Yandex Services Resume in Kazakhstan: Outage Reveals Challenges of Urban Mobility in Digital Age
ALMATY – A disruption to Yandex’s taxi and delivery services on Oct. 11 left users across Kazakhstan struggling to book rides, highlighting the role digital platforms play in everyday mobility in the country’s largest cities. As passengers in Almaty and Astana sought alternative ways to reach their destinations, ride-hailing service inDrive reported a sharp increase…
Kazakhstan Builds 312 Cultural Facilities in Push to Expand Arts Access, Global Reach
ALMATY – Kazakhstan has built 312 new cultural facilities over the past seven years as part of efforts to preserve its national heritage, support domestic artists and modernize cultural infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Culture and Information’s press service. The measures have covered theaters, museums, libraries and cultural centers, alongside the renovation of existing…
Rollan Seisenbayev At 80: Writer Who Carried Kazakhstan’s Voice Abroad
ALMATY – Kazakhstan marks the 80th birthday of prominent Kazakh writer, playwright, translator, publisher and public figure Rollan Seisenbayev on Oct. 11, marking eight decades of a life closely intertwined with Kazakhstan’s literary and cultural history. Born in Semei on Oct. 11, 1946, Seisenbayev graduated from the Semei Engineering and Technology Institute in 1970 before…
How Export Growth Helped Kazakhstan Return to Current Account Surplus
ASTANA – Kazakhstan recorded a $2.4 billion current account surplus in the first half of 2026, equivalent to 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), reversing a $3.6 billion deficit in the same period last year, as export growth outpaced imports, according to the National Bank. The improvement follows a $13.1 billion current account deficit in…
Rybakina Confirms Participation in 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina has confirmed her participation in the 2026 WTA Finals, which will take place in Indian Wells, California, from Nov. 8 to 15. In a video message published on the Women’s Tennis Association’s (WTA) official social media accounts, the world No. 1 expressed her excitement about qualifying for the season-ending tournament.…
Kazakhstan Shifts Investment Strategy From Capital Inflows to Economic Value Creation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is shifting its investment strategy from attracting foreign capital in terms of volume to directing investments toward projects that create production capacity, deepen processing, expand exports and develop local supply chains, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ardak Zebeshev. Kazakhstan has accumulated $156.4 billion in foreign investment, making it the largest…
Where Kazakhstan’s Oil Goes: Key Export Markets and Volumes
ASTANA – Kazakhstan exported a record 76.3 million tonnes of crude oil in 2025, up 7.4% from the previous year and 20% from 2015, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics. Italy remained the country’s largest buyer, while the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) continued to carry the bulk of Kazakhstan’s crude exports. Kazakhstan’s…
OPEC+ Agrees to Keep Oil Production Steady
ALMATY – The seven OPEC+ countries participating in additional voluntary production adjustments, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, have agreed to maintain their current oil production levels in November. The decision was made during an Oct. 4 virtual meeting to review global oil market conditions and the outlook. Under the agreement, the…
Tokayev Calls for Deeper Kazakhstan-Bavaria Cooperation in Advanced Manufacturing and Technology
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for expanded cooperation between Kazakhstan and Bavaria in advanced manufacturing, critical materials, microelectronics, agriculture and logistics, proposing new joint initiatives during the Kazakhstan-Bavaria Technology Forum in Munich on Sept. 30. The forum brought together representatives of business, industry and technology and was the final event of Tokayev’s official…
Kazakhstan’s Energy Hinges on Diversification and New Investment, KIOGE 2026 Experts Say
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s position in emerging global energy value chains will increasingly depend on the resilience of its infrastructure, diversification of export routes and investment in new production and technology, speakers said at the strategic plenary session opening Kazakhstan’s International Oil and Gas Exhibition (KIOGE 2026) in Almaty on Sept. 30. The session, dedicated to…
Kazakhstan, Germany Set Sights on Deeper Economic Cooperation
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier held talks in Berlin on Sept. 29 to discuss the development of bilateral relations and prospects for further cooperation. Tokayev thanked Steinmeier for the reception and invitation to visit Germany, describing the country as Kazakhstan’s key strategic partner in Europe. He said bilateral ties are…
Transport, Manufacturing and Recycling in Focus as Tokayev Meets German Companies
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a series of meetings with executives of major German companies during his official visit to Germany, discussing cooperation in transport and logistics, industrial localization, engineering, metallurgy and waste processing. Speaking with Chairman of the Executive Board of Rhenus Group Tobias Bartz, Tokayev discussed the development of the Trans-Caspian International…
Kazakhstan to Develop New Container Routes Linking Central Asia and Europe
ASTANA – A Kazakh infrastructure developer and investor SEMURG INVEST and MEDLOG Poti, a logistics operator and part of the global MSC Group, have signed a sale and purchase agreement to establish a strategic partnership in Sarzha Logistics. The partnership aims to expand container and multimodal freight flows across Central Asia and strengthen connections to…
Kazakhstan Completes Key Aviation Safety Review Ahead of Potential US Flights
ASTANA – Experts from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have completed an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) of Kazakhstan’s aviation safety oversight system, conducted from Sept. 21 to 25, the Civil Aviation Committee’s press service reported. The assessment focused on Kazakhstan’s state aviation safety oversight system and its compliance with applicable International Civil…
KIOGE 2026 to Mark 30 Years of Kazakhstan’s Energy Industry Dialogue
ALMATY – The 30th International Oil and Gas Exhibition (KIOGE 2026) will take place in Almaty on Sept. 30-Oct. 2, bringing together more than 500 companies from 62 countries to discuss the future of Kazakhstan’s energy sector, international cooperation and emerging technologies. The anniversary edition of the exhibition will bring together government representatives, international and…
Kazakhstan Continues to Investigate Mangystau Military Tragedy, Five Officials Detained
ASTANA – Five military officials have been detained as part of a pretrial investigation into the deaths of service members during a military exercise in the Mangystau Region, Deputy Interior Minister Sanzhar Adilov said at a Sept. 25 government commission meeting in Aktau. The meeting reviewed the progress of the investigation and measures to support…
Kazakhstan Plans to Raise Oil Refining Capacity to Nearly 30 Million Tonnes by 2031
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to increase the combined capacity of its three existing oil refineries from 17.5 million to 28.8 million tonnes per year as the government moves to meet growing domestic demand for petroleum products and considers construction of a fourth refinery. The plans were discussed at a Sept. 23 government meeting chaired by…
Kazakhstan, China Advance $440 Million Robotics Localization Project
ALMATY – Kazakhstan and Chinese robotics manufacturer UBTech Robotics are advancing a $440 million project to localize robotics production in Kazakhstan, with plans covering manufacturing, research and development, programming and the creation of new jobs. The project was announced on the sidelines of the Kazakhstan–China Investment Forum, which opened Sept. 25 at Koktobe Hall in…
Kazakhstan, Switzerland Open Way For Up to 28 Weekly Passenger Flights
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Switzerland have expanded the legal framework for direct air connectivity, with the two countries signing a memorandum allowing designated airlines to operate up to 28 passenger flights per week, the Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee’s press service reported. The memorandum was signed following negotiations between the aviation authorities of Kazakhstan and Switzerland…
Kazakhstan’s New People’s Council Holds First Session, Elects Koshanov As Chair
ASTANA – Yerlan Koshanov has been elected Chair of the Kazakhstan Khalyk Kenesi (People’s Council), a new consultative body established to strengthen dialogue between citizens and the state, following a proposal by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Speaking at a Sept. 23 first session, Tokayev proposed Koshanov’s candidacy, highlighting his extensive experience in public service and previous…
Kazakhstan Shines at FIDE Chess Olympiad as Women Reach Second, Coaches Aid Six Teams
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s women’s chess team moved into second place at the 46th Chess Olympiad after securing its sixth consecutive victory, defeating Azerbaijan 2.5–1.5 in the sixth round. Alua Nurman delivered the decisive point for Kazakhstan, defeating Gunay Mammadzada 1–0. Bibisara Assaubayeva, Meruert Kamalidenova and Zarina Nurgaliyeva drew their respective games. Kazakhstan now has 12…
Kazakhstan Strengthens Global AI Ties As NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Plans Visit for AI Month Event
ASTANA – NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang will visit Kazakhstan for the first time as a special guest of AI Month, a national program bringing together artificial intelligence specialists, developers, startups, researchers and technology companies. Huang will visit Kazakhstan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development…
Kazakhstan, UK Discuss International Expertise for Caspian Green Energy Corridor
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom discussed opportunities to draw on international expertise and investment potential for the development of the Caspian Green Energy Corridor during a meeting in Astana on Sept. 21. Representatives of Kazakhstan’s national electricity grid operator KEGOC met with John Alderdice, the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central…
Kazakhstan’s AI Month to Bring Hackathons, Investment Summits and Tech Forums Across Country
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s AI MONTH 2026 program opens Sept. 23 with a $1.1 million HackAlem AI hackathon, launching a month-long series of events focused on artificial intelligence, digital technologies, investment, cybersecurity, robotics and technological entrepreneurship across the country. Held as part of Kazakhstan’s Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, AI MONTH brings together the technology…
Kazakhstan’s Web3 Ecosystem Enters Global Top 10 as Regulated Crypto Market Tops $10 Billion
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s regulated cryptocurrency market surpassed $10 billion in trading turnover in 2025, while the country ranked among the world’s top 10 by the number of applications to international Solana hackathons, highlighting the rapid development of its Web3 ecosystem. The regulated crypto market reached $10.58 billion in 2025, up from $320 million in 2023,…
