Articles by Saniya Sakenova

ASTANA — A new Kazakh-Saudi innovation hub, named after the great medieval scholar and outstanding Islamic philosopher Abu Nasr al-Farabi, who was born on the territory of modern Kazakhstan, opened on March 5 in Riyadh, reported the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry. The Al-Farabi Innovation Hub will…

ASTANA – The holy month of Ramadan will commence on March 11, according to the general fatwa endorsed by the Shariah and Fatwa Department of Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims, the administration’s press service reported on March 4. The date was confirmed following consultations with a council of scientists from Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Türkiye,…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu took part in the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on March 5 in Jeddah, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service. At the session, dedicated to the Palestine situation, OIC member states advocated for an…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan earned a “perfect score” of 100 points in three indicators, including freedom of movement, marriage, and gender differences in property and inheritance, according to the latest World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2024 index. The overall score for Kazakhstan is 75.6 out of 100, based on an assessment of the…

ASTANA – The Kazakh-Azerbaijani investment fund, currently under development by Samruk Kazyna National Welfare Fund and an Azerbaijani investment holding, will focus on enhancing the port infrastructure of both countries, Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev said at the 20th meeting of bilateral intergovernmental commission on March 5 in Astana, reported the ministry’s press service. During…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov directed state agencies to streamline investment project launch procedures, urging for a swift evaluation of support measures and proposing improvements at a March 5 government session dedicated to the efficacy of investment stimulation, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Bektenov instructed to ensure the full-fledged launch of the…

ASTANA – Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev expressed Kazakhstan’s intention to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into geological exploration processes at a roundtable with Paul Johnson, the president of the Colorado School of Mines, on March 2 as part of his visit to Denver, the United States, reported the ministry’s press service. The initiative…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended the official oath-taking ceremony of The Lord Ian Burnett of Maldon, the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court, on March 4, reported the Akorda press service. The President congratulated Lord Burnett on assuming the position, affirming that his appointment reflects the commitment of…

ASTANA – Kazakh Ambassador to Mexico Timur Primbetov had a comprehensive discussion with Flavio Roberto Bonzanini, Secretary General of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) on the interaction between OPANAL and Kazakhstan as a member state of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia…

ASTANA – The Qaz Steppe Innovation Hub of promising Kazakh startups opened at the pavilion of Kazakhstan’s trade house in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on March 1, reported the Trade and Integration Ministry’s press service. The pavilion is establishing a coworking center to maximize the potential of the Kazakh IT industry, whose exports…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu took part in the third edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2024 on March 1-3 in Antalya, Türkiye, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service. The forum, themed Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil, was attended by over 100 heads of state and governments,…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles from global media outlets on news about Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on Kazakhstan’s commitment to nuclear disarmament, the country’s rise to a middle power, enhanced collaboration with Uzbekistan, Germany’s intention to explore the potential for lithium mining in the country,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan provides 92% of all government services online, with 85% of them available from a mobile phone, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin said during the ministry’s extended meeting on Feb. 28, reported the ministry’s press service. Summarizing the outcomes of last year, Mussin informed about the launch of…

ASTANA – Victims of domestic violence will now have access to shelter through Family Support Centers, as per a bill approved during the second reading by the Mazhilis, a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, on Feb. 28. Under the provisions, these centers now offer temporary accommodation to those displaying signs of domestic violence. The…

ASTANA – The Eurasian Development Bank published the report titled Economic Cooperation in Eurasia: Practical Solutions on Feb. 26, offering pragmatic solutions aimed at fostering economic cooperation among Eurasian countries. New priorities and interaction formats are linked to a multiplicity of cooperation vectors and a shift in trade and economic ties toward the Asian region,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will switch to a single time zone (UTC+5) from 12 a.m. on March 1 following a government decree on time calculation procedures. From the night of Feb. 29 to March 1, the cities of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, as well as the Abai, Akmola, Almaty, Zhambyl, Zhetisu, Karagandy, Kostanai, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan,…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu discussed the investment projects within Kazakhstan’s key economic sectors with the leadership of Swiss companies INOKS Capital, Stadler Rail, Воѕсhung, and MSC during his working visit to Geneva on Feb. 28, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press office. The priority areas of the national economy…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Security Council discussed upgrading the main approaches to implementing the National Security Strategy at a Feb. 27 meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. The President stressed the importance of fortifying Kazakhstan’s economic and military capabilities amid the complicated global geopolitical situation. He emphasized the need for an…

ASTANA – Following the Central Asia FIRST Championship in Astana, four Kazakh teams earned the opportunity to represent their country at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, scheduled for April 17-20, reported the Kazakh Education Ministry’s press service. In the FLL Explore age category (6-10 years old), the IQRobots team from the capital’s…

ASTANA – QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center has disclosed the primary goods of Kazakhstan’s non-oil exports in 2023, Kazinform reported on Feb. 26. Exports of inorganic chemical products, including uranium, aluminum oxides, inert gas, chromium oxides, phosphoric acids, and carbides, totaled $4.3 billion. Kazakhstan exported ferrous metals worth $4.1 billion, comprising ferroalloys, hot-rolled steel, cold-rolled…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s cargo exports to China exceeded last year’s figure by 43% and reached one million tons in January, Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund’s press service reported on Feb. 26. Iron ore supplies increased by 19%, grain – by 37%, ferrous metals – by two times, and non-ferrous metals – by 2.2 times. Meanwhile,…

ASTANA – Cargo transportation via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) reached 274,200 tons in January, a 147% increase compared to last year, as was reported during a Feb. 26 meeting chaired by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin in the Mangystau Region, according to the Prime Minister’s press office. As a serious alternative to…

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu highlighted Kazakhstan’s achievements in improving its national human rights system and outlined further priorities at the High-level Segment of the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on Feb. 26, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service. He focused…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to launch a solar panel production line following the delivery of equipment within 1-1.5 months, Kazinform reported on Feb. 13, citing the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The initiative involves the establishment of a 50-megawatt plant for the production of solar panels using heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended the Constitutional Court’s effectiveness in ensuring the supremacy of the Constitution and protecting citizens’ rights and freedoms at a Feb. 23 meeting with Constitutional Court Chairwoman Elvira Azimova, reported the Akorda press service. The Constitutional Court began its work on Jan. 1, 2023, as part of the broader political…