Almaty Officials Introduce New Coronavirus Restrictions, Situation Stable
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh officials report that the epidemiological situation is generally stable in the country, with some regions witnessing a relative surge in COVID-19 cases. Almaty akim (mayor) Bakytzhan Sagintayev and Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yeraly Tugzhanov said the coronavirus restrictions will be strengthened in Almaty, as the city witnesses a surge in coronavirus cases. …
Public Administration System Should Serve the Needs of Citizens, Says Tokayev
NUR-SULTAN – The entire public administration system in Kazakhstan should undergo a major upgrade to become people-centered, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the second meeting of the Supreme Council for Reforms Dec. 9, the Akorda press service reported. The council was created in September to serve as a supreme body for finalizing and adopting…
UN, EU Launch Spotlight Initiative for Central Asia, Afghanistan to Support Women
NUR-SULTAN – The United Nations (UN) Office and the European Union (EU) have launched a multi-year Spotlight regional programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan designed to eliminate all forms of violence against women. The EU will fund the programme with an initial budget of $4.3 million. The Spotlight project was launched in 2016 by the…
Tokayev Closes Out Year of Volunteer, Announces Volunteer Development Road Map, Training Program
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to prepare a road map for volunteer development and the volunteer training program during the closing ceremony of the Year of Volunteer in Kazakhstan, reported Akorda press service. “Volunteering is not just a social phenomenon, a habit, or skill that is developed overnight. It is a…
Kazakhstan Marks International Volunteer Day
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan marked International Volunteer Day Dec. 5 to celebrate the spirit of volunteering and to recognize the impact that volunteers make on society every year. Established by the United Nations, Volunteer Day has been celebrated worldwide since 1985. Kazakhstan has witnessed a steady growth in volunteerism over the past years. “International Volunteers Day…
Kazakhstan Supports Recent OPEC Agreement to Raise Oil Production
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan supported the recent agreement of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to modestly raise oil production, according to the Kazakh Energy Ministry’s press service. At their latest meeting on Dec. 3, OPEC and other oil-producing nations, including Kazakhstan and Russia, known as OPEC+, agreed to increase oil production by 500,000 barrels…
Kazakhstan Reduces Air Travel with Turkey, Resumes Flights to Uzbekistan
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan will reduce the number of flights to Turkey, according to the recent decision of the government commission on the prevention of the spread of coronavirus. The decision takes into account the epidemiological situation in both countries and the recommendation of the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry amid a global spike in coronavirus cases. The…
Kazakh President Tokayev Addresses Artificial Intelligence Conference Together With Russian President Putin
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the Artificial Intelligence Journey conference that gathered over 28,000 participants from over 90 countries Dec. 3-5, Akorda reported. Artificial Intelligence Journey is a series of events focusing on artificial intelligence and data analysis and hosted by international companies, including Russian ones, working in AI technology development and…
Kazakh Film Named Best Social Drama at Silk Road Film Awards
NUR-SULTAN – The “Girl and Sea” art film directed by Aziz Zairov and Muhammed Mamyrbekov won in the Best Social Drama category at the Silk Road Film Awards Cannes, Kazakh Film Studio reported. The Silk Road Film Awards at Cannes is a monthly competition with annual screenings open to independent filmmakers worldwide, and short and…
New Video Shows Kazakh Capital’s Landmarks from Bird’s Eye Perspective
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Presidential Teleradio Complex released a short video capturing Kazakh capital from a bird’s eye perspective. “All the unique beauty and grandeur of our capital is captured in incredible fairytale footage taken by a high-resolution bird’s-eye camera,” wrote the presidential teleradio complex in its Telegram channel. The company noted the role of Kazakhstan’s…
Zhas Project Unites Youth, Facilitates Social Entrepreneurship
NUR-SULTAN – The Zhas (Youth in Kazakh) project, a youth corps program, has brought together nearly 9,000 young people from different parts of Kazakhstan over the past four years to generate ideas contributing to the community’s development, said Vera Kim, head of the Coordinating Agency tasked with the implementation of the Zhas Project, in an interview…
Kazakhstan’s Kairat Abdrakhmanov Appointed OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh diplomat and Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Sweden and Denmark Kairat Abdrakhmanov was appointed High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi at a press briefing Dec. 4. The decision was made during the 27th meeting of the OSCE Council…
First Kazakh-Northern Europe Business Meeting Hosted Online, Focuses on Investment Opportunities
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan hosted the first Kazakh and Northern Europe business meeting online bringing top government officials, business people from Kazakhstan and Nordic countries together to explore investment opportunities. The meeting that gathered more than 100 participants focused on promising areas for cooperation, including agriculture, digital technologies, ICT development, and mining. They noted significant opportunities…
Tokayev Addresses CSTO Council Meeting, Praises Russian Peace Deal With Armenia and Azerbaijan
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council meeting that gathered Dec. 2 via videoconference, reported Akorda press service. The Collective Security Treaty was signed May 15, 1992 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan by the heads of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, In 1993, it was joined by…
Nazarbayev Addresses International Conference on Global Security, Nuclear Non-Proliferation
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s First President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed an international online conference on global security and global nuclear dialogue Nov. 30, Nursultan Nazarbayev’s Foundation press service reported. The conference organized by the foundation and Kazakhstan’s Institute of World Economy and Politics aimed at promoting the creation of a Global Alliance of Leaders for nuclear security…
Food is Where Human Stories Lie, British Author Caroline Eden on Her Journey Across Central Asia
NUR-SULTAN – Imagine a country you love traveling to. What is the first thing that comes to mind? For many people, it will be food, because traveling goes hand in hand with exploring the cuisine. For Caroline Eden, culinary travel is a passion in life, and she is an experienced traveler focusing on the region…
We Seek to Promote a Human Rights Based Approach to Disability, Says Shyrak Association Leader Lyazzat Kaltayeva
NUR-SULTAN – The Shyrak Association, an NGO supporting the rights of people with disabilities, in particular women, seeks to promote a human rights-based approach to disability issues, said Shyrak Association head Lyazzat Kaltayeva in an interview with The Astana Times. The association was established in 2001 and now unites nearly 3,000 women with disabilities of…
Kazakh Central Election Commission Encourages Kazakh Citizens to Go Vote
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) released a statement encouraging Kazakh citizens to go vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 10 next year, the Kazinform news agency reported. “If you are a citizen of Kazakhstan who has reached the age of 18 on the day of voting and has a right…
Imanbek Zeikenov’s Remix Nominated for 2021 Grammy Awards (Video)
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s rising star Imanbek Zeikenov has been nominated for the 63rd annual Grammy Awards for his remix of Saint Jhn’s “Roses,” as nominations for Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday. Zeikenov will compete with RAC, Morgan Page, Louie Vega and Haywyre in the Best Remixed Recording category. The full list of nominees in 83…
Coronavirus Cases Growing in Kazakhstan, Officials Remain Cautious But Optimistic
NUR-SULTAN – Coronavirus cases continue increasing in Kazakhstan, Kazakh government officials said during a Nov. 23 meeting of the commission focused to fight the coronavirus infection, the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service reported. Over the past day, the daily increase in coronavirus cases reached 678 bringing the number of COVID-19 cases to 126,860. As of…
Kazakh, Uzbek Prime Ministers Open Textile Factory in Turkestan
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov participated in the opening of a new textile factory in Turkestan in southern Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service reported. The new Kazakh-Uzbek joint venture, which is located on a two-hectare territory in the Turkistan industrial zone, is expected to create…
Australian Mining Companies See Big Economic Opportunities in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has huge potential in its mining industry sector and Australian companies are eager to help unlock it, said Austmine Director for International Business Robert Trzebski in an interview to The Astana Times. “We work with mining companies around the world and our mission is to connect our member companies with opportunities around…
International Turkic Academy and Kazakh Government Sign Cooperation Agreement
NUR-SULTAN – The International Turkic Academy and the Kazakh government signed an agreement on the terms and procedures for the status of the Turkic Academy, reported Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi and President of the Turkic Academy Darkhan Kydyrali participated in the signing ceremony Nov. 16. The agreement…
EU and Central Asian Ministers Agree to Forge Closer Relations
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi participated in the 16th EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting held Nov. 17, where European Union and Central Asian countries reaffirmed their commitment to forging closer ties. The virtual meeting also gathered the foreign ministers of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, first deputy foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan, the EU…
Tokayev Addresses Foreign Investors’ Council, Focuses on IT, Pharmaceutical Industry, Oil and Gas
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council that this year sought solutions to restoring economic and investment activity in Kazakhstan amid the coronavirus pandemic, and developing and boosting the investment attractiveness of the country’s oil and gas sector. The Foreign Investors Council was established in 1998 to ensure…
