Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with European Union (EU) Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala and Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora on June 13-14 to discuss cooperation in transport and logistics, critical raw materials, and visa facilitation, reported the country’s Foreign…

ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has attracted more than $8.3 billion of international investment since its launch in 2018, said AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov during a June 14 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Bekturov discussed the work of the AIFC in 2022 and in the first…

ASTANA – The World Bank has prepared a $2 million grant to support the Kazakhstan Resilient Landscapes Restoration Project, said World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan Andrei Mikhnev. International experts addressed ways to support Kazakhstan’s efforts to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change during a June 13 workshop, reported the World Bank’s press…

ASTANA – Kazakh firefighters and emergency rescue teams are continuing to battle wildfires in the Abai Region, which erupted on June 8 in the Batpayev forestry and quickly spread to surrounding areas covering 60,000 hectares of forested mountainous territory. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources informed that as of June 12, efforts to extinguish…

ASTANA – The Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) opened in Almaty on June 9, reported the National Bank’s press service. National Bank Chairman Galymzhan Pirmatov, IMF’s delegation led by Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, heads of international financial organizations and diplomatic missions, as well as…

ASTANA – Astana International Forum’s (AIF) panel session, Middle Power Diplomacy in Challenging Times, on June 9 focused on the role of middle powers in global diplomacy in the context of increasing tensions and polarization among major powers. The session featured David Aptsiauri, General Director of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Joshua Lincoln,…

ASTANA – The Astana International Forum (AIF)’s panel session on June 9 on the Middle Corridor, the trans-Caspian transport route that starts from Southeast Asia and China and runs through Kazakhstan to European countries, highlighted the global and regional trends in international trade, challenges related to trade regulations and international agreements along the route, as…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. This foreign media digest covers the Astana International Forum, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s participation in the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow, the upcoming visit to Kazakhstan of Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, QazCode software company, and…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key global initiatives to address humanity’s shared challenges, focusing on the significance of the Astana International Forum (AIF) at a June 8 opening ceremony and plenary session, reported the Akorda press service.   Climate awareness and Afghanistan crisis Tokayev proposed to the global community to hold a Regional Climate…

ASTANA – With only one day left until the conclusion of the Astana International Forum (AIF), the Kazakh capital is welcoming international guests and media representatives to the first event to promote ideals of peaceful and sustainable development worldwide. The two-day forum encourages the global community from diverse backgrounds to identify practical solutions to some…

ASTANA – As the world is changing at an unprecedented speed, high-level delegates from diverse backgrounds and perspectives across the world convened in the Kazakh capital for the inaugural Astana International Forum (AIF), which opened on June 8. The forum brought together renowned leaders, policymakers, scholars, and experts to give them a voice that can…

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Audrey Azoulay on June 7, who arrived in Kazakhstan to attend the Astana International Forum, reported the Akorda press service. Azoulay presented Tokayev with certificates for including the Burabay National Park and…

ASTANA — Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko spoke about the highlights of the forthcoming two-day Astana International Forum (AIF) and its significance for Kazakhstan’s development during a June 7 meeting with foreign reporters. Welcoming the meeting participants, Vassilenko drew attention to Kazakhstan’s political and socio-economic reforms, international obligations, and multi-vector foreign policy centered…

ASTANA – First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov took part in a June 2 meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in Cape Town, South Africa, reported the ministry’s press service. Kazakhstan is seeking to join BRICS and strengthen economic cooperation with its member countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). It has become…

ASTANA – Prominent American economist Nouriel Roubini, known as Dr. Doom for predicting the 2008 global financial crisis, will present his book “The New Kazakhstan: Steering the Steppe Amid a Global Storm” at the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 9 in the capital.  “I look forward to speaking at the event launching this new…

ASTANA – Mosque of al-Zahir Baybars (Sultan Beibars) re-opened on June 4 in Cairo after years of renovation co-funded by Kazakhstan and Egypt, reported the Ministry of Culture and Sports. The ceremony coincided with the Days of Kazakh Culture in Egypt and was attended by high-level Kazakh officials, including Kazakhstan’s Senate Chairperson Maulen Ashimbayev, Minister…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Foreign Minister of South Korea Park Jin agreed to promote strategic partnership between two states during a June 1 meeting in Almaty, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev noted the dynamics of the Kazakh-Korean trade, investment and technological cooperation, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties. “We have…

ASTANA – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov spoke on the country’s efforts in non-proliferation and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during a May 30 Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) 20th anniversary high-level political meeting in Jeju Island, South Korea, reported the ministry’s press service.  The event brought together high-ranking…

ASTANA – Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov outlined measures to improve the country’s investment policy amid a decline in global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows at a May 29 meeting of the Senate, an upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the ministry’s press service. According to Kuantyrov, the gross FDI inflow in Kazakhstan…

ASTANA – Kazakh officials discussed measures to develop the civil aviation industry and outlined tasks for the coming period, focusing on aviation safety, route network and infrastructure development during a May 30 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. According to Kazakh Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is leading the International Boxing Association (IBA) ranking with 81,000 points after outstanding results at the 2023 Men’s World Boxing Championships on April 30 – May 14 in Tashkent, according to the association’s official website. Kazakhstan is followed by Uzbekistan and Russia with 60,800 and 58,050 points, respectively. The top 10 includes…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the Kozybayev North Kazakhstan State University to get acquainted with the educational and research activities of the institution during his May 29 working trip to the region, reported the Akorda press service.   The university, which enrolls more than 6,000 students, has recently opened laboratories with advanced equipment to…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states to make the union’s development trajectory more effective during a May 25 Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in Moscow, reported the Akorda press service. The talks began with a narrow format meeting that included Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of…

ASTANA – Founders of 15 IT startups from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, and Türkiye have begun on May 22 a five-week acceleration program in Silicon Valley, the United States, as part of the Hero Training program, launched by Astana Hub international technopark of IT startups and California-based Draper University. The news was reported the…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Kazakh-Chinese partnership and joint projects, Kazakhstan-European Union strategic cooperation, Singapore President Halimah Yacob’s visit to Kazakhstan, and an interview with the Chairwoman of the Kazakh National Center of Public…