Articles by Nazira Kozhanova

Kazakhstan is one of world leaders in chromite mining, production and reserves, says U.S. Geological Survey

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan is one of the world leaders in chromite mining, production and reserves, according to the United States Geological Survey. The country was the third biggest chromite producer in 2018 with 4.6 million tonnes. South Africa and Turkey were the largest and second largest with 16 million and 6.5 million tonnes, respectively.  Kazakhstan,…

AIFC develops regulatory framework to grow green finance

NUR-SULTAN – The Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC) is developing a framework to facilitate the growing green finance sector in Kazakhstan, AIFC Board Chairman Kairat Kelimbetov told the Sept. 9 Green Growth Forum in Nur-Sultan, reports KazInform news agency.   “Today, the AIFC, together with international experts, is working on creating a regulatory framework for…

Nur-Sultan to host ISU Speed Skating World Cup in December

NUR-SULTAN – Alau Ice Palace in the capital will serve as host Dec. 6-8 for a portion of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) Speed Skating World Cup Series. The overall events will start Nov. 15, reported KazInform. The Kazakh team members eligible to perform at the World Cup will be decided after the Kazakhstan Championship,…

Kazakh GDP grows 4.3 percent over eight months, says PM

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s GDP grew 4.3 percent from January-August compared to the corresponding period of 2018, Prime Minister Askar Mamin said at the Sept. 10 government session. Positive growth was observed in areas such as manufacturing, including engineering (18 percent); non-ferrous metal mining (17.9 percent); light industry (17.4 percent), oil refining (6.2 percent); agriculture (3.6…

Two programmes to provide free entrepreneurial training to 4,000 people in Shymkent

NUR-SULTAN – The Bastau Business and Zhaskasipker funded entrepreneurship skills training programmes are being offered for the first time in Shymkent. The former will involve 2,700 participants; the latter, 1,400, reported kursiv.kz. “Participants in the first Zhaskasipker project can be unemployed people 18-29 years old. If they own their own business, then it must have…

Astana Pro Team’s Jakob Fuglsang wins Vuelta a España 16th stage

NUR-SULTAN – Astana Pro Team’s Jakob Fuglsang won the 16th stage of the Vuelta a España Sept. 10 atop Alto de la Cubilla, reported KazInform.kz. “I am super happy with my win! Finally, I’ve got a Grand Tour stage victory! It is a great continuation of my best season so far. I am happy that…

Kazakh renewable energy and tin industries are ones to watch, oil and gas are still safe bet for investor, says Norwegian study

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh renewable energy and tin industries are potential growth sectors and oil and gas are still a safe bet for investors, according to the latest Norwegian International Business Project report. The report provides potential investors with an overview of Kazakhstan and its most promising industries. “Significant progress has been made with a…

Kazakh artist exhibits Tengrianism-inspired paintings

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh artist Nazym Rakhimberdiyeva presented her Tengrianism-inspired (ancient Turkic faith) paintings Aug. 20 at her individual “Tengri of three worlds” exhibition in Almaty, reported mix.tn.kz. “I got interested in Tengrianism when I was wondering what our deities looked like. But it turned out that this is an obscure topic; artists rarely depicted them…

Kazakh capital to host October 2019 World Cancer Leaders’ Summit

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR) will host the 2019 World Cancer Leaders’ Summit Oct. 15-17 in the capital, reported uicc.org. “Reducing the number of premature deaths caused by cancer requires addressing inequities in access to cancer services to achieve the universal health coverage (UHC) vision of health for all,” adds…

Lack of standardisation poses problems for halal industry in CIS, notes conference

NUR-SULTAN – Participants at a recent conference in the Kazakh capital discussed the difficulties of introducing standards in the halal industry in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), reports the Islamic Organisation for Food Security. Rimma Gakhova, representing the Consumer Rights Protection National Association Society, noted pork DNA was found in halal products at the…

Kazakh ministers present information on new pro-teacher laws on Knowledge Day

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh ministers celebrated Knowledge Day Sept. 1 by visiting schools to speak about the new bill on the status of the teacher and patriotism in schools. Prime Minister Askar Mamin participated in the inauguration ceremony of the capital’s new school-gymnasium number 87 named for Abai Kunanbayev. “Dear teachers, parents and students! I wholeheartedly…

Kazakh climber wins bronze at IFSC Climbing World Championships

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh mountain climber Rishat Khabibullin won a bronze medal Aug. 21 at the 2019 International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Climbing World Championships. The third-place finish made him the 12th of the nation’s athletes to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, reported Olympic.kz. “The main goal for me was to win an Olympic licence and get…

Tokayev declares 2020 to be year of volunteer

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the decree Aug. 27 declaring 2020 as the Year of the Volunteer. Speaking at the May 29 Kazakh-Russian Youth Cooperation Forum in Kostanai, Tokayev noted the volunteer movement is necessary for the country, reported Zakon.kz. There is a particular need to develop digital volunteer initiatives. “I see that…

Emerging Kazakh artists exhibit works in Nur-Sultan apartments

NUR-SULTAN – Emerging Kazakh artists exhibited their works Aug. 20-24 in capital apartments. The Tribute Album exhibitions series project, first conducted in 2017, was organised by Platforma.projectroom group. “We hold informal exhibitions in apartments and workshops, where we will have the opportunity to be the first to get acquainted with the work of the authors!…

Jezkiik 2019 Ulytau Festival celebrates Kazakh ethnocultural tourism

NUR-SULTAN – Jezkiik 2019 Ulytau Festival brought together the Ulytau International Tourism Forum, the International Rural Youth Forum and the Ethnic Music and Food Festival on Aug. 23-25. “Located at the intersection of ancient civilisations and the largest transport arteries, Kazakhstan for centuries remains one of the most important cultural, historical and spiritual centres of…

Shymkent youth centre launches outreach mentorship, employment services

NUR-SULTAN – Outreach mentorship and employment services launched in early August at the Shymkent Youth Resources Centre, reported 24.kz. The primary mission is to employ and motivate young people who neither work nor study. The project is a one-of-a-kind in Kazakhstan. “Our task is to help young people who do not study and do not…

Central Asian nations, U.S. discuss regional security, economic cooperation in Kazakh capital

NUR-SULTAN – Ministers of foreign affairs  from the five Central Asian nations and a top U.S. diplomat  met in Nur-Sultan Aug. 22 to discuss regional security and economic cooperation with the United States. The first session of the meeting, known as C5+1, discussed avenues for economic security and partnership. U.S. Under Secretary of State for…

Kazakhstan to expand AIFC legal jurisdiction, approve tax residency programme for foreign investors

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government approved Aug. 20 an expansion of the Astana International Financial Centre’s (AIFC) legal jurisdiction and an investment tax residency programme to attract foreign investment. The expansion of the AIFC’s legal jurisdiction will allow the centre to adopt acts regulating labour relations and procurement procedures. “As a part of the 100…

Berdibek Saparbayev replaces Gulshara Abdykalikova as Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister

NUR-SULTAN – Berdibek Saparbayev replaced Gulshara Abdykalikova Aug. 20 as Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister, reported the Akorda website. Saparbayev, the former Minister of Labour and Social Protection, previously served as Akim (Governor) of the Aktobe Region. He was also Chief of Staff of the Cabinet of Ministers, Akim of the Kyzylorda and South Kazakhstan regions,…

Kazakh boxer retains middleweight belts after win in Los Angeles

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh professional middleweight boxer Zhanibek Alimkhanuly retained his WBO Global and WBO Continental Americas titles after defeating Canadian Stuart McLellan Aug. 17 in Los Angeles, reports Olympic.kz. Alimkhanuly now ranks 63rd in the BoxRec middleweight boxers global ranking. He currently is in third place among the Kazakh middleweight boxers according to this ranking,…

Improved infrastructure has increased tourism at Kolsai Lakes, say officials

NUR-SULTAN – The number of tourists visiting Kolsai Lakes National Park in the Almaty Region has increased 400 percent since 2009 following infrastructure improvements, reports 24.kz. The annual number of tourists visiting Kolsai Lakes National Park was 41,000 in 2018, as opposed to 10,000 in 2009. The numbers are expected to further increase by one…

Kazakh President appoints new akim of Shymkent city

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed July 30 Yerlan Aitakhanov the new akim (mayor) of Shymkent city. Previous akim Gabidolla Abdrakhimov was dismissed from his position. Before the appointment, Aitakhanov served as akim (mayor) of the Otyrar District in the Turkestan Region and the deputy akim of the South Kazakhstan Region. Aitakhanov was born…

Kazakhstan to digitise mining, metallurgy industries

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government plans to digitise its mining and metallurgy industries, Chairman of the Committee for Industrial Development and Industrial Safety of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development Kanat Baitov announced at a July 29 press conference on digitisation of the mining and metallurgical industries. As a part of the 2018…

Kazakh wrestler wins silver medal at international tournament in Poland

NUR-SULTAN – Nurkhozha Kaipanov won Aug. 4 the silver medal in freestyle wrestling at the Vaclav Tsiolkovsky International Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, reports Olympic.kz. It was the ninth medal Kazakh wrestlers won at the tournament. The Kazakh wrestler lost to Turkish wrestler Haydar Yavuz in the weight category up to 70 kg in the final…

Kazakh Government approves new legislative, executive roadmap to attract investment

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government approved July 30 a new roadmap outlining legislative and executive measures to attract foreign investment, Zakon.kz reports. The roadmap also outlines measures to be taken within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to attract investment. The roadmap’s legislative section includes measures to alter taxation and liberalise the visa and migration…