World Marks 177th Anniversary of Kazakh Poet Abai and His Powerful Legacy
NUR-SULTAN – This week, a plethora of cultural events were held abroad to honor the 177th anniversary of great poet and philosopher Abai Kunanbayev. Kazakhstan celebrated the Day of Abai on Aug. 10, the date of his birthday. The book titled “The greatness of Abai or an attempt to create a portrait of a thinker…
Kazakhstan to Develop Law on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking Next Year
NUR-SULTAN – The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced plans to develop the draft law on combating human trafficking in April 2023, said Kanat Nurmagambetov, the Acting Head of the Department for Combating Organized Crime at a July 26 round table at the Central Communications Centre. A dialogue platform between the state and civil sectors operated…
Base Rate Raised to Reduce Inflation in Medium Term, Says Chair of Kazakhstan’s National Bank
NUR-SULTAN – The National Bank set the base rate to 14.5 percent per annum on July 25 to reduce inflation in the medium term, Chair of the National Bank Galymzhan Pirmatov told Kazinform. Annual inflation in May accelerated above the National Bank’s forecasts. “Annual inflation accelerated to 14 percent in May and 14.5 percent in…
Kazakh Officials Discuss Nuclear Power Plant Operation During Visit to France
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh officials visited France to learn about the country’s experience in developing atomic energy, reported the press service of the Ministry of Energy on July 21. The Kazakh delegation held meetings with representatives of France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Ecological Transition, and the French nuclear power plant operator Eléctricité…
EdTech Forum Experts Debate Role of Innovations in Education
NUR-SULTAN – This year, the fourth International Forum of Educational Technologies in Nur-Sultan held two major sessions to address issues related to human capital development and the digital agenda in education. The EdTech Forum was held on June 27-29. The key theme of the forum was M.E.T.A. (Mobility. Edutainment. Technology. Action.). During the session dedicated…
Gender Balance is Vital for Businesses and Society, Say Experts During EdTech Forum
NUR-SULTAN – What are the business advantages of female leadership? What is the situation with the gender balance representation in Kazakhstan and around the world? These topics were in the spotlight of the New Kazakhstan: Female Leadership and Management session held as part of the recent EdTech Forum M.E.T.A. in Nur-Sultan. The Kazakh government has…
Almaty Enters Yellow Zone As Omicron Variant of COVID-19 Causes Spike in Cases in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Almaty remains in the yellow zone since July 4 as 112 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the city over the past day, reported the nation’s interdepartmental commission on the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus infection on July 5. All other regions are in the green zone, according to the matrix…
Trade Portal Launches in Kazakhstan As Part of Ready4Trade Central Asia Project
NUR-SULTAN – The Trade Facilitation Portal in Kazakhstan has been launched as part of the Ready4Trade Central Asia project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Trade Center (ITC), on July 4. The new online platform provides information on cross-border trading procedures and makes it more accessible for businesses. Youri Skaskevitch,…
General Electric Seeks to Build Sustainable Future for Kazakhstan Through Energy Transition
NUR-SULTAN – The decarbonization of the global economy is becoming increasingly urgent, particularly for major energy producers such as Kazakhstan. The country announced plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. During the plenary session of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Investors’ Council, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted a discussion with business leaders and members of government on approaches…
Kazakhstan Celebrates Africa Day with Reception Ceremony at Nazarbayev University
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh capital hosted a celebration event paying tribute to Africa’s history and rich culture at the Nazarbayev University (NU) on June 24. The event was initiated by the embassies of South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and the Chargé de Affairs of Libya in Kazakhstan. Africa day is observed annually to commemorate the founding…
Kazakhstan’s National Center for Human Rights and OSCE Office For Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Agree to Strengthen Cooperation
NUR-SULTAN – The National Center for Human Rights in Kazakhstan and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions agreed to increase support to Kazakh civil society and various institutions for the implementation of human rights and democratic principles within the OCSE. This was announced during the signing of the memorandum between Commissioner (Ombudsperson) for Human Rights…
Poland’s Polpharma Celebrates 10 Years of Successful Investments in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The Polpharma Group, one of the top 20 leading manufacturers of generic medications globally, has been making a significant contribution to the pharmaceutical industry’s development in Kazakhstan. The company’s input has demonstrated its vital role in the country during the pandemic. President of the Polpharma Supervisory Board Jerzy Starak spoke about the company’s…
Prosecutor General’s Office Discloses New Facts From Investigation Into January Events, Provides Proof of Criminal Organization of Attacks
NUR-SULTAN – The Prosecutor General’s Office identified the criminal groups who organized the attack on the Almaty airport as part of the investigation into the events of January, reported the press service of the Central Communications Center. Pogroms, arson, and property damage to state facilities and acts of terrorism were committed in Almaty, Shymkent, Aktobe,…
Astana Finance Days Conference to Focus on Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Growth Amidst Uncertainty in 2022
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh capital will host the fifth Astana Finance Days conference dedicated to sustainability, social responsibility, and growth on June 27-29 at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), reported the organization’s press service. More than 200 speakers including Visa’s Vice President, Regional Manager Central Asia, and Azerbaijan Cristina Doros, World Bank Group’s Vice…
Kazakhstan and Iran Agree to Boost Trade and Economic Cooperation During Tokayev’s Official Visit to Tehran
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Iran agreed to increase mutual trade, strengthen trade and economic cooperation in transport, logistics, manufacturing, and agriculture, and expand cultural and humanitarian ties. This was announced during the meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on June 19, reported Akorda. As part of his official visit…
Astana Process Participants Speak About Territorial Integrity, Humanitarian Assistance for Syria at 18th Round of Talks in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The representatives of Iran, Russia and Turkey who serve as guarantors of the Astana Process on Syria expressed their commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at the 18th International Meeting on Syria in the Kazakh capital on July 16. …
EU Ambassador Says Bloc’s Member States Support Kazakhstan’s Political and Economic Reforms
NUR-SULTAN – The European Union welcomes the political reforms initiated by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his state-to-the-nation address in mid-March, and confirmed by the referendum in June, in addition to the socio-economic reforms started after the tragic January events. The EU stands ready to support further modernization and democratization of the country, EU Ambassador…
Kazakh Prime Minister Discusses AIFC Court’s Unique Contribution to Favorable Investment Climate with Court’s Chief Justice
NUR-SULTAN – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court and the International Arbitration Centre (IAC) play an important role in strengthening investor confidence and ensuring impartiality in resolving disputes. This was announced by Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during the meeting with Chief Justice of the AIFC Court, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mance on…
AIFC Academy of Law Promotes Academic Experience and Practical Education Among Legal Professionals
NUR-SULTAN – Progressive institutional changes require highly qualified professionals who can deliver positive outcomes based on their well-informed and enlightened perspectives, and on their knowledge of international best practices, said David Russell Gallo, the Director of the AIFC Academy of Law, who spoke about the academy’s role in making international law environment more effective, in…
QS World University Rankings 2023 Feature 16 Kazakh Universities, Al-Farabi University Enters Top 150
NUR-SULTAN – Sixteen Kazakh universities have entered the QS World University Rankings 2023 featuring more than 1,400 universities from around the world, reported the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science. The number of Kazakh universities has doubled in the rankings in three years as eight were listed in the ranking in 2018…
Citi Sees Opportunities For Growth and Investment in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Times spoke with David Livingstone, Citi’s Chief Executive Officer in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), about the company’s activities and priority areas for investing on the eve of the 34th Foreign Investors’ Council, which is held today in Nur-Sultan. As one of Kazakhstan’s largest multinational investors, Citi is committed to…
Central Referendum Commission’s Final Count: 77.18% of People Voted in Support of Amendments to Constitution
NUR-SULTAN – Some 77.18 percent of people (6.1 million of people) voted in favor of the constitutional Amendments during the referendum on June 5, reported Central Referendum Commission (CRC) Chairman Nurlan Abdirov at the June 7 meeting on the final electoral tally. This makes up an absolute majority of votes in each of the 17…
Exit Poll Results Show Overwhelming Support for Constitutional Amendments in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Some 76.7 percent of people voted in favor of the amendments to Kazakhstan’s Constitution, according to the exit poll results announced at midnight on June 6 by Head of the Sotsis-A Institute for Social Research Alibek Tazhibayev. Some 23.3 percent of people voted against the amendments. The voter turnout was declared at 67.5…
New Group of EU Scholarship Recipients from Afghanistan Start Their Education in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Fifty recipients of scholarships funded by the European Union (EU) from Afghanistan have started their English courses at the Almaty Management University (AlmaU) in April, reported the press service of the UNDP. The course started online in December of 2021. By the beginning of the academic year, all students will graduate from the…
Top Officials from Kazakhstan and EU Hold Talks on Cooperation, Support For New Kazakhstan Political Reforms
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko held a number of meetings with European Union officials in Budapest, Vilnius, Warsaw and Vienna to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the countries and outline the major directions of the political reforms in Kazakhstan, reported the ministry’s press service. Kazakh-Austrian dialogue in Vienna Kazakhstan and…
