Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The Kazakh lowcost airline FlyArystan has suspended check-in fees at airports for international flights after the air company introduced charges on Aug. 3, while online check-in remains free, reported Kazinform on Aug. 4. “When launching this service for international flights, the low-cost airline encountered unforeseen obstacles and temporarily suspended the launch until the…

ASTANA – Internet use has tripled in Kazakhstan from 356 petabytes in 2018 to 1,000 petabytes in 2022, reported the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry on Aug. 3. During the recent meeting with the executives of mobile operators, Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin instructed to improve…

ASTANA – The international aviation community positively assesses the approaches to managing the civil aviation industry in Kazakhstan, implemented by the Civil Aviation Committee and the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) over the past three years, reported the committee’s press service on Aug. 1. Going forward, the AAK will also strengthen the aviation authorities’ regional…

ASTANA – The video for the song “Weekend” by Kazakh pop star Dimash Kudaibergen and Turkish-Dutch DJ Burak Yeter was displayed on a Times Square billboard in New York, reported the dimashnews.com on Aug. 1. For the fifth time, Kudaibergen’s fans presented his video on one of the most popular TSX billboards in New York.…

ASTANA – KazMunayGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, increased the volume of oil and gas condensate production by 10.1% to 11.8 million tons, according to the company’s January-June production results unveiled on Aug. 1. The volume of oil transportation increased by 5.8% to 39.3 million tons. The volume of hydrocarbon raw materials processing…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s circus performers won the Grand Prix at the first international circus art festival in Almaty, reported the Akimat (city administration) press service on Aug. 1.   Kazakh artists presented an equestrian acrobatic program directed by Kanatbek Kungozhinov, holder of the Order of Kurmet (Honor), a state award. The Hassak Kazakh acrobatic troupe, led…

ASTANA — Seven visitor centers have been built in national parks and natural reserves throughout the country with private investments over the past two years, the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports said on Aug. 1.  They include visit centers Ayusay, Turgensai, Sharyn, Gorelnik, Medeu, and Altyn Emel in the Almaty Region and Sartas in…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government is determined to make every effort to ensure that the Kazakh-Georgian partnership develops dynamically in all fields, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during an Aug. 1 meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili in Almaty, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. According to Smailov, Georgia is an important…

ASTANA – Baiterek national holding company has supported large business projects with 114.4 billion tenge ($257 million) and financed over 15,000 small and medium-sized businesses through the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund since the beginning of the year, said Kanat Sharlapayev, Baiterek’s Chairman of the Board, at a July 31 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported…

ASTANA – Seven agricultural projects worth 1.9 billion tenge ($4.2 million) are planned to open in the Mangystau Region this year, said Kazakh Deputy Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Taszhurekov during the working trip to the region, reported the Central Communications Service on July 29.  Three investment projects worth 2.2 billion tenge ($4.9 million) were introduced…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Elzhana Taniyeva, 17, won the bronze and silver medals in the rhythmic gymnastics hoop and ball competitions, respectively, on July 31 at the 31st Summer World University Games (Summer Universiade/FISU Games) in Chengdu, bringing the eighth medal to the national team, reported sports.kz. Kazakh archer Diana Tursynbek won the silver medal on…

ASTANA – Kazakh young graphic designer Olga Piterskova from Uralsk, art designer Marina Strigun from Atbasar and break-dancer Yerlan Ospanov from Karagandy will design the breaking and skateboarding national team uniforms for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Jury members announced the winners of the Olymp Urban Culture.KZ Olympic uniform design competition on July 28, reported…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media across the world. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Trade Route (TITR), China’s relations with Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan-European Union ties, and more. Kazakhstan’s Deputy FM says EU, US ties…

ASTANA – The Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) held a regular meeting of the interdepartmental commission on July 26 to address the facilitation of formalities in international air transportation and the introduction of biometric technology at the country’s airports, reported the Civil Aviation Committee’s press service.   During the meeting, the committee emphasized the importance of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Kurbanov, 31, won a bronze medal at the Fencing World Championships, which takes place on July 22-30 in Milan, reported Kazakh National Olympic Committee on July 26. In the semi-finals, Kurbanov lost to Hungary’s Mate Tamas Koch, who became champion by defeating Italy’s Davide Di Veroli in the final. In the…

ASTANA – An electronic queue system, introduced at the Kazakh border checkpoints, is streamlining and ensuring transparency in the movement of goods and transports, said Yeldos Saudabayev, director of the control department of the State Revenue Committee, at a July 26 Central Communications Service briefing on the customs administration and modernization of checkpoints. According to…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready for dialogue and cooperation with the BRICS countries in cybersecurity matters, said Kazakh Ambassador to South Africa Yerkin Akhinzhanov at a July 24 expanded meeting of the BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues with the participation of BRICS member countries and Friends of BRICS in Johannesburg, reported the Foreign Ministry’s…

ASTANA — Approximately 90 Kazakh athletes will take part in the 31st Summer World University Games (Summer Universiade/ FISU Games), which will be held from July 28 to Aug. 8 in Chengdu, China. The national team, made up of students from the country’s 26 universities, will compete in 11 sports: archery, shooting, athletics, gymnastics, judo,…

ASTANA – Kazakh passport holders can travel to 29 countries without visa, the Foreign Ministry reported in response to a request from Kazinform on July 24. “Besides, Kazakhstan agreed with a number of countries on mutual exemption from visas for holders of diplomatic and service passports,” said in the ministry’s report. According to the ministry,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s passport ranked 67th, with 77 visa-free destinations, in the Henley Passport Index 2023, released on July 19. Last year, Kazakhstan ranked 73rd, with visa-free access to 76 countries. The index covers 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations.  Singapore leads the ranking with visa-free access to 192 destinations, followed by Germany, Italy…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy identified the priorities of partnerships with the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on potential future projects during the recent meetings in Washington, D.C., reported the ministry’s press service on July 22. Alibek Kuantyrov, Kazakh Minister of National Economy, discussed with Anna Bjerde, WB’s Managing…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 31st in the recent Coursera Global Skills Report 2023, analyzing how over 124 million registered learners from 100 countries worldwide are strengthening business, technology, and data science skills. These 100 countries account for over 90% of Coursera international educational platform learners. According to the report released on June 14, students in…

ASTANA – Yerlan Koshanov, Speaker of the Mazhilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, reported on the work of the deputies (MPs) during the first session of the eighth convocation at a July 21 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. According to Koshanov, the deputies initiated 20 bills out of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan intends to attract $24 billion in foreign investments by the end of the year, said Chair of the Investment Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ardak Zebeshev at a July 20 press conference at the Central Communications Service. “President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed to attract at least $150 billion to the country…

The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media across the world. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Central Asian countries summit in Jeddah, increase in Kazakhstan’s oil exports to European markets through Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’s railway repair efforts and…