Articles by ASSEL SATUBALDINA

President Tokayev Discusses Future of Eurasian Integration with EAEU Heads of Government

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the future of Eurasian integration among other acute issues during his meeting with the heads of the governments of the Eurasian Economic Union member states on Feb. 25, reports the Akorda press service.  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarus Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, Chairman…

ADB Raises $32 Million from Second Gender Bond Issue in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised 14 billion tenge ($32 million) from its second gender bond issue in Kazakhstan, reports the ADB press service.  “This is ADB’s second gender bond in Kazakhstan tenge, adding to the brace of green bonds that we issued in 2020,” said ADB Treasurer Pierre Van Peteghem. “Raising…

Kazakh PM Reports to President Tokayev on Measures to Reduce Negative Impact on Economy From Crisis in Ukraine

NUR-SULTAN – Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov reported on the measures his government is taking to minimize the impact of the crisis in Ukraine on the country’s economy during his meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Feb. 24, reports the Akorda press service. The measures are aimed at maintaining the current social and economic situation in…

National Bank Makes $33 Million Currency Intervention to Dampen Tenge Volatility 

NUR-SULTAN – The National Bank of Kazakhstan scaled up its currency intervention to US$33 million on Feb. 22 to dampen the volatility of the tenge, said National Bank Deputy Chair Aliya Moldabekova. “In light of sharply increased volatility and to avoid destabilizing the situation on the domestic currency market, during today’s trading the National Bank…

President Tokayev Invites Foreign Investors to Contribute to Economic Transformation and Renewal at Foreign Investors’ Council Meeting

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited foreign investors to take part in the transformation and renewal of the country’s economic sector as it strives towards New Kazakhstan, the proposed government policy encompassing upcoming progressive political and economic reforms, reports the Akorda press service.  “I think you are as much interested in real reform of the…

Epidemiological Situation with COVID-19 Stabilizing in Kazakhstan, Says Healthcare Minister

NUR-SULTAN – The epidemiological situation with COVID-19 is stabilizing in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Azhar Giniyat said at a Feb. 22 government meeting. “The epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan on coronavirus infection is stabilizing after the daily increase in incidence over the last week decreased to 1,200 cases per day, which was reflected in the rate…

Kazakhstan Removes IDC Permit Requirement for Foreign Nationals Eligible for Visa-Free Regime 

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has eased the rules on crossing state borders for foreign nationals, according to the Feb. 7 decision of the interdepartmental commission (IDC) on preventing the spread of the coronavirus infection, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.  According to the amendments, an IDC permit is not required for foreign citizens traveling by air from…

President Tokayev to Deliver Address to Nation in March, Announce Political Reforms

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will deliver his address to the nation in mid-March, his spokesperson Berik Uali announced on Friday. The address, which usually takes place in September, is expected to announce political reforms for the near future. Tokayev is also expected to release the preliminary results of the investigation into the January events…

President Tokayev on January Events: Efforts Must Be Focused to Separate Peaceful Protesters from Criminals

NUR-SULTAN – As Kazakhstan continues its investigation into the tragic events of January, the difficult task is to figure out who were peaceful protesters and who were criminals taking advantage of the unrest, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev explained in an interview to the Qazaqstan TV channel on Thursday.  “This is a very complicated job, everything…

Kazakhstan Investigates 181 Cases Related to Mass Riots and Terrorism During January Unrest

NUR-SULTAN – The Prosecutor General’s Office continues to investigate crimes committed during the January events with a total of 3,096 pre-trial investigations, said Yeldos Kilimzhanov, deputy head of the first services of the Prosecutor’s General Office at a press briefing late on Wednesday, Feb.16. An interdepartmental investigation team led by special prosecutors is also investigating…

Close to Nine Million People Fully Vaccinated in Kazakhstan, Risks Remain High Due to Omicron Variant

NUR-SULTAN – Nearly 8.9 million people in Kazakhstan have been fully immunized against the coronavirus infection as of Feb. 16, and 9.3 million have received at least one dose, according to the Ministry of Health data. The Turkistan Region and the city of Almaty lead in terms of the number of fully vaccinated, where the…

European Ambassadors Pledge Support For Building New Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – The European Union member states are interested in strengthening comprehensive cooperation with Kazakhstan and consistently supporting a course of political and socio-economic modernization as part of the country’s New Kazakhstan policy, reports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   This was reaffirmed during the meeting at the ministry on Monday that gathered the European envoys…

President Tokayev Chairs Security Council Meeting, Stresses Protection of Constitutional Rights  

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the meeting of the nation’s Security Council on Feb. 12, stressing the need to ensure the protection of constitutional rights of citizens as a priority task for his government, reports the Akorda press service.   Tokayev took over as the head of the country’s Security Council on Jan. 5, the…

Kazakhstan’s Prominent Disability Rights Activist Lyazzat Kaltayeva Appointed Senate Deputy

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s well-known disability rights activist Lyazzat Kaltayeva was appointed a deputy of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, based on a Jan. 28 presidential decree. Kaltayeva will become the first deputy in the Senate to represent the country’s more than 700,000 population or persons with disabilities.  Lyazzat Kaltayeva has been…

Kazakhstan Lowers Risk of Terrorism Warning Level in Three Regions 

NUR-SULTAN – The terrorism warning level has been eased from the critical red level to the high orange level in the city of Almaty, as well as the Almaty and Zhambyl regions as of Jan. 26 midnight, the nation’s operative headquarters on combating terrorism announced on Tuesday.  The same decision also ended the counter-terrorism operation…

We Have Learned Lesson from January Tragedy, Says President Tokayev

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has learned the lesson from the tragic January events, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressing the virtual Central Asia – China summit on Tuesday, reports Akorda press service.  “As a state, as a nation, we have learned the necessary lessons from these tragic events and will certainly recover quickly. Now we are actively…

Unprecedented Dynamism, High Level of Trust and Good Neighborliness: Tokayev on Kazakhstan’s Ties with China

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended Kazakhstan’s bilateral ties with China describing them as having an unprecedented dynamism, a high level of trust, and genuine good-neighborliness during the Central Asia – China summit on Tuesday, reports the Akorda press service.  Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the virtual summit that commemorated the 30th anniversary of…

Government Ready to Work with Kazakh Human Rights Activists to Investigate Reports of Torture 

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating seven cases of torture used on civilians, the ministry’s spokesperson Nurdilda Oraz told a press briefing on Jan. 22. According to him, the ministry received 74 complaints from citizens against misconduct by police officers between Jan. 17 and Jan. 23.  “The Ministry of Internal Affairs…

CSTO Peacekeepers Complete Their Mission, Withdraw from Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) troops completed their peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan on Jan. 19 after their last contingents left the territory of Kazakhstan, reports the Kazakh Defense Ministry.  At the beginning of January, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appealed to the CSTO, an alliance of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, to…

Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi Visits Brussels to Reinforce Partnership with EU

NUR-SULTAN – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi paid a working visit to Brussels on Jan. 18 where he met with the European counterparts and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to a strengthened partnership with the European Union, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.  While in Brussels, Tileuberdi met…

Kazakhstan Ends State of Emergency, Counter-Terrorist Operation Continues

NUR-SUlTAN – Kazakhstan ended its two-week state of emergency as of midnight on Jan. 19, lifting restrictions on movement in and from cities and curfew.  The state of emergency was declared on Jan. 5 by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev after peaceful protests that erupted in the country at the beginning of January were hijacked by…

Kazakh Government Presents Action Plan to Stabilize Social and Economic Situation in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – The government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov presented the action plan on Jan. 18 to stabilize the social and economic situation in the country, reports Prime Minister’s press service.  The plan, which was prepared at the instruction of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, contains a number of urgent and short-term measures aimed at…

Kazakhstan Establishes Qazaqstan Halqyna Foundation to Provide Social Relief to People Who Need It Most

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has established the Qazaqstan Halqyna (to the people of Kazakhstan) Foundation designed to boost social support at the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who proposed the idea during the Jan. 11 plenary session of Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament. The foundation will provide charitable assistance to the people, in…

Almaty is My Hometown: President Tokayev Shows Solidarity With Violence-Shocked Citizens During Visit

NUR-SULTAN  – The past week for Kazakhstan and its largest city and important business, financial and cultural center Almaty was turbulent. But after almost a week of living in fear and uncertainty after a terrorist group attacked the city, citizens and the state are doing their best to rebuild the city.  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived…

Eleven Out of Twenty Ministers in Kazakhstan’s New Government Retain Positions

NUR-SULTAN – Eleven out of 20 ministers in Kazakhstan’s new government have retained their positions, according to the decree published on Akorda, the official presidential website.  The new composition of the government was announced the same day after the candidacy of Alikhan Smailov, 49, was approved for the post of the country’s Prime Minister. Smailov,…