Secondary raw materials reception point opens to reward Astana residents for proper recycling
ASTANA – Green Station, a 5.5 million tenge (US$14,630) reception point for secondary raw materials, opened Sept. 11 in the Baikonur district of the capital, reported the press service of the mayor’s office. Recyclable materials will be collected, sorted and then sent to waste processing plants. The centre, operated by Astana Clean Time at 2/2…
Yiddish Glory tells story of Kazakhstan welcoming refugees during Holocaust
ASTANA – “Yiddish Glory – The Lost Songs of World War II,” released Feb. 28, features unique musical recordings created by Holocaust victims and survivors, mostly women and children, and Jewish refugees during the war. Hidden since 1947, the ballads are now receiving standing ovations from sold-out crowds. The Astana Times spoke with University of…
Digital television transition to be completed in 2021
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s full transition to digital television will provide access to 30 TV channels in regional centres and up to 15 TV channels in villages and district areas, Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev told a Sept. 4 government meeting. The domestic package includes news, children’s programming, culture, cinema and sports TV channels.…
Regional interaction is key to empowering Afghan women, UN Women official says
ASTANA – Regional cooperation is necessary to empower Afghan women, UN Women Director of Programme Division Maria-Noel Vaeza told The Astana Times in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the Sept. 5 Regional Conference on Empowering Women in Afghanistan held in Astana. “The gender inequality is a universal challenge,” said Vaeza in her address…
Burabai resort sees major improvements, new facilities to open next season
ASTANA – More than 850,000 people visited the Shchuchinsk-Burabai resort zone in 2017, reported Akmola Region Akim (Governor) Malik Murzalin at an Aug. 25 press conference in the oblast. This figure is expected to increase by 20,000 people this year. “I met with hotel and restaurant owners in the tourist area. They agreed that the…
Italian artist motorbikes through 11 countries, finds ‘surprising hospitality’ in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Rosaria Iazzetta started a motorbike journey to battle her own fears, but, in fact, her courage and enthusiasm has inspired thousands of people she has met during the trip. Likewise, she got inspired by the great hospitality of people of all walks of life along the route, including, most recently, in Kazakhstan. …
Kazakh industrialisation map projects are growing, driving increased exports
ASTANA – Approximately 100 projects worth about 1.1 trillion tenge (US$3 billion) will be launched in the second half of this year, Minister for Investment and Development Zhenis Kassymbek reported at an Aug. 22 government meeting in the capital. This will create 12,200 new positions. The projects include a new steel welded pipes plant in…
Skolkovo’s recent study focuses on Islamic economy in Eurasian region, growth factors
ASTANA – What is the real size of the Islamic economy phenomenon? Why are Islamic economy and its ecosystem an important theme? What Eurasian country has the most Islamic financial assets and holds the leading position in terms of the quality of its ecosystem? Skolkovo Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS) released Islamic Economy –…
Kyzylorda Theatre presents ‘Akbayan’ folk legend at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
ASTANA – Kyzylorda Theatre of Music and Drama premiered Aug. 6-8 “Akbayan” folk legend directed by Hussein Amir Temir at the Fringe International Theatre Festival in Edinburgh. This is the first Kazakh theatre performance at the world’s largest arts festival, which included artists from more than 50 countries. Head of UK-based Aitmatov Academy Rahima Abduvalieva…
Chinese manufacturer to build display, TV set production plant in Kostanai region
ASTANA – China’s HKC Corporation Limited will be constructing a display and television assembly plant in the Kostanai region, the Kazakh Invest press service reported Aug. 2. The company will announce the plant location within two months, said Vice President Li Jin at a meeting with the regional administration. One of the top TV manufactures…
Veterinary vaccine plant to be built in Zhambyl region
ASTANA – BioVetKZ will be constructing a veterinary vaccine plant in the Zhambyl region, the regional press service reported July 30. The two billion tenge (US$5 million), Kordai district-based biofactory has a design capacity of 25 million doses per year, with future capacity expected to increase almost three-fold. The enterprise will produce and sell vaccines…
Belgian envoy predicts ‘interesting results’ from combining Brussels’ experience with Astana’s potential
ASTANA – Small Belgium and large Kazakhstan have more to learn from each other than one might think – Belgium’s long history of industrial development can help Kazakhstan on its development path, and Astana’s recent stint on the UN Security Council can serve as an example for Brussels, Ambassador of Belgium to Kazakhstan Alexis de…
Kazakhstan serves as photographic inspiration for Cyprian academic
ASTANA – With an ambition to become one of the progressive global cities, the Kazakh capital is attracting more and more foreigners. Academic and photographer Evagoras Xydas spoke with The Astana Times about his personal experience living in the city and the inspiration it has provided. Moving to the capital was an adventurous decision, as…
Paris Opera Ballet presents Gala de Paris tour in Astana
ASTANA – The Paris Opera Ballet will present its Gala de Paris programme July 27 to 30 at the Astana Opera House in the Kazakh capital. The gala is part of a tour dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the National Opera of Paris; Maestro Vladimir Lande will conduct the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra for…
Kazakh state healthcare programme services, contributions expanding
ASTANA – Contributions for compulsory social health insurance totalled more than 80.6 billion tenge (US$233 million) for a one-year period, said Social Health Insurance Fund Chairperson Yelena Bakhmutova at a July 17 meeting. The figure covers approximately six million individuals, including 553,560 employees. This year, the Mandatory Social Health Insurance Fund will also provide guaranteed…
UNFPA ‘Right to Choose’ campaign raises youth awareness of reproductive health
ASTANA – Family planning is key to economic stability and prosperity. Giulia Vallese, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative for Kazakhstan and Country Director for Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, delivered that message on World Population Day (July 13) at a Right to Choose talk in the capital. Ana Uyi (Mother’s Home) Public Fund and Artishock Theatre…
Kazakhstan’s Golden Man, priceless Saka artefacts travel to China
ASTANA – Exhibits of priceless Kazakh art and photography of ancient sites opened July 12 in Xi’an, the capital of China’s Shaanxi Province. The Legacy of the Great Steppe: Masterpieces of Jewellery Art exhibition and the Sacred Kazakhstan photography exhibition feature 370 valuable items, including 196 authentic artefacts and 174 copies. The National Museum and…
Kazakhstan to start coalbed methane exploration and production
ASTANA – Kanysh Satbayev Kazakh National Technical University and ArcelorMittal Temirtau will begin a joint venture to explore and produce coalbed methane in the Karaganda coal basin, reported the university press service. Coalbed methane is a gas present in active, working mine sites. According to forecasts, its resources in the Karaganda coal basin, reaching a…
Citigroup continues to invest in Kazakhstan, drive market share, revenue growth
ASTANA – Citigroup, one of the first international banks to enter the Kazakh market, is marking its 25th anniversary in the country. It feels current conditions in Kazakhstan provide ample opportunities for large multinational corporations. The Astana Times spoke exclusively with Citi Chief Executive Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) James Cowles to…
New bridge, bike lanes, botanical garden open in capital ahead of Astana Day
ASTANA – A pedestrian and cycling bridge across the Yessil River was opened July 1 in the capital through the Regions’ Gifts to Astana programme. The bridge connects the right-bank embankment of the Yessil River with the Central Park on the left bank. “If you look at the bridge from above, its cover resembles the…
Japan to invest in Kazakhstan’s urban transport, nuclear energy, water supply
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Japan will implement seven joint projects, including in the areas of nuclear energy, transport and water supply, worth approximately $2 billion, Kazakh Minister for Investments and Development Zhenis Kassymbek announced at a June 27 meeting with Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Tadao Yanase. Japan is one of…
Astana Opera to premiere anniversary gift from UK composer, ‘Shine, Astana,’ in gala concert
ASTANA – More than 1,000 musicians will perform during the “Shine, Astana” concert premiere at the Astana Opera House July 2. The event is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Kazakh capital. Symphony orchestras and choirs from all regions of Kazakhstan and musicians from Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, the Netherlands, Tajikistan…
Turkestan region launches investment projects, draft regulation on border issue open for public discussion
ASTANA – The Turkestan region has initiated a project offering anti-corruption support for investors. Entrepreneurs wishing to invest in the region have all the conditions to protect themselves from illegal interference in their activities. Sixteen investment projects have already been launched, 13 are in the implementation stage and 10 potential projects have been identified. In…
World Bank Group: human capital, diversification can be drivers of Kazakh growth
ASTANA – The World Bank (WB) is supporting Kazakhstan’s course towards diversified growth. Over 25 years of cooperation, the WB has provided loans for 46 projects totalling more than $8.1 billion. In an exclusive interview with The Astana Times, WB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller said the bank’s partnership with Kazakhstan…
State programme encourages family farms, more subsidies, meat exports
ASTANA – Export refunds for processed agricultural products will be $2.2 billion in 2021, 2.3 times higher than the $945 million recorded in 2015, reported Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov at a June 19 meeting. Asian and Middle Eastern countries including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam are identified as attractive export markets with…
