Articles by Ayana Birbayeva 

ALMATY – The rapid decline of the Caspian Sea is emerging as one of Kazakhstan’s most complex water and environmental challenges, with falling water levels threatening ecosystems, fisheries, coastal infrastructure and communities. As the country strengthens its broader water management system, the changing Caspian is adding urgency to efforts to improve how Kazakhstan monitors and…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan has one of the relatively young population structures globally, with people under 18 accounting for 34.2% of the population in 2025 and placing the country 80th among 163 countries and territories. Experts say the large share of children gives Kazakhstan a potential demographic dividend, but realizing that opportunity will depend on education,…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to increase exploration drilling over the next three years, with up to 200 exploration and appraisal wells expected to be drilled by 2028. While the expansion could help replenish the country’s resource base, experts say the real challenge will be turning geological discoveries into economically viable projects. Speaking at the KAZDRILLING…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan ranked 44th among 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), placing it among the world’s 50 most peaceful countries and reflecting an improvement from the previous year as Central Asia continues to diverge from a broader global decline in peacefulness. Kazakhstan recorded a score of 1.771 points, improving from 1.791…

ALMATY – OPEC+ has decided to keep oil production targets for October unchanged, pausing further adjustments as the alliance assesses market conditions and prepares for a broader review of production baselines for 2027. The decision was made on Sept. 6 during a virtual meeting of Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, the…

ALMATY – Kazakh scientists have developed a drone-based technology to automatically distribute beneficial insects across agricultural fields, potentially making biological crop protection faster and more effective, the Ministry of Agriculture reported on Sept. 2.  Researchers at the Zhiembayev Kazakh Research Institute of Plant Protection and Quarantine developed the BioDrop technology. The system combines biodegradable spherical…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is betting that Alatau City can evolve from a planned development outside Almaty into a regional economic hub. Backed by a special legal regime and billions of dollars in proposed investment, the project seeks to combine manufacturing, logistics, technology and finance with new transport and digital infrastructure, but its success will depend…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan has formed a new government, with most ministers retaining their positions while several key ministries received new heads, according to presidential decrees and orders. Mukhtar Tileuberdi was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, returning to the position he held from 2019 to 2023. Before the appointment, he served as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Austria…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s nominal gross domestic product could reach $468.8 billion by 2030, potentially placing the country among the world’s 45 largest economies. But economists say the more important question is whether the expansion reflects stronger productivity, diversification and investment rather than simply larger nominal output. The projection, based on International Monetary Fund (IMF) data,…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is expanding geological exploration, increasing geological knowledge and identifying new mineral resources, but experts say the key challenge is no longer simply discovering what lies beneath the country’s vast territory. It is turning geological potential into economically viable projects, investment, production and higher-value exports. The government is increasing the detail of geological…

ALMATY – Trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reached $2.8 billion in the first half of 2026, making Kazakhstan Uzbekistan’s third-largest trading partner and highlighting a relationship that is moving beyond traditional commodity exchanges toward manufacturing, agricultural trade and integrated production chains. According to Uzbekistan’s National Statistics Committee, Kazakhstan accounted for the third-largest share of Uzbekistan’s…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s manufacturing sector has overtaken mining in its share of industrial output for the first time, marking a potentially important shift in the country’s economic structure. But economists say the headline figure should be viewed alongside a second trend: rising demand for imported machinery, equipment and technology as Kazakhstan enters a major investment…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s population increased by 14,230 people in July, reaching 20.6 million as of Aug. 1, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics. The country’s population stood at 20,590,000 as of July 1. By Aug. 1, it had increased to 20,604,800. Since the beginning of the year, Kazakhstan’s population has grown by…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is marking the legacy of Akzhan Mashanov (1906–1997) on the 120th anniversary of his birth on Sept. 2, one of the country’s prominent scientists and an important figure in the development of Kazakh scientific thought. A geologist, engineer, educator, translator and researcher, Mashanov made significant contributions to the development of geomechanics and…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic are the only Central Asian countries to meet the United States Department of State’s minimum fiscal transparency requirements, while Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan did not meet the criteria, according to the 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report released by the U.S. Department of State. The report assesses whether governments receiving…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is strengthening the institutional role of its Security Council, a move experts say could mark a shift toward more systematic strategic analysis and preventive risk management as the country’s understanding of national security expands beyond traditional defense and law enforcement. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on Aug. 28 establishing the Security…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is seeking to turn growing trade with South Korea into broader opportunities for domestic producers, with more than 200 representatives of businesses and government agencies from the two countries gathering in Almaty on Aug. 27 for a Kazakhstan-Korea Business Forum and business mission organized with the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA). The forum…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is positioning tourism as more than a source of visitor spending, seeking to build a regional hub that connects adventure travel, international events and global tourism markets. Recent cooperation with international tourism organizations and the growing number of major events hosted by Astana and Almaty point to an emerging strategy: turn Kazakhstan’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has made 50 government services available through eGov GPT, allowing citizens to access them through a chat-based interface without visiting a Public Service Center (PSC), First Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Rostislav Konyashkin said on Aug. 26. The service was presented during the unveiling of the Action Plan to…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving toward a broader AI-driven transformation of the economy and public services under a government action plan that sets measurable digitalization targets through 2029, with artificial intelligence increasingly integrated into education, healthcare, transport, finance and industrial management. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov approved the action plan on Aug. 26 as part of…

ASTANA – A total of 262 foreign IT specialists have received residency or visa statuses in Kazakhstan under the Digital Nomad Residency and Digital Nomad Visa programs, according to updated figures from Astana Hub. As of August 2026, 250 foreign IT specialists have obtained permanent residence permits under the Digital Nomad Residency program, while another…

TASHKENT – Islamic finance is emerging as a potential new channel for connecting Central Asia with global capital, as Uzbekistan works to build regulatory and market infrastructure for Sharia-compliant investment. Speaking at the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent on Aug. 26, Central Bank of Uzbekistan Governor Timur Ishmetov outlined Uzbekistan’s efforts to…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s decision to cut its 2026 oil production target from 98 million tonnes to 96 million tonnes after disruptions affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has highlighted the country’s continued dependence on a major export route and the need to strengthen alternatives, experts say. Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at an Aug. 25…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is becoming increasingly important to Washington not only as a source of energy and critical minerals, but also as a key partner in developing alternative trade routes and strengthening U.S. engagement across Central Asia. A meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and a delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives on Aug. 25…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is preparing to establish a national credit rating agency as part of a broader effort to develop its domestic capital market, but the institution’s success will ultimately depend on more than the creation of a new regulator-approved rating system. Its ratings will have to earn the confidence of investors and become a…