New UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Appointed
ASTANA – UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa of Mongolia as the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan on June 22, the UN press service reported. Radnaaragchaa brings 25 years of experience in sustainable development across Europe and Central Asia, having held progressive leadership positions. Before her current appointment, she served as Regional Advisor on…
Kazakhstan Places $2.5 Billion in Eurobonds Amid High Investor Demand
ASTANA – Kazakhstan successfully placed $2.5 billion in sovereign U.S. dollar Eurobonds on June 24, attracting strong interest from foreign investors, the Finance Ministry announced. The issuance included two tranches: a 7-year bond worth $1.35 billion with a 5% coupon rate, and a 12-year bond worth $1.15 billion with a 5.5% coupon rate. The placement…
Kazakh Airlines Resume Flights to Middle East
ASTANA – Air Astana resumes flights to the Middle East starting June 25, following a ceasefire in the region. The airline will bypass Iranian airspace, reported its press service. Flights will be operated from Astana to Dubai, Almaty to Dubai, and Almaty to Doha and back. Additionally, a Boeing 767, the airline’s most capacious aircraft,…
Kazakhstan’s Grain Exports Soar 59%, Signaling Rising Global Demand
ASTANA – Kazakhstan exported 8.7 million tons of new crop grain from September 2024 to June 18, 2025, which is 58.7% more compared to the same period in 2023-2024, the Ministry of Agriculture reported on June 20, citing data from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy national railway operator. This growth confirms high demand for Kazakh grain in…
KMG Surpasses 2024 Oil Transport Target by 8%, Reaches 83.5 Million Tons
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) transported 83.5 million tons of oil in 2024, exceeding the plan by 8%, or six million tons, and surpassing 2023 figures by 4%, the KMG press service reported on June 20. Of the total volume, 55.7 million tons were delivered via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium…
EBRD to Support Major Infrastructure Projects in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Odile Renaud-Basso on June 23 to discuss cooperation on large-scale infrastructure projects ahead of the 37th plenary session of the Foreign Investors Council. Infrastructure According to the Prime Minister’s press service, Bektenov and Renaud-Basso reviewed key joint projects,…
Kazakhstan’s Tennis Player Wins ATP 500 Terra Wortmann Open in Halle
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s tennis player Alexander Bublik claimed a major victory at the ATP 500 Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, Germany, defeating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, 6:3, 7:6 (7:4), in the final held on June 22, reported the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation. The win marks Bublik’s first title of the 2025 season and the…
Kazakhstan Reiterates Call for Ceasefire and Humanitarian Aid to Gaza at OIC Ministerial Session
ASTANA – Kazakhstan reaffirms its support for the efforts of the international community to stabilize the situation and ensure security in the region and reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu said at the 51st session of the Council…
Kazakhstan, EU Join Forces for Sustainable Water and Waste Management
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) reaffirmed their commitment to advancing environmental sustainability during the 17th meeting of the Kazakhstan-EU Dialogue Platform, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov on June 19, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The sides discussed joint measures on water management, the transition to a circular economy, and the…
Kazakhstan’s Budget Deficit Reaches $6.9 Billion in 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s budget deficit reached 3.6 trillion tenge (US$6.9 billion) in 2024, or 2.7% of GDP, Finance Minister Madi Takiyev reported at a June 18 plenary session of the Mazhilis, a lower house of Parliament. According to the Mazhilis press service, preliminary figures indicate real GDP growth of 4.8%. Budget revenues approached 20 trillion…
Kazakhstan to Receive $80.9 Million Loan to Expand High-Speed Internet in Rural Areas
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will receive a loan of 42 billion tenge (US$80.9 million) from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to expand high-speed internet in rural areas, reported the press service of the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament. Mazhilis members ratified the loan agreement at a plenary session on June 18.…
Kazakhstan’s AI Domestic Violence Project Wins Silver at Cannes Lions
ASTANA – The Saltanat Light project from Kazakhstan, which uses artificial intelligence to track and visualize domestic violence cases in real-time, won a Silver Lion at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on June 16-20, announced Citix and GForce Grey, the project’s developers. The project was recognized in the Real-Time Contextual Content category.…
Central Asia and China Reach Eternal Strategic Partnership, Says President Tokayev
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that ties between Central Asia and China have reached the level of an eternal and comprehensive strategic partnership as he addressed the second Central Asia-China summit on June 17 in Astana, reported Akorda. According to Tokayev, the combined GDP of the Central Asian region is approaching the half-trillion-dollar mark.…
How Kazakhstan Plans to Achieve 6% GDP Growth
ASTANA – All fields of the real sector must work in accordance with the established indicators to achieve 6% GDP growth in 2025, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said during a meeting on June 16 to assess economic performance over the first five months of the year. As stated…
Kazakhstan Ranks Among Top Three in World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup 2025
ASTANA – Kazakhstan secured a top three finish in the overall standings at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup 2025, held June 13-15 in Xi’an, China, reported the National Olympic Committee. Throughout the season, Kazakh athletes consistently placed high in various stages, ultimately earning the bronze medal in the group competition based on total…
Astana Launches Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The National Museum of Kazakhstan in Astana hosted a grand opening ceremony of the Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan with the exhibition “Silk and the Silk Road: from China to Kazakhstan” on June 16, reported the Tourism Industry Committee. The event was attended by Kazakh Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabossynov,…
Central Asia, China to Sign $17 Billion in Deals at Astana Business Council
ASTANA – Central Asian countries and China are set to sign more than 35 memorandums worth over $17 billion during the second meeting of the China-Central Asia Business Council in Astana on June 17, reported Kazinform. According to Murat Karimsakov, the deputy chairman of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and chairman of Kazakhstan’s Foreign…
Kazakh Runners Open Up About Why They Run
ASTANA – On June 1, the Astana Half Marathon brought together over 6,000 runners from 38 countries. Beyond medals and finish lines, there are personal stories of runners. With running gaining momentum in Kazakhstan in recent years, growing from just a physical activity to a form of self-expression, Kazakh runners share with The Astana Times…
Council of Europe Highlights Kazakhstan’s Role in Democracy and Global Stability
ASTANA – Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) and Former President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset underscored Kazakhstan’s geographic and geopolitical significance during his lecture “Disinformation – A Threat to European Democracy” on May 29 at Nazarbayev University. Positioned between east and west, north and south, Kazakhstan is, he said, central to…
President Tokayev Charts Key Areas for Сentral Asia Deeper Ties with Italy at Landmark Summit
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined his vision for promising areas of cooperation with Italy during the first Central Asia+Italy summit on May 30. He prioritized deepening trade and economic ties amid global tariff conflicts, suggesting launching joint projects, expanding the product line, primarily through non-raw materials products with high added value, and increasing exports…
Prime Minister of Italy Calls for Courage to Take New Paths at AIF2025
ASTANA – Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni called for courage to look beyond geographical boundaries and take new paths during a special session of the Astana International Forum, where she took part jointly with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on May 30. According to Meloni, Italy was the first nation in the European Union (EU) to…
Underground Tunnel Project to Connect Caspian and Black Seas
ASTANA – An Azerbaijani company has put forward a proposal to connect the Caspian and Black Seas via an underground tunnel to grant Caspian countries direct access to the world ocean, Khabar TV Channel reported on May 27. The proposed tunnel, ten meters in diameter, would rely on gravity to channel water from the Black…
Kazakhstan Updates Red Book List: Who’s In, Who’s Out in 2025
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has revealed plans to revise the national Red Book of rare and endangered species, updating which animals will remain under protection and which can be removed, Kazinform reported on May 27. The fifth edition of the Red Book in 2025 lists 217 animal species and…
Astana International Forum 2025 Kicks Off Today
ASTANA – The Astana International Forum (AIF), a key platform for global dialogue and cooperation, opens today at the Congress Centre in the EXPO Business District of Astana. Held under the theme Connecting Minds, Shaping the Future, the forum gathers high-level participants from governments, international organizations, businesses, and academia to engage in transformative discussions and…
Astana International Forum to Generate Over $5 Million for Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Astana International Forum (AIF) is expected to generate a multiplier economic effect of more than 2.6 billion tenge (over US$5 million) for the capital and the country, driven by the influx of international guests, reported the AIF’s press service. According to organizers, visitors have reserved rooms in 37 major hotels in the…
