Qatar’s Lesha Bank Finalizes Acquisition of Kazakhstan’s Bereke Bank
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Baiterek National Holding and Qatar’s Lesha Bank announced on Oct. 8 the completion of the transaction, transferring full ownership of Bereke Bank with the sale of 100% of its shares. “Bereke Bank is one of Kazakhstan’s largest banks and will continue to fulfill all its obligations to clients. The bank maintains the…
Kazakh, Foreign Airlines Operate 778 Weekly Flights in 32 Countries
ASTANA – Kazakh and foreign airlines operate 778 weekly flights to 132 destinations in 32 countries, reported the Transport Ministry’s press service on Oct. 8. Kazakhstan has direct flights to 32 countries, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, China, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. This year, new air routes were opened from Almaty…
Kazakhstan’s CodiPlay Becomes Central Asia’s First Ed-Tech Startup to Earn Prestigious Finnish Quality Certification
ASTANA—Kazakhstan’s ed-tech startup CodiPlay has become the first project in Central Asia to receive the Finnish Quality Certificate from Education Alliance Finland, a certifier of ed-tech solutions. This certificate will enable the project to become internationally competitive. Education Alliance Finland provides a product evaluation and certification service based on global quality standards for learning solutions.…
Kazakhstan to Host World Judo Championships in 2027
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will hold the World Judo Championships in 2027, according to an agreement reached between Kazakh Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabossynov and President of the International Judo Federation (IJF) Marius Vizer in Budapest. “This is not only a great honor for the country, but also a good opportunity for Kazakh athletes…
Kazakhstan Ranks Among Top Ten Nations With Highest Increase in Gold Reserves
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is placed seventh on the list of nations most actively expanding their gold reserves. A review of the 10-year period from 2013 to 2023 reveals that Kazakhstan boosted its gold reserves by 151 tons, placing it in seventh place worldwide, reported Kazinform on Oct. 9. Russia claimed the top spot with an…
Swiss Company Launches Major Reforestation Initiative Across 14,500 Hectares in Akmola Region
ASTANA – A Swiss company launched a pilot project in the Akmola Region, aiming to reforest an area of 14,500 hectares, said Kazakh Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev at an Oct. 8 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. During the meeting, Nyssanbayev highlighted key measures to preserve and increase forest…
Steppe Fires Contained in Pavlodar, Karagandy Regions
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s firefighters have localized steppe fires in the Karagandy and Pavlodar Regions on Oct. 8. Evacuated citizens returned to their homes after almost three days. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, a steppe fire broke out in the Karagandy Region on Oct. 6, subsequently spreading to the territory of the Pavlodar Region.…
Kazakhstan to Boost Tourism with More Flights and Subsidized Routes
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to subsidize more than 20 routes, including nine tourist destinations, with 6.4 billion tenge (US$13.2 million) allocated for next year to promote tourism and enhance the attractiveness of local sites. The Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs hosted a meeting on Oct. 7 to discuss measures to develop the country’s tourism. Next…
Kazakh-Slovak Business Forum Fosters Business Ties, Knowledge Exchange
ASTANA – Kazakh and Slovak officials and business executives expressed their readiness to expand economic and investment cooperation during an Oct. 5 business forum in Astana. According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, the meeting brought together more than 80 representatives of leading Kazakh and Slovak companies, becoming an essential platform for discussing new opportunities and…
Astana Hosts Asian Table Tennis Championships
ASTANA – The 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships kicked off on Oct. 6 at the Astana-based Beeline Arena National Tennis Center, bringing together 210 athletes from 26 countries. The championships will run through Oct. 13. According to the National Olympic Committee, ten athletes from Kazakhstan will compete in the tournament. Medals will be awarded among…
Kazakhstan Strengthens Control Due to Marburg Virus Outbreak
ASTANA – Kazakh Healthcare Ministry is strengthening control over the epidemiological situation, following the World Health Organization’s warning of the first confirmed Marburg virus disease outbreak in Rwanda, announced country’s Chief State Sanitary Doctor Sarkhat Beissenova on Oct. 7. Marburg is a highly virulent disease that can cause hemorrhagic fever, affecting both humans and other…
Kazakh MP Reflects on International Consortium for Nuclear Power Plant Construction
ASTANA – International consortium for nuclear power plant construction goes in line with Kazakhstan’s foreign policy, said Nikita Shatalov, deputy of Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament. Commenting on the country’s energy sector, Shatalov referred to the President’s opinion that an international consortium of leading global companies with advanced technologies should be involved…
Overseas Voting in Nuclear Power Plant Referendum Completes
ASTANA – All 74 precinct commissions of the nuclear power plant referendum abroad have completed their work. According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, 9,976 Kazakh citizens cast their votes in 59 countries. This marked a voter turnout of 81.06%. Approximately 69.8 percent of people voted in favor of constructing a nuclear power plant, according to…
Kazakh Scientists Discover New Spider Species in Kyzylkum Desert
ASTANA – Kazakh scientists discovered two new species of spider in the Kyzylkum desert in the country’s south. Scientists from the Kazakh Zoology Institute identified 54 species of spiders, with 27 of them (over 50%) being recorded in the desert for the first time. Notably, 10 species (19%) had never before been documented within Kazakhstan’s…
News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakh-EU Relations, Kazakhstan’s Reforms and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected a range of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. Today’s foreign media digest covers topics such as the Chinese-Kazakh digital cooperation, Kazakhstan’s recent transformations, the upcoming referendum on building a nuclear power plant and more. Kazakhstan becomes a more reliable partner of the European Union…
Kazakh Airlines Directed to Bypass Iranian Airspace Amid Middle East Tensions
ASTANA – The Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Transport Ministry recommended domestic airlines to bypass Iranian airspace after the escalation of the situation in the Middle East on Oct. 2. “In connection with the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, Kazakh airlines are recommended to bypass Iranian airspace and choose alternative routes,…
Kazakh Chess Players Shine in FIDE Global Rankings for October
ASTANA—Kazakhstan’s chess players have secured spots among the world’s elite in several updated rankings released by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Oct. 1. Bibisara Assaubayeva leads the way, topping both the Blitz and Rapid Top 100 Girls rankings for October. The blitz top ten also includes Meruyert Kamalidenova, who ranks fourth, Alua Nurman at…
EAEU to Increase Agricultural Exports via Int’l Routes, Cement Kazakhstan’s Transit Potential
ASTANA—The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) explored the potential expansion of agricultural product transportation via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) during the third Eurasian Economic Forum, which was held Sept. 30—Oct. 1 in Yerevan. This key corridor links the EAEU with Iran, the Middle East, and other strategic markets. The Eurasian…
China, Kazakhstan to Increase Volume of Cargo Flow via TITR
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Transport recently hosted the first meeting of the working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) between Kazakhstan and China. During the meeting, the parties discussed and finalized projections for cargo flow volumes from China along the TITR on the China-Europe route and in reverse,…
Kazakhstan Calls for Broader Digital Integration at Eurasian Economic Forum
ASTANA – Bakytzhan Sagintayev, chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), unveiled the Digital Union initiative during an Oct. 1 plenary session of the Eurasian Economic Forum in Yerevan. The concept seeks to highlight the tangible benefits of deeper Eurasian economic integration for businesses and the wider population. According to him, the concept has been…
Kazakh Central Election Commission Accredits 177 Int’l Observers Ahead of National Referendum
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission has accredited 177 observers from 30 countries and four international organizations for the nuclear power plant referendum scheduled for Oct. 6. Addressing an Oct. 1 meeting of the commission, CIC member Mukhtar Yerman said the international organizations participating in the referendum include the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the…
Kazakh Asset Recovery Committee Expands Cooperation with Foreign Organizations
ASTANA – The Asset Recovery Committee of the Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office strengthens international legal cooperation to identify and repatriate assets illegally acquired and taken out of the country. “Particularly, information is exchanged through the Central Asia Regional Information Network [CARIN] and the Asset Recovery Interagency Network Asia Pacific [ARIN-AP] networks, as well as through…
Kazakhstan Seeks to Deepen Partnership with IMF, World Bank
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov discussed the country’s financial stability and long-term economic development with senior management of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on Oct. 1. At the meeting with Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank Group Anshula Kant, the…
International Dog Show in Almaty Showcases Kazakh Tazy
ASTANA – Almaty hosted two dog shows of all breeds: the Aurora Cup National Dog Show and the Land of Nomads International Dog Show on Sept. 28-29. According to the Kazakh Union of Cynologists, more than 500 dogs from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Russia participated in the event. Kazinform reported that international experts…
Kazakh President Calls for Indivisible Eurasian Security in Multipolar World
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed an idea of indivisible Eurasian security that might serve as the foundation for creating a multipolar global order during a Sept. 30 Sustainable Development and Security in the Eurasian Space conference. According to the Akorda, Tokayev, in his speech, noted that in the face of unprecedented geopolitical…
