More than 700,000 people to get vocational education by 2021
ASTANA – More than 720,000 citizens will receive free vocational education by 2021, officials announced Saturday, Nov. 7 government meeting. “The project Free Vocational and Technical Education for Everyone was launched in 2017. A total of 817 colleges are working under it, including 473 state-owned and 344 private. Also, within the State Programme for the…
China Studies Centre opens in Astana
ASTANA – Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) recently opened a China Studies Centre in the Library of the First President of Kazakhstan. “This morning [Oct. 24] a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Library of The First President of Kazakhstan. Under this document, a centre for China studies was opened in the library.…
One millionth tonne of cargo shipped from Kuryk port
ASTANA – The one millionth tonne of cargo left Kuryk port Oct. 19 for the Azerbaijani port of Baku. The Kuryk port, launched in December, is under its second phase of construction. “At present, Kazakh grain, coal, oil products, fertilisers and chemicals, as well as transit cargo coming from China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, are exported…
Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs tests electronic investigation, needs funds
ASTANA – Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs needs 11 billion tenge (US$32.9 million) for the introduction of criminal case investigation in electronic form, which it tests in several regions, said Oct. 16 Deputy Minister Rashid Zhakupov during the presentation of amendments to the legislation concerning the modernisation of the procedural basis of law enforcement activity.…
Brave Dogs Almaty organises charity photoshoots, seeks to expand
ASTANA – Brave Dogs Almaty sponsored its third charity photoshoot in an Almaty mall Oct. 8 to advocate for animal shelters. The event attracted more than 2,000 guests and the community of Northern breed dogs and their owners says the event is only the beginning. “This photoshoot was very different from the first two, not…
Astana Toastmasters Club helps improve public speaking, communication and leadership skills
ASTANA – The first registered Toastmasters Club in Central Asia was founded in the capital in 2010 by Samat Panov and Asem Panova. The organisation is devoted to improving public speaking and leadership skills, as well as providing learning experiences for greater self-confidence and personal growth, and the Astana Toastmasters Club (ATC) has generated many…
Bal Tekstil brings country’s carpet industry to international level
ASTANA – Bal Tekstil has been professionally manufacturing carpets and rugs in Ontustik, the South Kazakhstan region’s special economic zone, since 2011. During that time, the company has not only developed its production and implemented yarn-making technology, but has signed a supply contract with IKEA, Sweden’s international home furnishings retailer. “In the world, 95 percent…
Astana tests Finnish environmental monitoring system
ASTANA – Kazhydromet has been testing an innovative environmental monitoring technology which Finland presented at EXPO 2017. If successful, the system might be introduced on all city posts, said weather service laboratory head Dana Amanbayeva during a government press conference. “The Vaisala sensor was installed July 11 on the automatic air quality control sensor to…
Qazaqstan TV starts broadcast of Silk Way Star contest
ASTANA – The national TV channel Qazaqstan has launched Sept. 30 broadcasting of the international music television show Silk Way Star. Artists from nine countries will compete during the 12 weeks until the end of December. “Here we are making emphasis on the promotion of modern Kazakh art; they [participants] are given the task to…
Work continues on bill to cut business regulations, costs
ASTANA – Relaxing controls on businesses and other changes to a draft law on business activities, “On amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on improving regulation of entrepreneurial activity,” were discussed at an Oct. 3 government meeting, during which the Ministry of National Economy and the Prime Minister’s Office…
IT Quarter launches in Almaty
ASTANA – An IT Quarter for the development of information technologies has been launched in the centre of Almaty. The 17,000-square-metre facility will become the new home of 10 IT companies and 15 start-ups by the end of the year. “By opening the IT quarter, we are creating soft infrastructure in the city that will…
French artist incorporates renewable energy concept into Nur Alem sculptures
ASTANA – Contemporary French artist Mickael Obrenovitch created five amazing sculptures for the giant Nur Alem sphere at EXPO 2017. Many visitors saw the works, but few know the ideas and processes behind them. “My goal was to create accessible and attractive artwork that can talk to anyone simply with a relative abstract concept. At the expo, each…
Random business checks may be replaced by preventive control measures
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is planning to introduce preventive control of entrepreneurs instead of random checks, according to inform.kz. “The measure envisaged under our law is the introduction of preventive control instead of random checks. This measure would probably reform the minds of the inspectors,” said Ministry of National Economy entrepreneurship development department deputy director Aslanbek…
AIFC governor talks blockchain development, mid-shore concept and head hunting
ASTANA – December will be a fascinating month for Kazakhstan’s financial sector, as the long discussed and awaited Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) will be officially presented. AIFC Governor Kairat Kelimbetov talked about some of the nuances of the project during a Sept. 20 press conference. The centre will be located within a portion of…
American student finds family in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Vera Swanson was one of the 40 student ambassadors who worked at the United States Pavilion at EXPO 2017. Two years ago, she learned Kazakhstan was not only the destination for her Russian language studies, but also the place where her grandfather was born. Through her summer experience, she reunited with her relatives…
S&P upgrades Kazakhstan’s outlook to stable
ASTANA – S&P Global Ratings has revised its outlook on Kazakhstan from negative to stable. At the same time, the BBB- long-term and A-3 short-term sovereign ratings were affirmed, according to the agency’s press release. “The stable outlook reflects our expectation that we have captured the fiscal costs of the authorities’ banking sector recapitalisation plans…
Kazakh banking sector revenues drop 40 percent in 2017
ASTANA – Total Kazakh banking sector revenues decreased almost 40 percent compared to last year, however, banks also reduced expenses and increased revenues from core activities, according to ranking.kz. In January to July, the revenues of the country’s banking sector decreased to 17.8 trillion tenge (US$52.7 billion) compared to the same period of last year,…
Citi expert talks OBOR, Kazakhstan’s opportunities for growth
ASTANA – The One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative will improve not only economic integration, but cultural and religious understanding, said Citi Research’s Chief Economist and Managing Director for China Li-Gang Liu in a Sept. 6 interview for this story. Kazakhstan plays an important role in the project and will benefit from China’s further growth.…
Existing school schedule to remain, but schools given option to shift to five-day weeks
ASTANA – Despite lengthy, ongoing talks on introducing a five-day academic week, the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science has decided to stick with the existing schedule for the time being, Tengrinews.kz reports. School began as usual in September and will end May 25. In June, the ministry issued a decree “On the definition of…
Italy celebrates national day at EXPO 2017
ASTANA – The Italian pavilion celebrated National Day at EXPO 2017 Sept. 4 with a performance by the Nello Salza Ensemble and the famous trumpeter for whom the group is named. The event opened by raising the flags and performing the national anthems of Italy and Kazakhstan. “Italy rightfully occupies an important place in the…
UK, Kazakhstan to train Kazakh prison officers to international standards
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom are marking their 25th anniversary of cooperation this year with Kazakhstan’s sixth largest investor launching a new project to train prison officers, said U.K. Minister for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan. “I am pleased to announce today a U.K. investment of about $100,000 for a new…
EXPO 2017 welcomes three-millionth visitor
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s major event, EXPO 2017, welcomed its three-millionth visitor on Aug. 25. He turned out to be a 38-year-old resident of Moscow, Yuri Shurygin. “I liked the Kazakhstan pavilion. Now I need to visit the Russian pavilion. Of course, we would like to see an event of such a scale to take place…
World holds minute of silence in memory of nuclear test victims
ASTANA – An international moment of silence honouring the memory of victims of all nuclear weapons testing in the world was held at 11:05 a.m. local time Aug. 29 to mark United Nations International Day against Nuclear Tests. The time was chosen because at this point in the day, clock hands show a V. This…
Kazakhstan to switch to electronic customs declaration
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will completely switch to electronic customs declaration, according to the draft code “On Customs Regulation in Kazakhstan” presented at the Aug. 22 government meeting, reported inform.kz. “Speaking of new things [in the code], one of the main [things] is the fundamentally new approach to customs regulation, which is about the automation of…
WIP Astana – city’s new type of public space
ASTANA – Probably many passers-by have noticed a stage next to the Keruen Shopping Mall. A special open-air space with the 80 seats and LED screen suddenly appeared in the city during the celebrations of the Capital Day on July 6. Work in Progress Astana, or simply WIP Astana is a new format of public…
