France Fully Supports Political Reforms in Kazakhstan, Says Diplomatic Adviser to French President
ASTANA – France fully supports Kazakhstan’s political reforms, said Isabelle Dumont, Diplomatic Adviser on Continental Europe and Türkiye to the French President, during an April 6 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Dumont conveyed greetings and handed Tokayev a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron. The sides discussed key issues…
Kazakh Air Carriers to Expand Fleet by 50 Percent Through 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s air carriers will expand its fleet by 42 aircraft to 132 units by 2025, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Almaz Idyrysov said during an April 5 meeting at the Senate, the upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the Senate’s press service. According to the plan developed with domestic airlines, 14…
Kazatomprom Exports Uranium to Romania via Trans-Caspian International Transport Route
ASTANA – Kazatomprom national atomic company delivered uranium for Romania’s nuclear power plant via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), reported the company’s press service on April 5. In December 2022, Kazatomprom won the open tender of the Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica SA (SNN), a Romanian state owned power-generating company, for the supply of uranium oxide.…
Kazakh Chess Player Bibisara Assaubayeva Ranks Among Top Three at Women’s Grand Prix in New Delhi
ASTANA – Kazakh two-time women’s world blitz chess champion Bibisara Assaubayeva, 19, won the second place after tiebreaks at the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix (WGP) in New Delhi, reported the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE) press service on April 5. The final 11th round of the third leg of the Women’s Grand Prix cycle ended with…
Kazakh National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO Summarizes Achievements of 30 Years
ASTANA – The National Commission of Kazakhstan for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) summed up its accomplishments on the eve of its 30th anniversary in Almaty during an April 4 meeting chaired by State Counselor Erlan Karin, the Akorda press service…
Kazakhstan to Launch New International Routes and Increase Flight Frequencies
ASTANA – New flights to Ankara, Baku, Doha, Dushanbe, and Medina will launch during the spring-summer period, the Tourism Industry Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports announced on April 5. According to the press statement, the number of flights to Chengdu, Delhi, Heraklion, Istanbul, London, Malé, Podgorica, Phuket, and Tbilisi will also…
Kazakhstan Promotes Ethnographic Tourism to Attract Foreign Visitors
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to promote ecotourism, agrotourism, and ethnographic tourism by establishing new tour routes, trails, observation sites, and parking spaces to attract foreign visitors, reported Jibek Joly TV on March 30. As part of this plan, Kazakhstan will continue to prioritize national parks in the Almaty Region, including Altyn-Emel, Kolsai Lakes, Ile-Alatau, and…
Future Free Trade Agreement With Indonesia Creates New Opportunities For Kazakhstan’s Businesses
ASTANA – The first round of negotiations on the conclusion of a free trade agreement between the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia began on April 3, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration reported. “The future free trade agreement will allow Kazakh suppliers to enter the market of this country with one…
Kazakhstan Sees Surge in Business Activity in March
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Business Activity Index (BAI) improved to 51.7 points in March despite supply chain bottlenecks, said Rustem Orazalin, director of the monetary policy department at the National Bank on April 4, reported the bank’s press service. The BAI is an indicator that characterizes the state of the economy in the real sector while…
Tengizchevroil Invests $70 Billion in Kazakhstan Over Three Decades
ASTANA – Tengizchevroil (TCO) invested $70 billion over 30 years and delivered more than $160 billion in direct financial payments to Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the company’s anniversary event on April 4, the Akorda press service reported. Established in 1993 as a joint venture between Chevron and Kazakhstan, TCO operates two major oilfields…
Kazakhstan Sees Record Growth in Domestic Tourism in 2022
ASTANA – Kazakhstan observed a record growth in domestic tourism demand in 2022, following the country’s efforts to support the tourism sector, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports on April 4. The number of domestic tourists grew by 20 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year reaching 8.6 million people. “The number…
Asian Development Bank Projects Kazakhstan’s Growth to Accelerate in 2023-2024, Though Risks Remain
ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts Kazakhstan’s economic growth to accelerate in 2023 and 2024, driven by recovering industry, services, and domestic demand, according to the ADB report released on April 4. ADB economic publication projects Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to be 3.7 percent in 2023 and 4.1 percent in 2024,…
Kazakh Medical Startup Wins Best VerTech Startup 2023 at Global Startup Awards
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Cerebra AI-powered software for early stroke detection and faster and more accurate treatment won Best VerTech Startup 2023 at Global Startup Awards, the world’s largest independent startup ecosystem competition on March 28-29 in Copenhagen, according to the competition’s official website. The competition brought together startups from more than 120 countries. The Kazakh…
Kazakh Prime Minister Outlines Tasks to Improve Social and Economic Development
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov outlined the main priorities for this year, focusing on the country’s social and economic development and measures to improve the quality of life in the country at an April 4 expanded government meeting, the first one after Smailov’s reappointment, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Addressing the measures…
Most Ministers Retain Positions in Newly Formed Government in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev formed the new government with most ministers retaining their positions, according to an April 4 decree published on the President’s official website. Seventeen out of 19 ministers have retained their positions in the new cabinet line-up, including Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov, Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov,…
Astana Ballet Theater to Premiere Two Ballet Productions in April
ASTANA – The Astana Ballet theater will premiere two ballet productions in April with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, reported the theater’s press service. The audience can expect a harmonious fusion of outstanding performance technique and acting talents of artists, innovative musical solutions for ballets, and elements considered to the tiniest…
Fly Arystan Resumes Flights to Samarkand, Yerevan
ASTANA – Fly Arystan, the Kazakh low-cost airline, plans to launch flights on the Aktau-Yerevan route from May 4, reported the company’s press service. Regular flights will be operated twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. Fly Arystan launched flights to Yerevan from Almaty in May 2022, but were suspended in September 2022 due to…
Almaty Becomes SCO Cultural and Tourism Capital for 2023-2024
ASTANA – Almaty has become the cultural and tourism capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for 2023-2024 after the SCO culture ministers and SCO Deputy Secretary-General Janesh Kain supported the proposal to grant the Kazakh city a new status during an April 3 virtual meeting, announced the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports. Addressing…
Astana Hub Startups Win Trip to Silicon Valley at Central Asian Tech Awards
ASTANA – Kazakh IT startups that are part of the Astana Hub international technopark of IT startups were recognized as best in the region at the Central Asian Tech Awards in Bishkek, winning a free trip to Silicon Valley, the Astana Hub press service announced on March 28. The Astana Hub won three out of…
Kazakhstan to Cut Oil Production Following Latest OPEC Agreement
ASTANA — Kazakhstan will cut oil production output by 78,000 barrels per day from May, following the latest agreement reached by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on April 2, the Kazakh Energy Ministry reported. OPEC and other oil producing nations, known as OPEC+, including Kazakhstan, committed to oil output cuts of around 1.16…
Kazakh President Reshuffles Key Government Posts Following Parliamentary Election
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made several key government appointments on April 3, reported Akorda press service. The reshuffle comes two weeks after the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan and one week after the government’s resignation. President Tokayev addressed the first session of the Kazakh Parliament in this convocation on March 29, after which Prime Minister…
IAEA Experts Assess Kazakhstan’s Progress in Nuclear Infrastructure Development
ASTANA – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts stated on April 1 that Kazakhstan has made significant progress in fulfilling the recommendations of the previous Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, reported the Kazakh Energy Ministry’s press service. The previous INIR mission in 2016 examined the state of nuclear infrastructure development using the criteria of…
Kazakhstan Holds First National Awards to Recognize Excellence in TV Series Industry
ASTANA – Kazakhstan held its first-ever national Nauryz awards on March 31, organized by the Kazakh Ministry of Information and Social Development, to recognize excellence in the TV series industry, reported the ministry’s press service. Darkhan Kydyrali, Acting Minister of Information and Social Development, said the awards are intended to enhance the standard of domestic…
World Chess Championship Kicks Off in Astana This Friday
ASTANA – Astana will host the FIDE World Chess Championship 2023 from April 7 to May 1, as announced by the International Chess Federation on March 23. The championship will be contested by Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi and China’s Ding Liren after incumbent champion Magnus Carlsen decided not to defend his title. Ding Liren finished as…
Foreign Direct Investment Inflow in Kazakhstan Hits Record High in 2022
ASTANA – The gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow in Kazakhstan reached $28 billion in 2022, a record-high in the past ten years, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. FDI inflow went up by 17.7 percent since 2021 when it reached $23.8 billion. In 2012, this figure stood at $28.9 billion. The top investing countries in…
