National Bank Reports $800 Million Current Account Surplus as Economy Recovers
ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) reported a significant improvement in the current account balance, with a surplus of $0.8 billion in the first half of 2024, compared to a deficit of $5.0 billion in the same period of 2023, according to the NBK’s quarterly report Kazakhstan Macro and Market Overview, published on…
Kazakhstan Reduces Dependence on External Supplies, Boosts Domestic Production
ASTANA – Several industries in Kazakhstan demonstrate stable import reductions and production growth. The manufacturing industry’s reliance on imported products has decreased by 7%, while production volumes have increased by 4%. Dependence on external supplies has been reduced in mechanical engineering and the production of metal and paper products, as was reported during an Aug.…
Kazakhstan Proposes Joint Guardianship with Egypt Over Ancient Mamluk Heritage
ASTANA – Kazakh Ambassador to Egypt Kairat Lama Sharif discussed joint guardianship over more than 150 ancient monuments built by the Kipchak-Mamluks on the land of Ancient Egypt with newly appointed Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy Ali Attyah on Aug. 8 in Al Alamein, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. Kazakhstan…
Kazakhstan, Türkiye Sign $2 Billion Investment Agreements in Agriculture
ASTANA – During a working visit to Türkiye on Aug. 12, Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov signed documents worth $2 billion in the field of investment in the agro-industrial complex and trade in agricultural products with Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, reported the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry’s press service. Saparov highlighted the…
Kazakhstan to Localize Three New Production Facilities in Oil and Gas Industry
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to localize three new production facilities in collaboration with leading global manufacturers, including Germany’s Leser, South Africa’s Beruseal, and the United States’ (US) John Crane, to meet the demands of the oil and gas industry, Vice Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at an Aug. 13 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister…
Tokayev Proposes Strengthening UN-Central Asia Cooperation at Consultative Meeting
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed initiating the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution on achieving sustainable development goals in Central Asia at the sixth consultative meeting of heads of state of Central Asia, which was held in an expanded format on Aug. 9, reported Akorda. The event was attended by the President of…
Tokayev Outlines Central Asia’s Vision for Regional Cooperation and Growth
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s strategic course for the comprehensive strengthening of regional partnership and increasing the role of Central Asia on the world stage аt the sixth consultative meeting of Central Asian heads of state on Aug. 9, reported Akorda. “At the national level, we firmly adhere to the formula ‘A successful…
Central Asian Foreign Ministers Meet to Strengthen Regional Cooperation and Unity
ASTANA – Foreign Ministers of Central Asian states convened ahead of the sixth consultative meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia on Aug. 9 to review prospects for deepening regional cooperation and further development of five-sided interaction, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. According to Kazinform, Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu highlighted…
Kazakhstan Reviews Progress in Digitization and Innovation Development in Six Months
ASTANA — The Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry reported an increase in the number of electronic government services, the introduction of new digital solutions and platforms, and strengthened international cooperation in the IT and aerospace industries in the first half of 2024, as stated by the Prime Minister’s press service on…
KazMunayGas, LanzaJet Cooperate on SAF Production in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – During his business visit on Aug. 5-7 to the United States, Askhat Khassenov, KazMunayGas (KMG) national oil and gas company chairman, signed a memorandum of cooperation with Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of the United States technology company LanzaJet, to produce environmentally sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Kazakhstan. As stated by KMG’s press service, Khassenov…
President Tokayev Approves National Development Plan Until 2029
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree approving Kazakhstan’s National Development Plan until 2029, dated July 30, reported online.zakon.kz. The document focuses on improving the population’s well-being and building an inclusive society. It strongly emphasizes increasing investments in fixed capital and boosting the production of high—and medium-value-added goods. The plan outlines five principles of…
Central Asian Leaders to Gather This Week in Astana
ASTANA – The sixth consultative meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia will take place in the Kazakh capital on Aug. 9. President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev are expected to attend the event. President of…
Kazakhstan Announces Winners of Annual Foreign Journalists’ Contest
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced the winners of the ninth annual contest, “Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media,” on Aug. 6, which acknowledges foreign journalists who provide creative, reliable, and objective information about Kazakhstan to a global audience. According to the ministry’s press service, eight foreign authors from different regions worldwide were…
Air Astana’s Revenue Soars 12.9% in First Half of 2024
ASTANA – The revenue of Air Astana national flagship company increased by 12.9% to $586.2 million in the first six months of 2024, the company’s press service reported on Aug. 5. The total number of passengers carried rose by 14.6% to four million people with a constant average load factor of 82.0%. “Passenger numbers reached…
Kazakh Boxer Kyzaibay Secures Bronze in Her Olympic Debut
ASTANA – Nazym Kyzaibay, a 30-year-old Kazakh boxer, won a bronze medal in her first Olympic Games on Aug. 6, reported the National Olympic Committee. Kyzaibay reached the semifinals in the women’s 50-kilogram boxing category, where she faced world champion Yu Wu from China. Despite her efforts, Kyzaibay lost with a score of 4:1. This…
Fifth World Nomad Games Ticket Sales Begin
ASTANA – Tickets are now available for the fifth World Nomad Games, scheduled to take place from Sept. 8 to 13 in Astana. The major event in the world of ethnosport will feature over 2,000 participants from 89 countries, the Directorate for the Preparation and Holding of the World Nomad Games reported on Aug. 6.…
Samruk Kazyna’s $111 Billion Megaprojects Set to Boost Kazakhstan’s Economy
ASTANA – With an investment portfolio of over 130 projects worth 53.5 trillion tenge (US$111.6 billion), Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund anticipates a multiplier effect on Kazakhstan’s economy through its megaprojects in various key industries, the fund’s chairman Nurlan Zhakupov said at an Aug. 5 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to a press statement…
Almaty Hosts Great Steppe Games Fest Ahead of World Nomad Games
ASTANA – The annual festival of national sports Uly Dala Oiyndary (Great Steppe Games) took place at the Almaty Hippodrome on Aug. 4 ahead of the upcoming fifth World Nomad Games, reported the Directorate for the Preparation and Holding of the World Nomad Games. The event brought together the strongest and most skillful horseback riders…
Kazakhstan, Japan Boost Economic Ties Ahead of Japan PM’s Visit
ASTANA — Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov discussed trade and economic cooperation with Japanese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Jun Yamada on Aug. 2 ahead of Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida’s upcoming visit to Astana. According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service, Kuantyrov highlighted Kazakhstan’s significant potential for expanding investment cooperation with Japan in…
Container Train Travels from China to Uzbekistan Via Kazakhstan in Record Five Days
ASTANA – A container train completed the 4,486-kilometer route from China to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan in a record time of just five days, the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company’s press service reported on Aug. 5. The freight train departed from the Kazakh-Chinese terminal in Xi’an, China. The containers were first transshipped at the…
Kazakh Athletes Reach Olympic Finals, Poised for Gold
ASTANA — Kazakh boxer Nazym Kyzaibay won the Olympics 2024 boxing women’s 50-kilogram quarterfinals, knocking Colombia’s Ingrit Lorena Valencia Victoria from the tournament grid on Aug. 3, reported the National Olympic Committee. Kyzaibay won the first round with a narrow margin of 3:2, followed by a 4:1 win with increased advantage in the second round,…
Kazakhstan’s Manufacturing Industry Grows 5.1% in First Half of 2024
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s manufacturing industry saw a steady growth of 5.1% in the first six months of 2024, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said during his working trip to the Atyrau Region on Aug. 2 to review the progress made on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s instructions regarding the development of the oil, gas, chemical, and industrial sectors.…
Astana to Host Central Asia’s First Global Library Congress
ASTANA – Netherlands, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) announced on July 31 in the Hague that the Kazakh capital will host the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) on Aug. 18-22, 2025. This will be the first IFLA congress in Central Asia, highlighting the region’s growing importance in the global library…
Almaty Hosts International Exhibition of Electronics and Household Appliances
ASTANA – Almaty hosted the HomeTech & Electra 2024, an international exhibition of electronics and household appliances featuring over 100 factories from Central Asia, China, South Korea, and Türkiye from July 30 to Aug. 1. According to the official press release, entrepreneurs and representatives of trading networks from Kazakhstan and Central Asia also participated in…
Foreign Bloggers Explore Kazakhstan’s National Games Ahead of World Nomad Games
ASTANA – The Directorate for the Preparation and Holding of the Fifth World Nomad Games organized a special presentation for 11 foreign bloggers and influencers at the Qazaqstan Athletics Complex on July 29 to promote the games and introduce the international audience to Kazakhstan’s national games and tourism industry, reported the games’ press service. The…
