Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) will host its Annual Meeting and Business Forum on June 25–26 in Almaty. The highlight of the programme will be the plenary session titled Eurasia 2030+: Investment, Growth, and New Opportunities. According to Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Management Board, the event will facilitate open dialogue and…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights Kazakhstan’s growing appeal for international professionals, its digital transformation, strategic role in Eurasian trade, youth arts festivals, and rising sports stars. Why international professionals are choosing to build careers in this country Euronews published an article on…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov attended meetings with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the heads of government of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on April 2 in Baku, highlighting efforts to strengthen trade, economic, and digital cooperation across the region. During the talks, Bektenov emphasized Kazakhstan’s commitment to expanding collaboration…

ASTANA – In March, the National Bank of Kazakhstan sold $400 million from the National Fund to support transfers to the national budget, while the tenge strengthened to 478 per dollar. According to the bank, further exchange rate dynamics will depend on external factors and global market conditions. These transactions accounted for around 6% of…

ASTANA — Air Astana has extended the suspension of flights to Dubai until the end of April due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Regular flights from Almaty and Astana will remain canceled from April 1 through April 30 inclusive. Passengers affected by the cancellations are offered a full refund without penalties, free…

ASTANA – China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) has begun a strategic project to build a one-gigawatt (GW) wind farm near Ekibastuz in the Pavlodar Region. The project is being developed in partnership with Pavlodar Green Energy under agreements signed with Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry on Jan. 29. Foreign direct investment in the construction will total…

ASTANA – The 2026 Regional Ecological Summit (RES), to be held in the Kazakh capital from April 22-24, will focus on turning dialogue into concrete results for Central Asia’s sustainable development, said Kazakh Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mansur Oshurbayev at a March 31 press conference at the Central Communications Service. Initiated by…

ASTANA – Japan is exploring the possibility of rerouting oil from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to its domestic market amid growing concerns about supply stability due to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. More than 90% of Japan’s oil imports come from the Middle East, so the country is seeking to diversify its…

ASTANA – Archaeologists at the Saraishyk state historical and cultural museum-reserve have uncovered around 250 artifacts at the medieval Saraishyk complex in the Atyrau Region. The discoveries were made across five excavation sites and include remains of residential buildings, a citadel, and a caravanserai dating back to the early 14th century. The artifacts, attributed to…

ASTANA — Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined that cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is strictly economic and does not extend to political or security matters, as regional tensions continue to escalate. Speaking on the sidelines of an expanded meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on March 27 in Shymkent, Bektenov emphasized that…

ASTANA – Global pop star Ricky Martin will perform in Almaty on July 18 at Spartak Stadium, marking his first concert in Kazakhstan. The performance is part of the artist’s ongoing international tour. Ticket pre-sales will begin on March 19 at 11:00 a.m., with general sales opening on March 21. According to organizers, the program…

ASTANA – Residents of Karagandy experienced an unconventional Nauryz celebration as drones distributed baursaks in the city’s central park. The initiative was part of Digital Nauryz 2026, a concept introduced by the organizers to combine traditional festivities with modern technology — a format designed to present national customs in a contemporary and engaging way. Residents…

ASTANA — The development of a second airport in Kazakhstan’s capital has entered its initial phase, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev. Speaking on the sidelines of a Senate briefing on March 18, Lastayev confirmed that preparatory work on the project is already underway. “A working group has been established under the leadership…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree establishing the office of the Commissioner for Family Affairs on March 18. The new body is intended to strengthen the protection of family rights and interests, reinforce the institution of the family and traditional values, and improve state family and demographic policy, reported Akorda. According to…

ASTANA – VietJet Air plans to launch a new international route connecting Hanoi, Almaty, and Prague starting July 11. Flights will operate twice a week using Airbus A330 aircraft and will be conducted under fifth-freedom traffic rights, allowing the airline to carry passengers between Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee reported on…

ASTANA – In Aktobe, traditional zhyrshy (epic storytellers) have begun performing folk epics around the clock in an effort to secure a place in the Global Book of Records GBR. The performances are taking place at the Aktobe Folk Art Center, where zhyrshy and dastan performers (narrators of traditional epic tales) present a structured, multi-part…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 82nd in the Global Soft Power Index 2026, improving its position by five places compared to last year’s 87th. The country scored 35.9 points, marking a 0.8-point increase.  Soft power is a nation’s ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion. It includes tools such as culture, business,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has adopted a new Constitution following a national referendum on March 15, in which 87.15% of participating voters voted in favor, according to the Central Referendum Commission. A total of 12,482,613 citizens were eligible to vote, with 9,127,192 people casting ballots, resulting in a turnout of 73.12%. Among those who voted, 7,954,667…

ASTANA — A total of 9,050 Kazakh citizens had cast their ballots abroad as of 7 p.m. Astana time during the nationwide constitutional referendum, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov said at a briefing of the Central Referendum Commission. Speaking about voting by citizens overseas, Issetov said that 71 polling stations were opened at Kazakhstan’s foreign…

ASTANA — Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s nationwide constitutional referendum reached 64.43% as of 4 p.m., according to the Central Referendum Commission. By that time, 8,029,286 citizens had received ballots nationwide, representing 64.43% of those included on the voting lists. The highest participation was recorded in the Kyzylorda (82.02%), the East Kazakhstan (78.98%), the Aktobe (77.65%),…

ASTANA — Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum reached 37.54% as of 12 p.m. Astana time, according to the Central Referendum Commission. According to regional and city commissions, a total of 4,677,595 citizens had received ballots nationwide by midday. Turnout varied across the country’s regions and major cities. The highest participation levels were reported in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to host major international performances this year, as the legendary Cirque du Soleil returns to the country for the first time in nine years and global pop star Enrique Iglesias announces concerts in Astana and Almaty. Cirque du Soleil brings OVO to Kazakhstan The world-famous Canadian entertainment company will present…

ASTANA — Kazakh Minister of Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev discussed a $1.1 billion investment project in the mining sector with Cove Kaz Capital Group CEO Dominic Heaton, focusing on developing major deposits in the Karagandy Region and expanding U.S.-Kazakhstan investment cooperation. The meeting focused on the implementation of a large-scale investment project to develop…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing the second phase of the Northern Aral Sea Conservation Project, which aims to raise the sea’s water level to 44 meters by reconstructing the Kokaral Dam and modernizing irrigation systems across the Aral-Syrdarya basin. The project was developed by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan in cooperation…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan climbed 13 positions in the World Bank’s Human Capital Index Plus (HCI+), ranking 42nd out of 161 countries by the end of 2025, reflecting progress in education, health, and long-term economic potential. According to the World Bank, Kazakhstan scored 230 points in the HCI+ index, outperforming several countries in Europe, Asia, and…