Guardians of the Galaxy Star to Headline Upcoming Comic Con Astana
ASTANA – The eagerly anticipated Comic Con Astana has announced Hollywood actor Michael Rooker as its latest star headliner, according to a press statement released on September 4. Rooker is best known for his roles as Yondu in James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy and as Merle Dixon, a character with a prosthetic hand,…
Kazakhstan Ships First 1,300 Tons of Grain to Eastern China
ASTANA – Kazakhstan dispatched its first 1,300-ton shipment of grain from Almaty to Jinan, China, on a new freight container train on September 3, according to an announcement made during a meeting between Kazakh Agriculture Minister Yerbol Karashukeyev and Communist Party Secretary of Shandong Province, Lin Wu. The ministry’s press service reported the news. This…
Mangystau Region Begins Construction of New Desalination Plant
ASTANA – Nurlan Nogayev, the akim (Governor) of Mangystau Region, and Magzum Mirzagaliyev, сhairman of KazMunayGas (KMG), the national oil and gas company, initiated the construction of a new desalination plant, the press service of the Akimat (governor’s office) reported on Sept. 4. The project aims to address the growing demand for drinking water in…
Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to Advance Clean Energy Transition
ASTANA – The Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to take place in Astana on Sept. 19-20 will focus on advancing clean and renewable energy initiatives in the regions, reported the conference’s press office. Transforming into a clean energy hub The conference highlights the region’s significant potential in solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, and…
President Sets Ambitious Yet Achievable Goals, Says Kazakh PM
ASTANA – In the state-of-the-nation address, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set ambitious yet achievable goals, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a Sept. 2 government meeting, noting that the country has all necessary tools and resources for this purpose, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The government discussed various measures to implement the President’s…
Comic Con Astana Announces Star Headliner
ASTANA – The highly anticipated Comic Con Astana, scheduled for September 15-17, has revealed its star headliner: Hollywood actor, producer, and scriptwriter Sean Gunn, according to an announcement by the Comic Con Astana press service on Aug. 31. Sean Gunn, brother to DC Studios head and “Guardians of the Galaxy” creator James Gunn, is celebrated…
Hydrocarbon Subsoil Use Investments Surge to $8.6 Billion in First Half of 2023
ASTANA – Investments in hydrocarbon subsoil use soared by 110% to four trillion tenge ($8.6 billion) in the first half of this year, according to Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev. He announced these figures at a government meeting on Aug. 29, as reported by the Prime Minister’s press service. Of this amount, 187 billion tenge…
Digital Bridge 2023 to Present Best IT Projects at Startup Alley
ASTANA – Innovators and promising entrepreneurs have the chance to present their IT projects at Startup Alley during the Digital Bridge 2023 international forum in Astana on Oct. 12-13, the press office of the Astana Hub International Technopark of IT Startups reported on Aug. 28. Digital Bridge 2023, a premier digital innovation event in Central…
Kazakh Capital to Host Astana Marathon This Weekend
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital will host the annual international Astana Marathon 2023 on Sept. 3, reported the marathon’s official website. Marathon participants aged 18 and above are offered a 42.2-kilometer distance, while those aged 16 and above are expected to run 10 kilometers. The deadline for submitting online applications on the official website is…
Kazakhstan Plans to Cooperate With Chinese Companies for Deep Processing of Tungsten
ASTANA – Jiaxin International Resources Investment Limited (Jiaxin International) has announced plans to collaborate with Kazakh Invest on a deep processing tungsten project in the Almaty Region. The news was reported by Kazakh Invest following a meeting on August 24. Liu LiQiang, Chairman of Jiaxin International, detailed the project’s two-stage plan. Initially, the company will…
President Tokayev Outlines Priority Tasks for Human Rights Protection in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined several priority tasks for the human rights protection system at an Aug. 29 meeting with commissioners for human and children’s rights, reported the Akorda press service. Constitution Day The meeting took place on the eve of Constitution Day on Aug. 30, a significant occasion for Kazakhstan. “The Constitution is…
Security Agencies Neutralize Radical Group Planning Terrorist Attacks in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Security agencies neutralized a radical group whose members planned terrorist attacks in Kazakhstan, said National Security Committee (NSC) Chairman Yermek Sagimbayev at an Aug. 28 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Sagimbayev informed Tokayev about initiating seven pre-trial investigations related to terrorist crimes and the conviction of three extremists.…
Kazakhstan Projects Economy’s Average Annual Growth at 5.8%
ASTANA – The average annual growth of Kazakhstan’s economy in the next five years is projected at 5.8%, Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov said at an Aug. 29 government meeting dedicated to the forecast for the country’s socio-economic development, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The forecast considered the expectations of international financial organizations…
Kazakhstan Introduces New Rules for Foreign Tourist Taxes
ASTANA – Kazakhstan introduced tourist fees at fixed rates ranging from 0.2 ($1.49) to 0.5 ($3.72) monthly calculation index (MCI), determined by local maslikhats (local representative bodies), following the order of the Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov dated July 14, the ministry’s press service reported on Aug. 28. As of Aug. 1,…
Kazakhstan, Chile Hold Third Round of Political Consultations
ASTANA – The third round of Kazakh-Chilean political consultations took place in Santiago on Aug. 23. The meeting was chaired by Kairat Umarov, Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Gloria de la Fuente, Chile’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The consultation coincided with the 30th anniversary of…
Kazakh People Change Their Eating Habits
ASTANA – JD Expert marketing agency conducted a survey about the eating habits and preferences of Kazakhs across the country, offering information on factors that changed their food choices. Traditional nutrition or snacks According to the results published in June, 41% of respondents have shifted from three meals per day, preferring to snack in small…
Kazakh Capital Hosts NEXT Astana 2023 Summit
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the NEXT Astana 2023 summit, a platform for discussing paths towards innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development, Kazakh Invest national company reported on Aug. 23. Organized by the NEXT Federation, the Chinese Economic Information Service of Xinhua News Agency, and the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration, the event brought…
Kazakhstan, UN Prioritize Preventive Diplomacy Tools for Central Asian Security
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu emphasized the significance of preventive diplomacy tools in maintaining peace and security in Central Asia during an Aug. 24 meeting with Kaha Imnadze, the newly appointed Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General and Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive…
Kazakhstan’s National Bank Lowers Base Rate to 16.5%
ASTANA – The Monetary Policy Committee of Kazakhstan’s National Bank decided to reduce the base rate to 16.5% per annum from 16.75% (July), the bank’s press service reported on Aug. 25. The decision came amid gradually weakening pro-inflationary pressure from the external environment, where most countries observe a slowdown in inflation due to central banks…
CICA Members Discuss Draft Documents Ahead of Informal Ministerial Meeting
ASTANA – The Special Working Group (SWG) and the Senior Officials Committee (SOC) of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) convened on Aug. 21-22 to discuss draft documents, which are expected to be officially approved at the CICA Informal Ministerial meeting on Sept. 21, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press…
Foreign Minister Reiterates Kazakhstan’s Commitment to Balanced Multi-Vector Foreign Policy
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is committed to continuing a balanced multi-vector pragmatic foreign policy aimed at preventing current signs of geopolitical fragmentation of the international community, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu said at an Aug. 18 meeting with heads of the United Nations representative offices accredited in the country, reported the Foreign…
Kazakhstan, Vietnam Reach Crucial Deals to Bolster Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Vietnam reached significant agreements to strengthen relations and cooperation across multiple sectors, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at an Aug. 21 meeting with Prime Minister of Vietnam Phạm Minh Chính, reported the Akorda press service. The meeting focused on the productive discussions Tokayev held earlier with Vietnam’s President Võ Văn Thưởng during…
Kazakh Prime Minister Commits to Ensuring Accountability for Coal Mine Tragedy
ASTANA – A special commission will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances behind the deadly accident at the ArcelorMittal-operated Kazakhstanskaya mine in the Karagandy Region, as instructed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Prime Minister’s press service reported on Aug. 19. There were 227 workers underground when a conveyor belt caught fire on Aug. 17.…
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Reinforce Strategic Partnership and Alliance
ASTANA – President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of further enhancing multifaceted collaboration with Kazakhstan to strengthen the strategic partnership and alliance, as he received Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu in Tashkent on Aug. 17, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. President Mirziyoyev commended the significant progress the two countries…
President Tokayev Pays First Official Visit to Vietnam
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived on his first official visit to Vietnam on Aug. 20, reported the Akorda press service. He was welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi by Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Vietnamese Presidential Office. Tokayev’s official visit began with a flower-laying ceremony at the monument to national heroes…
