Articles by Staff report

University of Calgary Among Four Foreign Universities Set to Open Branches in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The University of Calgary, one of Canada’s top research institutions, plans to open a branch at Shakarim State University in Semei, said Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek at a Nov. 1 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The University of Calgary is among four renowned foreign universities to…

Members of Kazakh, German Parliaments Seek to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

ASTANA – Kazakh and German parliaments should strengthen bilateral interaction, said Member of German Bundestag Andreas Larem at an Oct. 31 meeting with deputies of the Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the Mazhilis press service.  The sides met as part of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to the Kazakh capital.…

CEC Accredits 63 More International Observers Ahead of Upcoming Presidential Election

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) accredited another 63 observers from four international organizations and five countries for the presidential elections on Nov. 20, reported the CEC press service.  This brings the total number of observers to 106, including 43 international observers that the CEC accredited on Oct. 17.  Four international organizations nominated 54…

Film About Kazakh Poet Mukagali Mukatayev Wins Top Prize at META Film Fest in Dubai

ASTANA – The “Mukagali” feature film of Kazakh director Bulat Kalymbetov won the top prize at the META Film Fest, which took place on Oct. 27-29 in Dubai, reported the Kazakhfilm studio’s press service. The film, dedicated to the 90th birth anniversary of the famous Kazakh poet Mukagali Makatayev, depicts the story of his final…

New York Federal Court Holds Mukhtar Ablyazov in Contempt

ASTANA – Following an Oct. 24 hearing, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York made a final judgment against Mukhtar Ablyazov, finding him in contempt of previous court orders and imposing additional compensation fees, reported the BTA Bank press service on Oct. 31. The BTA Bank and the city of…

Air Astana Pilots Receive Hugh Gordon-Burge Award

ASTANA – The crew of Air Astana Embraer 190 represented by Commander Vyacheslav Aushev and first officers Bauyrzhan Karasholakov and Sergey Sokolov received the Hugh Gordon-Burge Memorial Award for Outstanding Courage or Devotion to Duty in the Air at the Guildhall in London, reported company’s press service on Oct. 28. Pilots were recognized for preventing…

Malaysia’s AirAsia to Operate Flights to Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Representatives of Air Asia Aviation Group confirmed the airline’s plans to launch flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Almaty with a frequency of four flights per week and to Astana with three flights per week during an Oct. 27 meeting with the Kazakh Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Kairbek Uskenbaev. The…

CEC Members Participate in ODIHR Round Table, Visit Regions of Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Secretary of Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Mukhtar Yerman took part in a roundtable dedicated to best practices to implement election recommendations in Bishkek on Oct. 27 at the invitation of Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Director Matteo Mecacci, reported the CEC press service on Oct. 30. Representatives of election…

Workers Discover Rare Archeological Findings Along Trade Routes of Silk Road in Almaty Region (Video)

ASTANA – The World Bank in Kazakhstan released a video titled “Kazakhstan: 40 Kilometers of History” featuring the rare archeological findings discovered during road work. It is reported that approximately 20 burial mounds were discovered during road work for the World Bank-financed East-West Roads and South-West Roads Projects. The contractor has taken all measures to…

Kazakhstan’s Annual Inflation Rate Rises to Nearly 18 Percent, Says Chair of National Bank

ASTANA – Inflation in Kazakhstan reached 17.7 percent in annual terms, said Kazakhstan’s National Bank Chairman Galymzhan Pirmatov at an Oct. 26 press conference. “All data shows an acceleration in consumer price growth. As a result, seasonally adjusted inflation has been rising steadily in recent months. Its annualized rate increased to 17.7 percent after a…

CIS Countries Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthen Ties, Accelerate Economic Growth, Says President Tokayev

ASTANA – The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) shows economic recovery despite the global crisis, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during an Oct. 28 meeting of the CIS Heads of Government Council, reported the Akorda press service.  According to the President, the shared aspiration among countries in the CIS to increase cooperation and accelerate economic growth,…

Astana Hosts Days Celebrating Kyrgyz Culture During Central Asia – EU High-Level Meeting

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and European Council President Charles Michel attended the Ykylym Murasy (Heritage of Centuries) exhibition at the Kuanyshbayev Kazakh State Academic Music and Drama Theater, as the Days of Kyrgyz Culture kicked off on Oct. 27 in Astana, reported the Akorda press service. The…

Astana Hosts First Regional Central Asia-EU High-Level Meeting

ASTANA – The first regional Central Asia-European Union (EU) high-level meeting with the participation of leaders of five Central Asian states and European Council President Charles Michel was held in Astana on Oct. 27, reported Akorda press service. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Uzbekistan…

Kazakhstan and EU to Build Hub for Green Hydrogen Production and Distribution

ASTANA –  Svevind Energy Group CEO Wolfgang Kropp and First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar signed an investment agreement to construct a green hydrogen production and distribution hub in the Mangystau Region on Oct. 27 in Astana, reported the Akorda press service. The project on the hub’s construction was presented to Kazakh President…

Kazakhstan Ranks 65th Among 140 Countries in Rule of Law Index

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranks 65th out of 140 countries worldwide in the latest Rule of Law Index 2022 published by the U.S. non-governmental World Justice Project (WJP) on Oct. 26. Last year, Kazakhstan was in the 66th spot. Since 2009, the World Justice Project has been measuring the development of the rule of law around…

Applied Economics Research Center Forecasts Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth to Reach 2.9 Percent in 2022

ASTANA – The Applied Economics Research Center (AERC) published the October Kazakhstan Macroeconomic Review on Oct. 26, updating the forecast for the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 2.9 percent in 2022, reported the AERC press service. The AERC estimates that in 2022 the price of Brent crude oil will average US$102.09 per barrel,…

Kazakh Mazhilis Approves Draft Amendments to Fix Women’s Retirement Age at 61 Until 2028

ASTANA – The Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, has approved amendments to the draft law fixing the women’s retirement age at 61 years old until 2028 at an Oct. 26 Mazhilis plenary session.  The bill was sent to the Senate, the upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, for consideration. On Sept.1, President…

National Bank Sets Base Rate at 16 Percent Amid Rising Inflation

ASTANA – The Kazakh National Bank’s monetary policy committee has decided to raise the base rate to 16 percent per annum with a corridor of +/- 1.0 percentage points on Oct. 26, as the inflation exceeded the expectation in September, reported the bank’s press service. The decision is prompted by high inflationary expectations, strong demand,…

Kazakh Citizens Witness Rare Solar Eclipse Moment on Oct. 25

ASTANA – On Tuesday, Kazakhstan citizens observed a partial solar eclipse, which was visible across the country on Oct. 25, reported Kazinform. The solar eclipse’s maximum phase (83 percent) was observed in Astana at 5.17 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday. According to Deputy Director for Research of Almaty-based Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute Rashit Valiullin, the Oct.…

Kazakhstan is Key Partner of South Korea in Central Asia, Says Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is a key partner of South Korea in Central Asia, said South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin during his meeting with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi on Oct. 25 on the sidelines of the 15th Central Asia–Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum (CARK) in Busan,…

Twelve Countries Come Together To Protect Snow Leopard Population

ASTANA – The seventh session of the Steering Committee of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) gathered 12 snow leopard range countries in Bishkek on Oct. 20-21 to discuss the progress of the program’s implementation, reported the Central Communication Service. “The snow leopard is a symbol of the Asian highlands’ cultural and…

Photo Exhibition New Kazakhstan Opens in Capital of African Union

ASTANA – As part of the celebration of the Republic Day of Kazakhstan, a photo exhibition titled New Kazakhstan opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 21, focusing on the country’s current stage of development, characterized by new political and economic conditions and intensive foreign policy under Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the press service…

Kazakhstan Kicks Off Election Campaign Period

ASTANA – The presidential candidates in the upcoming elections can conduct their election campaigns from 6 p.m. on Oct. 21 until midnight on Nov. 19, reported the Central Election Commission (CEC) press service on Oct. 21. The candidates can campaign via mass media appearances, public events, and dissemination of printed or audiovisual campaign materials.  The…

European Commission Positively Assesses Flight Safety in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The European Commission positively assessed the flight safety in Kazakhstan at a meeting with the country’s delegation in Brussels on Oct. 20, reported Kazakhstan’s Aviation Administration’s (AAK) press service. The Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee and Aviation Administration reported about the measures to improve flight safety. Kazakhstan presented the progress made in flight operation,…

Senate Ratifies Delimitation of Kazakh-Turkmen Border

ASTANA – The Senate, the Upper House of the Kazakh Parliament, ratified the agreement between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on the delimitation of the border in the Caspian Sea on Oct. 20, reported the Senate’s press service. “The law allows Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to complete the delimitation process of their respective state borders in the Caspian…