Articles by Aida Haidar 

Kazakhstan Initiates Construction of Railway to China to Boost Freight Turnover

ASTANA — Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov officially commenced the construction of the Bakhty-Ayagoz railway line, spanning 272 kilometers in the Abai Region via a teleconference on Dec. 21, anticipating a 20 million ton boost in freight turnover between Kazakhstan and China, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.  The initiation of this project aligns with President…

Kazakhstan Expands Tourism Horizons with Malaysia’s AirAsia 

ASTANA — Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerzhan Yerkinbayev held a meeting with representatives from Air Asia X, led by General Director Benjamin bin Ismail on Dec. 21, the ministry’s press service reported. The discussions centered around the collaborative efforts to develop Kazakhstan’s tourism sector, plans to amplify passenger traffic, and joint initiatives to…

Dota 2 Finals in Riyadh Masters Conclude with Kazakhstan Emerging Victorious

ASTANA — The Dota 2 finals in Riyadh reached a spectacular conclusion on Dec. 17, with the Kazakhstan team emerging as the triumphant champions, announced the Qazaq Cybersport Federation in their Telegram channel. The Kazakhstan team’s journey to victory was nothing short of impressive as they navigated through fierce competition from South Africa, Saudi Arabia,…

ADB: Caucasus and Central Asia Soar to 4.8% in 2023, Driven by Kazakhstan’s Resilience

ASTANA  — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) upgraded its revision in growth forecasts for the Caucasus and Central Asia, reaching 4.8% for 2023, up from September’s 4.6% projection in a Dec. 13 Asian Development Outlook (ADO), reported the bank’s press service. Kazakhstan, the largest economy in the sub-region, has played a pivotal role, with growth…

Kazakh PM Instructs Faster Cargo Processing for Maritime Infrastructure Growth

ASTANA — Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov instructed the Ministry of Transport and the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company to devise a comprehensive set of measures by the end of January 2024 for developing maritime infrastructure. This was outlined during a Dec. 12 government meeting, as reported by the Prime Minister’s press service. Smailov…

Kazakhstan Records Economic Growth of 4.9% in 11 Months, Prime Minister Sets Ambitious Targets for Future

ASTANA — Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov revealed a commendable economic growth rate of 4.9% for the first 11 months of this year at a Dec. 12 government meeting on the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan, the Prime Minister’s press service reported.  Kuantyrov, presenting the findings, detailed that the real sector witnessed a growth of…

UN Women’s Deputy Regional Director: Digitalization Can Advance Gender Equality in Central Asia

ASTANA — Digitalization and innovation have a transformative power in shaping the lives of women and girls in Central Asia, said Deputy Regional Director of United Nations (UN) Women for Europe and Central Asia Elisa Fernandez Saenz during her address at the Dialogue of Women of Central Asia on June 19 where Kazakhstan assumed chairpersonship.…

Kazakhstan Should Prioritize SDGs with Focus on Wellbeing, Says UN ESCAP Official

ASTANA — Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), shed light on the priorities of cooperation between UN and Kazakhstan in an interview with The Astana Times on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8-9. Digitalization…