for Kazakhstan and was “marked by important developments,” reported the Akorda press service.  “On this truly family-oriented holiday, I first and foremost wish peace and prosperity to our country and well-being…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev directed a thorough and impartial investigation into an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau at a Dec. 28 meeting in Astana, reported the Akorda press service.  Opening the meeting, Tokayev once again expressed condolences to the families and friends of the people who died in the crash. Of the 62…

ASTANA – President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev thanked Kazakhstan for prompt search and rescue measures and emergency aid following the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane near Aktau in western Kazakhstan on Dec. 25, reported the Akorda press service.  In a Dec. 27 phone conversation with Aliyev, Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the progress of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has emerged as a top investment destination in North and Central Asia, attracting $15.7 billion in new projects, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) latest report released on Dec. 25. The figure represents a 88% year-on-year increase, accounting for 63% of all investments…

ASTANA – In 2024, Kazakhstan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) celebrate 30 years of partnership. In a recent interview with The Astana Times, ADB Country Director Utsav Kumar shares key milestones and opportunities in a three-decade journey.  Kazakhstan was the first country in Central Asia to join ADB in 1994. Kumar describes the three-decade…

ASTANA—Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has approved the country’s budget for 2025-2027 on Dec. 4. The law entails budget expenditures of 25.19 trillion tenge (US$48.2 billion), an increase of nearly 7% compared to 2024 plans.  Revenue and expenditure outlook According to the new law, the 2025 budget projects revenues at 21.39 trillion tenge ($40.95 billion), primarily…

ASTANA – In just two years, the share of Kazakhstan’s population owning cryptocurrencies has doubled, from 4% in 2022 to an estimated 8% in 2024, according to the latest report on the digital assets market in Central Asia and the Caucasus, conducted by RISE Research and Freedom Horizons.  The report, supported by the Astana International…

ASTANA – Latvia is prioritizing deeper collaboration with Kazakhstan to find common ground on how to strengthen security and mutual understanding on the Eurasian continent, said Irina Mangule, Ambassador of Latvia to Kazakhstan, in a recent interview with The Astana Times.  Mangule began her mission in 2021 when the world was grappling with the consequences…

ASTANA – As Terhi Hakala concludes her tenure as the European Union’s Special Representative for Central Asia, she reflects on the evolution of EU-Kazakhstan relations during her time in office. In an interview with The Astana Times during her farewell visit to Kazakhstan, Hakala shared insights into key milestones, critical areas of cooperation, and her…

ASTANA – A tourist train, dubbed Jibek Joly (Silk Road), departed from Almaty on Nov. 16 on a five-day journey via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, reported the press service of the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway operator.  Launched by KTZ as a pilot project, the tourist train takes passengers from Almaty to Turkistan and Tashkent…

There is something surreal about attending a global climate event like COP29. One day, you are reporting on the massive floods that hit your home country, Kazakhstan, resulting from climate change. A few months later, you are elbow-to-elbow with world leaders and policymakers who negotiate billion-dollar pledges for climate finance. And when you are in…

BAKU – Zulfiya Suleimenova, the advisor to the President of Kazakhstan – Special Representative of the President on International Environmental Cooperation, stressed the importance of transitional finance at the sixth High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Long-Term Climate Finance on Nov. 14 at the 29th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku.  Transitional finance provides…

BAKU – As the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference continues on its fourth day in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources signed a memorandum with Ormex, a Paris-based company specializing in regenerative agriculture practices, ​​and Chapter Zero Kazakhstan​​.  This agreement will support the development of sustainable agricultural practices that reduce…

BAKU – Youth climate activists from Central Asia and Turkic countries discussed how youth can drive climate action at the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on Nov. 13.  The event, dubbed Next COP Dialogue of Central Asian and Turkic Youth Climate Leaders, convened young environmental advocates from Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, the…

BAKU – Kazakhstan presents the national pavilion at the 29th United Nations Climate Conference of the Parties (COP29), which kicked off on Nov. 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Baku and will run through Nov. 22. Kazakhstan’s pavilion, a centerpiece of the country’s presence at the UN Climate Conference, highlights what the nation is doing…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is cementing its position as a regional powerhouse for industrial growth and innovation, attracting foreign investments in logistics, green technologies, and manufacturing. During the recent Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR), the country’s officials and representatives of foreign companies discussed what makes Kazakhstan an attractive investment destination.  Kazakhstan is committed to creating favorable…

ASTANA – Oliver Stolpe, regional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran, and Pakistan, highlighted Kazakhstan’s efforts to recover assets illicitly transferred abroad in a recent interview with The Astana Times.  Stolpe wrapped up his visit to Astana on Oct. 31 with discussions with the Kazakh…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid an official visit to France on Nov. 4-5, meeting with French President Emmanual Macron and top business leaders. In a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, Tokayev’s visit to France, his second in two years, signals a deepening strategic partnership with France, one of the European Union’s (EU) most influential states. …

ASTANA – Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach highlighted the importance of climate initiatives in the bilateral ties with Kazakhstan and expressed the U.K.’s continued support in addressing the consequences of climate change at a Nov. 1 press briefing in Astana. Leach noted a deep personal commitment to environmental issues, highlighting how…

ASTANA – Multilateral initiatives on carbon farming, a global low-carbon platform, more than 40 thematic sessions, and its national pavilion – these are the priorities for Kazakhstan as the nation prepares for the 2024 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference on Nov. 11-22 in Baku. Kazakh Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev spoke…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR) showcased the emerging trends in the investment landscape on Nov. 1, culminating in a landmark $7 billion in signed agreements. The high-profile event brought together international investors, government officials, and industry leaders, all eager to explore new opportunities in Kazakhstan’s evolving investment landscape. “We are in a time…

ASTANA – The grand stage of the Astana Opera welcomed Marat Bisengaliev, the world-renowned violinist, conductor, and Kazakhstan’s Goodwill Ambassador, for a symphonic concert blending classical and Kazakh music.  Bisengaliev’s symphonic concert became a standout event for audiences eager to experience a unique musical vision crafted by one of Kazakhstan’s own. Born in 1962 in…

ASTANA—Astana hosted the conference on Oct. 23, marking the end of a two-year European Union-funded project aimed at empowering local communities and enhancing public involvement in environmental decision-making in the Karagandy Region, one of the country’s most industrialized areas.  The project, implemented by the Karagandy Regional Ecological Museum with the support of German and Czech…