Articles by Assel Satubaldina

President Tokayev Chairs Expanded Government Meeting

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined the outcomes of the first half of 2021 and set the tasks for the months ahead at the July 10 expanded government meeting, reports the Akorda press service.  Prime Minister Askar Mamin, Head of the Presidential Administration Yerlan Koshanov, ministers as well as governors and mayors attended the meeting…

UNGA Chairman Visits Kazakhstan as Part of Central Asia Tour

NUR-SULTAN – United Nations General Assembly Chairman Volkan Bozkir visited the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan as part of his Central Asian tour. Bozkir, who was elected President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on June 17, 2020, met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi…

Only Two Regions Left in Green Zone as Epidemiological Situation Worsens in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – The epidemiological situation has been worsening in Kazakhstan and with the Delta variant detected in the country, concerns are growing. As of July 8, only two regions – the East Kazakhstan and Turkistan regions – remain in the green zone, according to the matrix of the epidemiological situation updated daily by the Kazakh…

German Investors Set to Begin Green Hydrogen Energy Operation in Mangistau Region

NUR-SULTAN – Svevind Energy, a German investor and project developer, plans to install wind and solar farms with a total capacity of 45 gigawatts (GW) in steppe areas in western and central Kazakhstan to feed electrolyzers to produce up to three million tons of green hydrogen every year, reports the company’s press service.  The plans…

Monument to Alash Leaders Opens in Kazakh Capital

NUR-SULTAN – As the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan celebrates its 23 year anniversary, several monuments were opened in the city to commemorate the date, reports the Akorda press service.  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev opened the monument dedicated to Alash movement leaders on the eve of Capital’s Day. The monument is located on the Kalamgeler Alley at the…

Eurasian Development Bank to Focus on Major Cross-Border Investment Projects Over Next Five Years

NUR-SULTAN – The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) will focus on major cross-border investment projects and plans to invest US$10.9 billion over the next five years, according to the bank’s new strategy approved July 2 at the EDB council meeting. Among such projects are the Europe–Western China transport and digital corridor, the EAEU+ single commodity distribution…

Kazakhstan Increases International Air Travel

NUR-SULTAN – More international air travel opportunities are now available for Kazakh citizens, as flights were launched to Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, among other developments in the civil aviation industry.  Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines resumed its Aktau – Yerevan route starting June 25. The flights are operated on Fridays on the Bombardier CRJ-200. The tickets are…

COVID-19: Delta Variant Confirmed in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – As countries worldwide are witnessing another spike of coronavirus cases, Kazakh healthcare officials confirmed the prevalence of the Delta variant in all of the country’s regions. The Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare conducted PCR screening of positive laboratory samples collected from coronavirus patients. As of July 1, 414 samples were screened to detect the…

AIFC Management Council Approves 2020 Reports, Reviews Budget for 2021

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the AIFC (Astana International Financial Center) management council meeting that reviewed the center’s work in 2020 and its budget for 2021, reports the AIFC press service. The meeting also discussed the AIFC Development Strategy through 2025.   Launched in 2018, in the Kazakh capital’s brand new futuristic district,…

Astana Motors to Expand Hyundai Sales Throughout Central Asia and Europe

NUR-SULTAN –  Astana Motors, one of the country’s leading companies in car retail, service, and assembly, seeks to expand their export of Hyundai cars produced at their plant in Almaty, reports the company’s press service.  In October 2020, Astana Motors launched the Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan plant that stretches across 25 hectares in the city’s special…

Kazakhstan, Switzerland to Strengthen Trade Relations, Investment Cooperation

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Switzerland are committed to strengthening trade relations and investment cooperation, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with Swiss business people.  “Relations between our countries are based on friendship and mutual trust. I see today’s meeting as a constructive continuation of recent talks with Swiss President Guy Bernard Parmelin,” said Tokayev,…

Kazakh Parliament Sums Up Session Results, Goes on Summer Break

NUR-SULTAN – The two chambers of the Kazakh Parliament held a joint session on June 30 summarising the results of their work before they took a summer break, reports the Parliament’s press service.  Majilis (lower chamber) Chair Nurlan Nigmatullin emphasized the increasing role and responsibility of the Parliament that provides legislative support for the initiatives…

Nur-Sultan Bans Mass Capital Day Festivities Amid Rising Coronavirus Cases

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh capital officials issued a ban on mass festivities for the upcoming Capital Day on July 6 amid the worsening epidemiological situation, reports the city’s press service.  Most years, Capital Day is one of the most festive events attracting citizens from different parts of the country to the city. But the pandemic is…

Nur-Sultan to Host Round of Talks on Syria Next Week

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan will host the 16th round of talks on Syria next week on July 7-8, known as the Astana Process, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service.  Delegations of the guarantor states – Iran, Russia, and Turkey, the Syrian government, and the Syrian armed opposition groups are expected to attend. High…

Vaccine Rollout Has Accelerated, Says Kazakh Healthcare Minister

NUR-SULTAN – The vaccine rollout in Kazakhstan has increased 1.6 times over the past week, from 254,000 to 405,000 people, said Kazakh Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoy at a government meeting on Tuesday. “Vaccination of population is ongoing, around 5.2 million doses of vaccine have been administered. 3,246,795 people or 32.8 percent of the entitled population…

Central Asian Countries to Receive Additional Resources For Climate Change Efforts From Green Climate Fund

NUR-SULTAN — Central Asia received additional financing of $19 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to enhance capacity building and knowledge sharing in addressing climate change as part of the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for the Aral Sea funded by the World Bank, reports the bank’s press service. The program, which was launched…

Kazakhstan Returns to High Risk Red Zone, New Regulations In Kazakh Capital

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan returned to a high-risk red zone, as the epidemiological situation worsened after a more contagious Delta variant reached the nation’s capital.  During last week’s government meeting, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoi said the number of infections grew 40 percent over the past seven days.  “According to the results of the PCR screening…

500,000 People Involved in Volunteering Activities in 2020

NUR-SULTAN – Half a million of citizens were involved in various volunteering activities in 2020, said Kazakh Minister of Information and Social Development Aida Balayeva at the government meeting on Tuesday that focused on the implementation of the government roadmap for the development of volunteering in 2021-2023. Volunteering is becoming an important form of civic…

Hungary Becomes First Country in EU to Recognize Kazakhstan’s Vaccination Passports

NUR-SULTAN – Hungary became the first country in the European Union to recognize Kazakhstan’s vaccine passports, said Deputy State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade András Baranyi during his meeting with the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary Zhanibek Abdrashov in Budapest on June 22, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry press service.…

Kazakh PM Reports to Parliament on Economic Growth, Measures to Fight COVID-19

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin reported about the country’s economic development and the measures the government has taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in 2020 through today at the joint session of the Kazakh Parliament on June 21, reports the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, in…

Kazakhstan Adopts Updated National Security Strategy, Reflects New Challenges

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the decree approving the National Security Strategy for 2021-2025, reports the Akorda press service. The National Security Strategy that was previously approved at a meeting of the Security Council chaired by First President Nursultan Nazarbayev contains updated approaches to protecting the country’s national interests. The strategy is…

President Tokayev Opens Memorial Dedicated to Healthcare Workers

NUR-SULTAN – When millions of people were forced into lockdown last year, healthcare workers were on the frontline to combat the pandemic. Stuck in hospitals for days and weeks they were saving lives when little was known about the virus. June 20 marked Healthcare Worker Day in Kazakhstan, another reminder of the tremendous contribution healthcare…

Australia Sees Untapped Opportunities for Cooperation with Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – Australia and Kazakhstan have a lot more opportunities that remained untapped and though COVID-19 might have disrupted some of the plans, the will to develop cooperation is still there, said Ian Biggs, Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan & Regional Branch at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in an interview with The Astana…

President Tokayev Calls for More Environmental Friendly Sources of Electricity 

NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and called for greater efforts to ensure the country’s electricity is generated from more environmentally friendly sources at the meeting that reviewed the country’s gas industry, reports Akorda press service. Achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions, however, will require structural, industrial, and…

American Companies Invest Nearly $54 Billion in Kazakhstan Over 30 Years

NUR-SULTAN – Over 30 years, the United States has invested US$53.7 billion into the Kazakh economy. The two countries hosted a virtual business forum June 14-15 that marked 30 years of diplomatic relations, reports the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.  The two-day event, which brought together more than 500 participants and was co-hosted by the Kazakh Ministry…