President Tokayev Outlines Kazakhstan’s Priorities as New Chair of SCO
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined priorities of strategic importance under Kazakhstan’s upcoming chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) following the July 4 SCO Summit online, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the summit, for India’s successful chairmanship of the SCO and congratulated Iranian…
Western Kazakhstan Restores Power Supply After Emergency Shutdown
ASTANA – Power supply is currently being restored to the Mangystau Atomic Energy Complex following a power outage across the western regions of Kazakhstan after an emergency shutdown, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a government meeting on July 4. A 130-megawatt power unit of the Mangystau Atomic Energy Complex switched off on July 3,…
Kazakh Government Adopts Plan to Combat Drug Addiction, Trafficking
ASTANA – The government adopted a Comprehensive Plan to Combat Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking until 2025, wrote State Counselor Erlan Karin on his Telegram channel on July 3. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed an important initiative in his state-of-the-nation address last September. Widely discussed in the expert community, the plan includes new mechanisms and tools…
Kazakhstan Prioritizes Green Transition, Transport Connectivity in EU Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to use all opportunities for the development of trade, economic and investment cooperation with the European Union, particularly in green transition and strengthening transport connectivity, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov at the 12th meeting of the Kazakhstan-EU dialogue platform on July 1, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Expanding…
Public Order is Key, Says President Tokayev at Internal Ministry’s Meeting
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted key issues facing the country’s law enforcement agencies as he chaired an expanded meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on June 30, reported the Akorda press service. The President emphasized that the ministry’s most important task is to protect public order and combat crime. Improving the work of…
UNDP Kazakhstan Unveils Findings of Baseline Assessment on Business, Human Rights
ASTANA – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presented the first outcomes of the ongoing Business and Human Rights project on June 30 in Astana, reported the UNDP Kazakhstan’s press service. Covering 17 countries, the Business and Human Rights project, a part of a global initiative led by UNDP and Japan’s government aims to promote…
Kazakhstan, Luxembourg Triple Number of Weekly Cargo Transit Flights
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Luxembourg signed a memorandum on regular air transportation to triple the number of cargo transit flights per week at an event held to mark the 77th flight by the Cargolux airline at the Astana International Airport on June 29, reported the Civil Aviation Committee’s press service. According to Kazakh Minister of…
Silkway Accelerator Participants Raise $7.5 Million in Investments
ASTANA – Thirty seven startups attracted investments of $ 7.5 million in total following three streams of the Silkway Accelerator program, said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub International Technopark of IT Startups, the hub’s press service reported on June 29. With a collective estimate of $400 million and Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) at $2…
Kazakhstan, Luxembourg Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Luxembourg’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn, noting that his official visit opens up good prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation, the Akorda press service reported on June 29. Tokayev warmly recalled a dialogue with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on the sidelines…
Kazakhstan’s GDP Grows 4.5% in Five Months of 2023
ASTANA – Kazakh economy grew 4.5% in five months of 2023, said Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov at a national forum of all-level maslikhat (local representative bodies) members of the Amanat Party on June 29, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Smailov noted that the economy witnessed positive dynamics in all main sectors, including a 12%…
Dimash Kudaibergen Performs Solo Concert in Malaysia
ASTANA – A solo concert by Kazakh popstar Dimash Kudaibergen was held at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on June 24 as part of his global Stranger tour, reported Dimashnews.com. Kudaibergen once again amazed the audience with a diverse program, performing songs in seven languages in different styles and genres. Fans from 19 countries…
Kazakhstan Climbs 12 Spots in SDG Index in Three Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 66th in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index, according to the Sustainable Development Report 2023 published on June 21. Addressing the first meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Monitoring Implementation of the National SDGs and Targets, Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov said the country climbed 12 positions in three years.…
Kazakhstan, Georgia Reach Agreements on Mutual Trade Growth, Investment Cooperation and Transport Infrastructure Development
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov and Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili emphasized increasing mutual growth, boosting investment cooperation, and developing transport infrastructure at a meeting on June 23 in Tbilisi, where Smailov arrived on an official visit, reported the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service. Smailov noted that the countries have already achieved excellent…
Kazakh President Sums Up Priority Tasks at Supreme Council for Reforms
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key challenges and priority tasks the government should focus on as he chaired the Supreme Council for Reforms meeting on June 22, reported the Akorda press service. After the first report delivered by the Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms Aset Irgaliyev, the President instructed the…
Presidents of Kazakhstan, Germany Agree to Enhance Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan intends to deepen people-to-people cooperation with Germany, considering the substantial German diaspora of 226,000 people living in Kazakhstan and over one million former Kazakh citizens residing in Germany, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a joint media briefing with Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on June 20, the Akorda press service reported. “This is…
President Tokayev Commends Inter-Parliamentary Diplomacy Between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended the development of inter-parliamentary diplomacy between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan at a June 19 meeting with Chairperson of the Uzbek Senate, Tanzila Narbayeva, reported the Akorda press service. He noted his appreciation for the well-coordinated work at the governmental level between the two sides. Tokayev said Narbayeva’s visit fully corresponds…
Kazakhstan Dominates Germany’s Foreign Trade with Central Asia
ASTANA – Kazakhstan accounts for more than 80% of Germany’s foreign trade with Central Asian countries, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a meeting with Germany’s Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Astana on June 20, the Akorda press service reported. Tokayev underscored the importance of Steinmeier’s state visit to Kazakhstan, which is expected to boost the…
Kazakh Tourism Industry Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels
ASTANA – With the Kazakh tourism industry surpassing pre-pandemic levels last year, the Kazakh government is devising new strategies to enhance the country’s substantial tourism potential, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Last year, the number of domestic tourists grew 25% to 8.6 million, which is almost two million above the pre-pandemic level, said Kazakh…
Aktau and Kuryk Ports Included in Seaport Aktau Special Economic Zone
ASTANA – The ports of Aktau and Kuryk have been incorporated into the Seaport Aktau special economic zone (SEZ) following a presidential decree to increase Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics potential, the Central Communications Service reported on June 13. The Bautino cargo area is also now part of the SEZ. The inclusion will boost investment in…
Indispensable Work of Forest Officers as Wildfire in Abai Region Localized
ASTANA – Wildfires that were raging in the Abai Region since June 8 have been localized, leaving smoldering fires to be extinguished. Evacuated residents of adjacent villages have returned to their homes, as the situation stabilized, the Akimat (administration) of the city of Semei reported on June 15. The fire initially spread rapidly to a…
Wildfire in Abai Region Decreases Significantly, Local Administration Says
ASTANA – The area of the fire in the Abai Region has significantly reduced in recent days, akim (governor) of the region Nurlan Urankhayev informed, stressing that the operation to extinguish the fire is under constant control, the governor’s office reported on June 13. “We achieved a tangible result thanks to the heroic efforts of…
Kazakhstan’s Economy Grows 4.5% in First Five Months of 2023
ASTANA – The economy of Kazakhstan has grown 4.5% over the first five months of this year, Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov said at the government’s meeting on June 13, reviewing the results of the country’s development and budget outturn, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The real sector grew by 3.6%, while the…
Asian Development Bank and Almaty Electric Stations Ink Loan Agreement to Facilitate Green Energy
ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Almaty Electric Stations, an energy-producing organization owned by the Samruk Energy power holding, signed a loan agreement worth 98 billion tenge ($219.2 million) to finance the modernization of the Almaty Combined Heat and Power Plant-2 (CHP-2), the holding’s press service announced on June 9. According to…
President Declares June 12 as Day of Mourning for Forest Fires Victims in Abai Region
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared June 12 as the day of national mourning to honor forest workers who lost their lives while trying to extinguish wildfires in the Abai Region in eastern Kazakhstan, reported the Akorda press service. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 14 people died in the fire that broke out…
WTO Director-General Outlines Challenges Facing Global Trading System and Identifies Solutions at Astana International Forum
ASTANA – Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, spoke about the challenges facing the global trading system and proposed solutions during a high-level special session on the second day of the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 9. The session was moderated by Timur Suleimenov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of…
