President Tokayev to Visit Almaty This Week
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is set for a scheduled working trip to Almaty on Jan. 24-25, said Tokayev’s spokesperson Berik Uali on his Instagram page. The President will visit several facilities, particularly the city administration building renovated after the 2022 January events. Tokayev will hold a meeting at this location, covering the situation in…
Wizz Air Launches First Direct Flight from Abu Dhabi to Turkistan
ASTANA – Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched the Abu-Dhabi-Turkistan flight route on Jan. 16 carrying nearly 100 passengers onboard, reported Khabar news agency. The same day, the plane headed back to Abu Dhabi with 200 Kazakh tourists. With early booking, air ticket prices start at 20,000 tenge (US$44). Operating Airbus A321 aircraft, the airline…
Visa-Free Travel Between Kazakhstan and Seychelles Comes Into Effect
ASTANA – A visa-free regime between Kazakhstan and Seychelles took effect on Jan. 6, Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov announced at a Jan. 15 briefing, reported the ministry’s press office. The agreement was signed by the governments of Kazakhstan and Seychelles in New York on Sept. 22. Citizens of both countries can now travel…
Kazakhstan Advances in 2024 Henley Passport Index
ASTANA – The Kazakh passport ranked 66th, moving four spots up in the Henley Passport Index 2024 released on Jan. 9. The citizens can travel to 78 destinations visa free, according to the report. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. In 2023, Kazakhstan ranked 70th. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain…
Foreign Ministry: Kazakhstan Reaffirms Commitment to ‘One China’ Policy on Taiwan
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry released a statement on Jan. 14 on the election in Taiwan, reaffirming that Kazakhstan supports Beijing’s One China policy on the issue of Taiwan and views the island as an inalienable part of China’s territory. “Kazakhstan supports Beijing’s efforts to achieve the peaceful reunification of the country,” the statement…
Qazaq Air to Resume Astana-Novosibirsk Flights This Month
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s airline Qazaq Air will resume flights from Astana to Novosibirsk on Jan. 15, the airline’s press service announced on its Instagram page. Flights will be operated twice a week on Mondays and Fridays on Canada’s De-Havilland Dash 8-Q400 aircraft. Tickets can be booked on the airline’s official website or sales offices.
Air Astana Unveils Plans for IPO in Kazakhstan and London
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s flagship airline Air Astana revealed plans on Jan. 12 for an initial public offering (IPO), publishing a statement on its official website. The airline seeks to list on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) and the London Stock Exchange. The potential offering would involve the sale of global depositary receipts and shares by…
Kazakhstan Ships 993,000 Tons of Oil to Germany in 2023
ASTANA – KazTransOil national oil transporter supplied 993,000 tons of oil to Germany in 2023, KazMunayGas (KMG) oil and gas company’s press service reported on Jan. 12. The KMG subsidiary transported oil via Russia’s Transneft system of trunk oil pipelines in the direction of the Adamowo-Zastawa oil delivery point. Now KazTransOil plans to transport 100,000…
Yale School of Public Health, Nazarbayev University Launch Advanced Research Training to Address HIV
ASTANA – The Yale School of Public Health is partnering with Nazarbayev University (NU) School of Medicine on an advanced research training program that will support promising scientists and clinicians interested in phylogeny of viruses and molecular epidemiology, reported the NU press service on Jan. 4. “The new program, called MoVE-Kaz for Molecular Virology/Epidemiology Training…
President Tokayev’s Decree on Annual Payments to Children Launches Nationwide
ASTANA – Payments to children within the National Fund for Children project came into effect on Jan. 1 in accordance with the decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported Kazinform. From birth, every child enrolled in the program will be eligible to receive 18 annual payments ranging from $150 to $160. The funds will be credited…
Kazakhstan Exempts Foreign Tourists from Taxes
ASTANA – From Jan. 9, a zero-rate will be implemented across Kazakhstan, relieving foreigners from paying tourist taxes, according to the changes made to the regulations on Dec. 27, 2023, by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, reported the ministry’s press service. Previously, fixed rates ranging from 690 ($1.51) to 1,726 tenge ($3.77) were applicable…
President Tokayev Calls for Revitalization of Nauryz Celebration, Emphasizing Its Cultural Significance
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the cultural significance of celebrating Nauryz, the Kazakh New Year, in a fresh and meaningful manner during a Jan. 3 interview with Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper. Despite the global celebration of the New Year, Tokayev urged citizens not to overlook Nauryz observed on March 22. While acknowledging the recent New…
EBRD Allocates Funds to Advance Kazakhstan’s Major Logistical Hub
ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) provided loan of up to $40 million to Kazakhstan to support the development of modern logistical infrastructure and address the bottlenecks along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), identified in a study on sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia, reported the bank’s press…
Kazakh Chess Player Achieves Draw Against World Chess Champion
ASTANA – Yernur Amangeldy, a 15-year-old Kazakh chess player, secured a draw against vice world chess champion Ian Nepomniachtchi in a second-round match of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, held in Samarkand from Dec. 26 to 30, reported Sports.kz. Playing with the black pieces, Amangeldy, with a rating of 2012, demonstrated skill and…
Kazakh Passport Power Soars in 2023: 82 Visa-Free Countries, New Deals with China and EU
ASTANA — This year, the list of visa-free countries for holders of Kazakhstan’s passports has been expanded to 82 states for various categories of passports, including 29 states for civil passports, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov at a Dec. 25 press briefing. The briefing wrapped up the results of the ministry’s work in…
China Southern Airlines Expands Connectivity with New Flights to Kazakhstan
ASTANA — China Southern Airlines will launch regular passenger flights from the new Beijing Daxing International Airport to Almaty starting Jan. 25 next year, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan press service reported. The initiative came after the visa-free regime was established between Kazakhstan and China on Nov. 10. Flights between Almaty and Beijing will be…
Astana Prepares for Winter Season with Festive Installations
ASTANA – Nearly 60 ice skating rinks and slides will be built in the five districts of the Kazakh capital, alongside the installation of street furniture and photo zones, the Astana akimat (administration) reported on Dec. 20. These New Year’s decorations are being prepared and the work is expected to be completed by Dec. 23-25.…
Kyrgyz Parliament Adopts Bill to Redesign State Flag
ASTANA – The parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic adopted a bill to change the state flag in the second and third readings without discussion, Kazinform reported on Dec. 20. The draft law is aimed at improving the state flag of the Kyrgyz Republic, with proposals to change the shape of the rays from wavy to…
President Tokayev Holds Strategic Talks with Business Leaders on Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev convened a meeting on Dec. 20 with representatives of Kazakhstan’s business community to discuss topical issues of the high-quality and sustainable development of the national economy, reported the Akorda press service. Participants shared their views on macroeconomic policy issues, including the formulation of a new Tax Code and affordable lending…
Women Entrepreneurship Development Center Empowers Kazakh Citizens to Make Positive Change in Life
ASTANA – Almaty-based Women Entrepreneurship Development Center, financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is providing tailored support programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owned by women – which make up around 43% of all SMEs in Kazakhstan, according to the bank’s press service. How it works Opened in October 2021, the project offers…
Constitutional Court Chair Presents Kazakhstan’s Global Peace Vision at UN High-Level Roundtable
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Chairperson of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova presented Kazakhstan’s vision for strengthening international peace and security in the Leaders’ Segment at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Roundtable on The Future of Human Rights, Peace and Security in Geneva, Switzerland on Dec. 13, reported the Constitutional Court’s press service. As the sole representative…
Spanish Company to Build Ammonia and Urea Complex in Aktau
ASTANA – Spanish Técnicas Reunidas company specializing in the design and implementation of industrial projects is to build an ammonia and urea complex in Aktau, announced the Prime Minister’s office on Dec 14. “We welcome the cooperation of Técnicas Reunidas with KazAzot and KazMunaiGas in the development of project documentation for a new ammonia and…
European Companies’ Expansion Signals Kazakhstan’s Attractiveness as Top Investment Destination, Says PM
ASTANA – The expanding presence of European companies in Kazakhstan is the evidence of the country’s growing appeal as an investment destination, said Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during the 13th meeting of the Kazakhstan-European Union (EU) dialogue platform on Dec. 13 in Astana, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. With total investments exceeding $175 billion,…
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Launches Flight to Turkistan Starting January Next Year
ASTANA — Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a prominent player in the aviation industry, is gearing up to connect Turkistan and Abu Dhabi through a strategic air route to commence on Jan. 16, 2024, the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC) of Kazakhstan reported on Dec. 13. Operating Airbus A321 aircraft, the airline plans to conduct three weekly…
Kazakh Service Members Complete Training at Peace Operations Center
ASTANA – Over 150 Kazakh military personnel from the country’s various regions completed training at the Kazakhstan Peace Operations Center (KAZCENT) of the Ministry of Defense to demonstrate their level of skills and knowledge to the United Nations (UN) experts, reported Inbusiness.kz news agency. During the six-month training, the officers practiced the tasks necessary to…
