Kazakhstan, South Korea Expand Economic Ties
ASTANA – South Korean President Park Geun-hye paid an official visit to Kazakhstan within her Central Asian tour on June 18-19, focusing mainly on expanding economic ties and realising her vision for a barrier-free Eurasia. At a bilateral meeting of the two presidents on June 19, the main directions for discussion were strengthening high-level contacts…
Kazakh Alpinist Shares Adventures with New York Audience
Kazakh alpinist Maksut Zhumayev, whoclimbedMount McKinley, the highest point in North America, shared his impressions with his compatriots June 14at a meetingat the Kazakh Consulate Generalin New York City. Zhumayev discussed what inspires climbers to conquer new heights, despite the difficulties of hiking as well as methods of preparation for new climbing. He also confirmed…
Capital Celebration to Include Sweet Taste of Success
ASTANA – The capital birthday’s sweetest event,the Festival of Astana Confectioners, will take place July 4, at 10 a.m.in Congress Hall and is expected to attract more than 20 candy companies, according to organisers preparing the celebration to note Astana’s 16th anniversary. The Confectioners Festival is held to promote confectionery skills and increase the level…
Nazarbayev University to Host International Science and Technology Centre
ASTANA – At a June 5 roundtable held in the United States diplomatic office in Kazakhstan,the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for non-proliferation and theU.S. representative to the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) Simon Limazh discussed new technologyand the new ISTC headquarters in Astana,amongst other issues. “There are strong links between the research and…
Affordable Housing 2020 Begins Accepting Applications
ASTANA – Providing young families with a place to live is one of the tenets of the Affordable Housing 2020 programme. The programme began accepting applications at Centres for Population Services (CPS) on June 2. “The selection will be made on a point system. It allows or 20 points to be accrued for the first…
Kazakh-Language Resources Donated to Astana Children
ASTANA – On the eve of International Children’s Day, the State Language Development Foundation donated Kazakh-language books and CDs to children from new kindergarten No. 76. According to the press office of the State Language Development Foundation, global and Kazakh classic literature, encyclopaedia for preschool and school-age children, children’s literature and fairy tales in Kazakh…
ASTEX Conference Gathers E-Commerce Leaders
ASTANA – The international conference ASTEX 2014 opened on May 19 and brought together foreign speakers that included heads of large companies, investors, business trainers, players in the global Internet business and analysts. At the opening ceremony, Askar Zhumagaliyev, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Agency for Communications and Information, addressed the audience on behalf of Prime…
Celebration of Kazakh Culture Held in Jakarta
The Taman Ismail Marzuki concert hall in Jakarta hosted on May 13 the ceremonial opening of Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Indonesia. Within the Days of Culture, a gala concert with the participation of leading art masters of Kazakhstan, a photo exhibition and a film festival featuring “The Path of the Leader” and “Zhauzhurek…
Government, UNDP Work to Improve Transparency in State Services
ASTANA – Over the past decade, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supported important social changes. In building a new socially conscious government, the UNDP has worked to assist Kazakhstan in building a breakthrough model of state management where the interests of consumers of state services are treated with the utmost importance. A new…
Kazakh Delegation Attends 77th AIPS Congress
The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the future of “sport diplomacy” were among the main topics of the 77th Congress of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), held from April 28-30 in Baku, Azerbaijan. A delegation from the Kazakhstan Sports Press Association (KSPA) headed by KSPA President Ilyas Omarov, Vice President Pavel Tsybulin…
Role of Women in New Economy to be Discussed at Astana Economic Forum
ASTANA – The international women’s forum, “G-Global – the Role of Women in the New Economy,” will be held within the Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on May 21-22. The programme of the forum includes two sessions: “Leadership of Women in Political and Economic Life” and “The Role of Central Asian and Afghan Women in the…
ADB, Kazakhstan Sign Agreement to Support Industry, Banking, Small Business
ASTANA – President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao signed a new framework agreement on co-financing with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov on May 4 at the opening ceremony of the 47th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Astana. According to the agreement, signed in the presence of Kazakh…
ADB Helps Kazakhstan Introduce Green Principles for Sustainable Development
ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing assistance to Kazakhstan to implement resource-saving technologies and the principles of green economy through technical assistance for project preparation for the rehabilitation of heating networks in Karaganda. This assistance was provided for in the Country Strategy Partnership between Kazakhstan and the ADB for 2012-2016. This project…
‘We Try to Seek Win-Win Results,’ Chair of Sports Press Association Says
ASTANA – In autumn 2013, Ilyas Omarov, a diplomat with more than 20 years of experience became a chair of the Sports Press Association of Kazakhstan (SPAK). For nearly nine years he worked as a press secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan. Nesip Zhunusbayev, the former SPAK chair, a renowned journalist became its honorary…
Charity Uses Art to Improve Lives of Children with Disabilities
ASTANA – The Believe in Wonder charity fund and the Astana Department of Education, in cooperation with the Khan Shatyr Mall, held an event on April 19 to raise awareness about children with disabilities. The event is called My World is Behind the Window and involves sending 26 teachers from the city’s department of education…
Issyk Saka Mounds to be Opened to Public
Archaeologist Bekmukhanbet Nurmukhanbetov, a member of the expedition that discovered the famous “Golden Man,” announced recently that the Saka mounds in Issyk will soon be open to the public. Nurmukhanbetov said that there are more than 100 Saka mounds and ancient Rahat and Orikty settlements in Issyk. Most of the mounds have not yet been…
Latest Kazakh WTO Accession Talks in Washington Focus on Plant and Animal Health
The most recent round of negotiations on Kazakhstan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with the United States, this time focused on harmonizing measures regarding plant and animal disease control, took place in Washington, D.C., on March 4-6 with the participation of Kazakh Minister for Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova. The negotiations took place without…
Almaty to Host Open Asian Powerlifting Championship
From April 21-27, a major international powerlifting tournament, the Open Asian Powerlifting Championship, will be held for the first time in Almaty. Athletes from more than 10 countries have already confirmed their participation in the event. Men and women of all ages, from juniors to veterans over 70 years of age, will take part in…
Almaty Students to Work as Public Tour Guides
Almaty students of tourism will have the opportunity to work as guides on public transport telling passengers about the sights and history of the cultural centre of the country. “This year, our city was chosen as the cultural centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and we have lots of things to say to…
Kazakhstan Will Compete in Tour d’Azerbaijan 2014
The Tour d’Azerbaijan cycling race, consisting of 150 racers from 22 countries, will take place May 7-11 in Azerbaijan. This year’s participants hail from Austria, Britain, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine, and as well as other countries. An Australian team will also participate in the Tour…
Astana, London Sign Agreements on Cargo Transit from Afghanistan, As British Minister Visits to Advance Wider Relations
ASTANA – Britain’s Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Baroness Sayeeda Warsi visited Astana April 14-15 for high level and wide ranging talks with Kazakhstan officials, resulting in the signing of bilateral agreements expanding the legal basis for British military-related transit from Afghanistan. Following talks with Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov at the…
UNDP Helps Promote Gender Equality in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to achieve gender equality has been promoting family values, the representation of women in decision-making positions, distance employment and other related goals in Kazakhstan since 2012. Rashida Naubetova, the project’s manager, spoke to The Astana Times about the goals and achievements of the project. How was…
ASTEX-2014 Set to Attract Silicon Valley Innovators to Astana
ASTANA – The second Astana Smart Technologies Exhibition (ASTEX-2104) and conference will take place in the run up to the 7th Astana Economic Forum (AEF) on May 15-16. The international exhibition will be held by the Information Communications Development Corporate Fund of Kazakhstan, chaired by Silicon Valley innovator Sanzhar Ketebekov, and will include heads of…
UN Special Rapporteur Gives Recommendations on Religious Affairs in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief Heiner Bielefeldt, who was invited by the Kazakh government to observe the status of religious issues in the country, shared his opinions and recommendations at an April 4 press conference. “During the process of preparing the official report, I realised that what I…
Ayupova and Uzenbayeva to Perform at Astana Opera
Kazakh violinist Aida Ayupova and pianist Gulzhan Uzenbayeva will give a concert titled “An Evening of Chamber Music” on April 5 at the Astana Opera Chamber Hall. The concert will be held with support from the International Foundation Congress of Spiritual Concord. Violinist Ayupova and pianist Uzenbayeva will perform together one of the most famous…
