Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – The Monetary Policy Committee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan decided to keep the base rate at 18% per year, with a corridor of ±1 percentage point. The decision is based on the latest forecast round, updated assessments of key macroeconomic indicators, and the balance of inflation risks. “Annual inflation continued to slow…

ASTANA – Melting glaciers across Kazakhstan and Central Asia are accelerating climate risks from floods today to water shortages in the coming decades, scientists warned, citing long-term data showing rapid ice loss, rising temperatures, and growing pressure on water-dependent energy and agriculture systems. The British-Kazakh Society hosted a high-level webinar on Feb. 17 that brought…

ASTANA – Iran’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ali Akbar Jokar hosted a press briefing on March 2 as regional tensions continued to escalate following reported strikes involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 while talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program were underway.…

ASTANA – As Kazakhstan modernizes its health system amid evolving global risks, its partnership with the World Health Organization continues to expand. In an interview with The Astana Times, Dr. Skender Syla, WHO Representative in Kazakhstan, reflects on the past year of cooperation with the Ministry of Health, from strengthening prevention of communicable and noncommunicable…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed Kazakhstan’s Security Council and law enforcement agencies to prepare an emergency response plan amid escalating tensions around Iran and the potential risk of instability affecting the country, said presidential press secretary Aibek Smadiyarov on Feb. 28.  Tokayev tasked Security Council Secretary Gizat Nurdauletov, along with the heads of…

ASTANA – SCAT Airlines and Boeing kicked off the construction of what is expected to become Central Asia’s largest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center in Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan on Feb. 27, a project aimed at expanding the nation’s aviation infrastructure and servicing capacity. “The initiative to establish the center gained international momentum…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Air Astana group said on Feb. 28 that it canceled all flights to the Middle East for the day after Iranian airspace was closed amid escalating tensions in the region. The decision followed a wave of strikes launched by the United States and Israel against targets in Iranian cities, including in the…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital convened an extraordinary meeting of the Regional Contact Group of Special Representatives of Central Asian countries on Afghanistan on Feb. 16, with trade and economic ties as well as transit topping the agenda. Special Representative of the Kazakh President for Afghanistan – Ambassador-at-Large Yerkin Tukumov said the meeting agenda was…

ASTANA – Thirty-four years ago, Kazakhstan joined the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), entering a multilateral system built on dialogue, international law and shared security principles. Looking back on more than three decades of cooperation, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Ambassador Alexey Rogov reflected on the milestones that have…

ASTANA – National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov outlined key economic priorities for 2026, focusing on fiscal consolidation, tighter control of consumer lending and coordinated anti-inflation measures, as he briefed the government’s expanded meeting on Feb. 10 in Astana.  At an expanded government meeting, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his assessment of where the country is heading,…

ASTANA – The efficiency of the digital economy depends on the quality of connectivity infrastructure, said Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev at an expanded government meeting on Feb. 10 in Astana.  Delivering a report at a meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Madiyev spoke about the major…

ASTANA – Foreign capital inflows to Kazakhstan surpassed $58 billion in 2025, said Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov while briefing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the latest economic figures at an expanded government meeting in Astana on Feb. 10. “Foreign direct investment increased by $1.5 billion, or 10.9%, over nine months to reach $14.9 billion. Including portfolio…

ASTANA – While diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Croatia date back to October 1992, the opening of Croatia’s embassy in Astana in April 2019 marked a new phase in the relationship. Refik Šabanović has served as Ambassador of Croatia since the mission’s launch and in an interview with The Astana Times, he shared how bilateral…

ASTANA – Kazakh Invest and Chinese oil and gas firm Geo-Jade Petroleum Corporation signed a cooperation and project-support agreement on Feb. 3 to advance development of the Sozak gas field in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda Region.  The project could mark the launch of a new subsector in Kazakhstan’s gas industry, focusing on the production of hard-to-recover, unconventional…

ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development invested 378 million euros (US$446 million) in 2025, bringing its total funding across Central Asia and Mongolia to nearly $2 billion. The bank backed projects in renewable energy, infrastructure and small business financing in one of its strongest regional performances in more than a decade. The…

ASTANA – A renewable energy training program from Kazakhstan was shortlisted for the European Training Foundation Green Skills Award 2025, placing the country among five global finalists recognized for linking education with the transition to clean energy and green jobs. The Mangystau Energy College’s renewable energy dual training program was named one of the finalists…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has developed a rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) startup ecosystem, with more than 100 AI startups now operating in the country and venture investment in the sector rising more than fivefold over the past two years, according to a new report presented on Jan. 28 in the Kazakh capital.  Venture funding for…

ASTANA – In January, Anar Burasheva stood atop Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, becoming the first woman from Kazakhstan to complete the Seven Summits, the challenge of climbing the highest mountain on each continent. In an interview with The Astana Times, Burasheva reflects on the physical and mental toll behind that achievement. The…

ASTANA – The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) is one of the country’s key institutions that finances large-scale projects in non-resource sectors. As DBK marks its 25th anniversary this year, Botagoz Abisheva, deputy chairwoman of the DBK’s management board, spoke to The Astana Times, explaining how that role is evolving, and the bank’s key priorities…

Nostalgia is a deceptively sweet feeling, one that can get a person into hours and days of reminiscing about what it was like in a particular moment. That feeling swept across social media in early 2026, with millions of people posting photos and videos dated to 2016. These photos are not of the best quality,…

ASTANA – Countries across South and Central Asia are accelerating efforts to strengthen their artificial intelligence readiness, investing in digital infrastructure, skills and public-sector deployment as governments move from strategy to implementation, according to the last December release of the Government AI Readiness Index. The eighth edition of the report aims to address the question…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s silver industry is shrinking even as prices soar. Production has now declined for a fifth straight year, underscoring a widening gap between market value and physical output. In 2024, 697.5 tons of refined silver were produced in Kazakhstan, the lowest figure since 2012. Over the year, production fell by 21.2%, reported the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) reported the results of the exchange market’s performance for 2025 at a Jan. 15 press briefing. Total trading volume reached 400.8 trillion tenge (US$784.6 billion) in 2025, up 3% or 11.7 trillion tenge (US$22.9 billion) from 2024.  Trading activity across markets “The strongest growth in trading volumes was recorded…

ASTANA – Oil prices fluctuated in overnight trading after United States President Donald Trump took action against Venezuela by capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, and adding uncertainty over future global supply and the impact on oil-exporting countries such as Kazakhstan. The developments come amid criticism from governments and analysts who have questioned…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan produced 171,144 motor vehicles of all types, including passenger cars, buses and trucks, in 2025, with total output valued at more than 2.3 trillion tenge (US$4.5 billion), according to data from Kazakhstan’s Automobile Union released on Jan. 9. The result marked the strongest performance in the history of Kazakhstan’s automotive industry. That…