Astana to Host Regional Ecological Summit 2026 This April
ASTANA – The Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place on April 22-24 bringing together around 1,500 participants from government bodies across the region, international organizations, development institutions, experts, businesses and civil society, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The forum seeks to address regional solutions to climate and environmental challenges…
Kazakh President Reviews 2025 Financial Market Results, Sets Goals for Lending and Stability
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Jan. 15 received Madina Abylkasymova, chairperson of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, to review 2025 results and outline priorities for 2026, including financial stability, increased business lending, and consumer protection. Abylkasymova reported that Kazakhstan’s banking sector remained stable, with assets rising 11% to 68.3…
Kazakhstan, Iran Discuss Expanding Cooperation in Trade, Transport and Logistics
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Iran discussed expanding cooperation in trade, transport, and logistics during meetings between senior foreign ministry officials on Jan. 15. Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev met with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi to review a broad range of matters on the bilateral agenda. The talks covered strengthening political dialogue, deepening…
AIIB to Lend $150 Million for Almaty Railway Bypass Project
ASTANA — The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will lend $150 million to support the Almaty Railway Bypass Project, a landmark investment aimed at strengthening freight efficiency, urban mobility and regional connectivity in Kazakhstan. The financing is provided to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) under a nonsovereign structure. As part of a broader financing package, the…
Kazakh Foreign Ministry Releases Statement on Incidents Involving Tankers in Black Sea
ASTANA — The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has released a statement on Jan. 14, addressing recent incidents involving tankers en route to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea. The ministry expressed serious concern over attacks carried out on Jan. 13 by unmanned aerial vehicles against three tankers bound for the CPC…
Kazakhstan Sets Record in Grain Exports in 2025
ASTANA — In 2025, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) transported a record 11 million tons of grain for export, the highest in the past decade, contributing to a total rail shipment volume of 14.3 million tons, up 31% from 2024. Domestic shipments also increased, rising 26% to more than 3.3 million tons. Shipments to Central Asian…
Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Rises to Third in FIDE World Blitz Rankings
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva rose to third place in the latest FIDE women’s world blitz rankings following her triumph at the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship on Dec. 30 in Qatar. Her victory improved her ranking by five positions, placing her just behind top-ranked Hou Yifan and second-ranked Ju Wenjun of China.…
Kazakhstan Recovers Over $30 Million in Anti-Corruption Efforts in 2025
ASTANA – The National Security Committee of Kazakhstan has reported the results of its anti-corruption activities for 2025, highlighting the recovery of 16.1 billion tenge (US$31.5 million) to the national budget. In addition, property valued at 3.3 billion tenge (US$6.5 million) was seized as part of ongoing enforcement measures. Over the reporting period, 895 individuals…
Kazakhstan Expands Renewable Energy Capacity as Clean Generation Reaches 7% in 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its transition to sustainable energy, with the share of clean electricity generation rising to 7% in 2025, up from 6.43% in 2024, reflecting steady progress in renewable energy development. During the year, nine new renewable energy facilities with a combined capacity of 503 megawatts were commissioned. These included five…
Kazakhstan to Provide High-Speed Internet to 99% of Population by 2027
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is accelerating its nationwide digital transformation, with plans to ensure high-speed internet access for 99% of the population by the end of 2027, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev at a Jan. 6 government meeting. As of the end of 2025, high-speed internet…
Kazakhstan’s Population Exceeds 20.4 Million as Urbanization Continues to Rise
ASTANA — The population of Kazakhstan reached 20,478,879 people as of Dec. 1, 2025, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. Since the beginning of 2025, the country’s population has increased by 195,480 people, up from 20,283,399 at the start of the year. The largest share of the population is concentrated in the country’s major…
Kazakhstan Names Flag Bearers for Milan 2026 Winter Olympics
ASTANA — Short-track speed skaters Denis Nikisha and Yana Khan will carry Kazakhstan’s flag at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, said Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Committee for Sports and Physical Culture Nurlan Yessembayev. The opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place on Feb. 6,…
KazNU Scientist Proves Chicory’s Powerful Antidiabetic Potential
ASTANA — A young scientist from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) in Almaty has scientifically proven the antidiabetic properties of chicory, opening new prospects for plant-based health products in Kazakhstan. Ayzhamal Baiseitova, a senior lecturer at KazNU, conducted a comprehensive study on chicory and demonstrated that its bioactive compounds effectively reduce blood sugar levels and…
Kazakh Parliament Adopts 100 Laws in 2025, Introduces AI Regulation
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis has adopted 100 laws this year, including landmark legislation on artificial intelligence, Mazhilis Chairman Yerlan Koshanov said while summarizing the year’s results on Dec. 29. According to Koshanov, 24 laws were initiated by deputies. Parliament also completed work on key national codes, including the Water, Budget, Tax, Construction and Digital codes,…
AIFC Wraps Up 2025 with Strong Investment Growth, Market Expansion
ASTANA — The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) wrapped up 2025 with strong investment growth and expanding market activity, raising $6 billion through the center during the year and registering more than 1,400 new companies. Investments Since the launch of the AIFC in 2018, a total of $20 billion has been raised through the center…
Mustafa Shokai: Voice of Turkistan and Fighter for Freedom
ASTANA — This year marks the 135th birthday of Mustafa Shokai, one of the most important and inspiring figures in early 20th-century Kazakh politics. He was a writer, politician, diplomat, and leader of the Turkistan national movement. Shokai became a symbol of the fight for freedom and dignity. He did not accept the Bolshevik regime…
Astana and Tehran Elevate Partnership as Presidents Highlight Shared Vision and Regional Role
ASTANA – Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a joint statement on Dec. 11, emphasizing the deep historical ties between Kazakhstan and Iran, the steady growth of bilateral trade, and the shared commitment to expanding cooperation in transport, agriculture, and culture. Historical and cultural ties President Tokayev emphasized that Iran, a country with significant…
Kazakh Language Support Endowment Fund Receives 100-Fold Boost
ASTANA – The Kazakh language continues to gain momentum through major educational, cultural, and technological initiatives, highlighted at the annual congress of the Kazakh Language International Society on Dec. 10. The event showcased the growth of the Qazaq Tili (Kazakh language) Endowment Fund, innovative projects for language learning, and partnerships with global organizations including OpenAI…
Kyrgyz Constitutional Court Rules Against Reinstating Death Penalty
ASTANA – The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic has ruled that bringing back the death penalty is unacceptable and legally impossible. The decision came on Dec. 10 after the court reviewed a request from President Sadyr Japarov to assess proposed constitutional amendments that would allow capital punishment for the rape of children and for…
Kazakhstan Highlights Human Rights and Penitentiary Reform at International Conference
ASTANA – Kazakhstan reaffirmed its commitment to human rights and the modernization of its penal system at a high-level conference on International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10. The event, marking the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, focused on protecting the rights of persons in places of deprivation of liberty, improving…
ADB Warns Asia’s Water Security Gains at Risk Amid Climate Pressures and Funding Gap
ASTANA – More than 60% of Asia and the Pacific’s population – around 2.7 billion people – has been lifted from extreme water insecurity over the past 12 years, but these gains are threatened by accelerating environmental decline and a major financing gap, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. The Asian Water…
Human Rights Day Event Highlights Role of Independent Media in Strengthening Kazakh Society
ASTANA — A roundtable in Astana explored how independent media can strengthen public trust and support a resilient, democratic society in Kazakhstan to mark Human Rights Day on Dec. 10. The event titled Kazakhstan: The Role of Media in Building a Resilient Society brought together lawyers, human rights activists, government representatives, and international organizations. It…
Kazakhstan to Supply Kashagan Crude to China Directly After CPC Terminal Damage
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to supply 50,000 metric tons of crude to China directly from the vast Kashagan field in December for the first time after a Ukrainian drone damaged the Black Sea terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The CPC, which accounts for 1% of global crude supply and includes Russian, Kazakh and…
Dimash Qudaibergen Appointed IOM Global Goodwill Ambassador
ASTANA – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) of the United Nations appointed Kazakh artist Dimash Qudaibergen as a Global Goodwill Ambassador during the annual session of the council in Geneva on Dec. 8. This appointment reflects Qudaibergen’s long-standing commitment to supporting people facing crisis situations. In 2024, Qudaibergen was named an IOM Regional Goodwill…
President of Kazakhstan Signs Three-Year National Budget Law
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the law on the national budget for 2026–2028 on Dec. 8. The full text of the law will be published in print. Earlier, members of the Mazhilis agreed with the Senate’s amendments to the law during a plenary session, as well as with changes to the law…
