Parliamentary Election Receives Broader Public Attention, Say Kazakh Voters
ASTANA — Kazakh citizens across the country who went to the polls in today’s parliamentary election to exercise their constitutional duty and civic right underlined broader public interest and increased participation, expressing hope about the election. Assel Akhmetzhanova, 28, from the capital Astana, cast her vote early in the morning. She said she was surprised…
Top Kazakh Officials Cast Their Ballots in Parliamentary Election
ASTANA – Top government officials have cast their vote early in the morning in the March 19 parliamentary election to the Mazhilis and the maslikhats, including Senate Chairman Maulen Ashimbayev, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, and State Counselor Erlan Karin. Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the Senate, the upper house of the Parliament, also commented on the…
Foreign Ministry Says Overseas Voting in Kazakhstan’s Parliamentary Election Began
ASTANA – Kazakh citizens can cast their ballot at 77 polling stations opened in Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions in 62 countries on election day today, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko said during an early morning briefing at the Central Communications Center on March 19. Kazakhstan is holding parliamentary elections for the Mazhilis, the lower…
Kazakh President Tokayev, Top Officials Vote in Parliamentary Election
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev cast his vote in the parliamentary election to the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Parliament, and the maslikhats, local representative bodies, which began on March 19 in the country, the Akorda press service reported. The President was among the first who voted at the polling station in…
Voting in Parliamentary and Local Elections Begins in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Parliamentary election for the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, and maslikhats, local representative bodies, kicked off across Kazakhstan on March 19. More than 12 million people are eligible to vote today. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), 10,233 polling stations are operating in 17 regions and three cities of national significance…
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Meets with Kazakh President, Praises Reforms
ASTANA – The protection of human rights should be an integral part of the country’s reforms, said the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, during his March 17 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Türk’s visit to Kazakhstan on March 16-17 follows his trip to Uzbekistan…
Skytrax World Airport Awards Recognizes Astana Airport as Region’s Top Facility
ASTANA – For the second year in a row, the capital’s airport has been selected as the top regional airport in Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS) by the World Airport Awards, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development’s press service on March 16. The World Airport Awards were presented at…
Kazakh President Outlines Key Directions for Cooperation at Organization of Turkic States Summit
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key areas of cooperation, including in emergency management, during the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Extraordinary Summit in Ankara on March 16, the Akorda press service reported. According to President Tokayev, the first step is to join efforts to avert natural disasters, citing the earthquake in Türkiye as evidence…
Kazakh President Meets President Erdoğan to Reiterate Bilateral Relations During Working Visit to Türkiye
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara as part of his working visit to Türkiye on March 16, the Akorda press service reported. Tokayev also took part in an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Tokayev extended his condolences to the families and friends of…
President Tokayev’s Reforms Stimulate Civic Activity and Participation in Decision-Making, Says State Counselor Karin
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s reforms heralded the beginning of the renewal of the system of social values, revived civic engagement, and fostered citizens’ participation in the country’s fundamental transformation process, wrote State Counselor Erlan Karin on his Telegram channel on March 16. President Tokayev presented a comprehensive reform program a year ago, resulting in…
Kazakhstan Underlines Importance of Regional Counter-Narcotics Initiatives and Cooperation With Austria
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov stressed the importance of regional initiatives amid growing global and regional instability at the opening of the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) on March 13 in Austria’s capital Vienna, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service. One such initiative is the…
Kazakhstan Ranks in Top Five in 2023 World Para Nordic Skiing Championship
ASTANA — Kazakhstan team made it to the top five with 3,944 points scored in the para biathlon, and cross-country skiing competitions at 2023 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships, the Kazakh Culture and Sports Ministry’s press service reported on March 15. The team won 13 medals, including two gold, five silver, and six bronze. Yerbol…
Kashagan to Ship 7,000 Tons of Oil Through Aktau Seaport to Baku
ASTANA – The KazTransOil oil transportation company plans a test shipment of 7,000 tons of oil from the Kashagan oil field through Aktau seaport to Baku port this month, reported the company’s press service on March 10. The oil shipper is INPEX North Caspian Sea, which has been participating in developing the Kashagan oil field…
Kazakh PM Instructs to Remove Barriers, Facilitate Cargo Transportation from China
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov urged the government to remove transportation barriers within three days and ease the passage of trucks through checkpoints on the Kazakh-Chinese border at a March 14 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Following the lifting of the restrictions from the Chinese side, the volume of cargo…
Kazakhstan to Send Third Batch of Oil to Germany via Druzhba Pipeline in April
ASTANA – The KazTransOil oil transportation company plans to send another 20,000 tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba oil pipeline in April, said Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov on the sidelines of the March 14 government meeting, reported Kazinform. According to Akchulakov, Kazakhstan transported two batches of oil totaling 40,000 tons in February…
Top Kazakh Expert Argues People Should See Reforms’ Results Firsthand
ASTANA – Director of Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) Yerkin Tukumov argued the new efforts outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a March 13 meeting with the heads of government bodies would encompass the economic sphere. “Now, it is important that people see the results of the ongoing reforms firsthand. On the other hand,…
Kazakhstan Welcomes Restoration of Diplomatic Ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran
ASTANA — Kazakhstan has welcomed the agreements achieved on March 10 in the Chinese capital, Beijing, to reestablish diplomatic ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran seven years after the two states severed relations, the March 14 statement from the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “We highly appreciate…
UK Foreign Secretary to Participate in Opening of Queen Elizabeth II Square in Astana
ASTANA — Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom James Cleverly will visit Kazakhstan on March 17-18 and attend the opening of a new square named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov announced at a March 13 press briefing. Cleverly is expected to meet with the country’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and…
President of Kazakhstan to Pay State Visit to China This Year
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is expected to pay a state visit to China this year, the Akorda press service reported, following Tokayev’s meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Zhang Xiao, on March 14. Both sides highlighted the significance of tightening bilateral relations and expanding economic, investment, cultural, and humanitarian ties. They stressed the relevance…
President Tokayev to Attend Extraordinary OTS Summit in Türkiye
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay a working visit to Ankara, Türkiye, on March 16, at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to attend an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), reported Akorda press service. During the visit, President Tokayev is expected to meet with President Erdoğan. The OTS…
EBRD to Assist East Kazakhstan Region in Upgrading Street Lighting
ASTANA — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will lend 4.1 billion tenge ($8.9 million) to the East Kazakhstan Region for 10 years to improve street lighting in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, the EBRD’s press service reported on March 10. The project under the Green City Action Plan (GCAP) envisages the installation of…
Kazakhstan’s GDP Grows Four Percent in Two Months of 2023
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by 4.3 percent in the first two months of 2023, said Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov at a March 14 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Kazakhstan is seeing positive dynamics in major sectors of the economy, including the real sector (2.7 percent)…
Kazakh Vice Minister of Health Outlines Epidemiological Recommendations on Election Day
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor Aizhan Yesmagambetova outlined several recommendations for the upcoming parliamentary and local elections amid the current epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan at a March 13 Central Election Commission (CEC) meeting. Eight or more CEC members, observers, and election officials will be present at each polling…
President Tokayev Congratulates Nation on Amal Holiday
ASTANA — President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated citizens on the Amal holiday (‘Korisu’ in Kazakh, meaning to meet each other) or the Day of Greeting, on his Twitter account on March 14. “Since ancient times, people have been looking forward to this day of spring awakening. The holiday, calling for unity and harmony, is…
China Restarts Outbound Travel to 40 Countries, Including Kazakhstan
ASTANA – China is set to resume outbound travel to 40 countries starting from March 15, including to Kazakhstan, reported Kazinform. According to China’s Culture and Tourism Ministry, travel agencies and online tour operators across the country will resume providing outbound group tours for their citizens in pilot mode. Alongside Kazakhstan, China will restart outbound…
