Kazakhstan and Cyprus Sign Extradition Treaty
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Assylov and Cypriot Minister of Justice and Public Order Stefi Drakou signed an extradition agreement between the two countries in Nikosia on Oct. 20, reported the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office. “The extradition treaty will allow the parties to extradite wanted persons who have committed crimes in…
Kazakh Films Receive Recognition at International Festivals
ASTANA – The “Mom, I am alive” social drama of Kazakh directors Aziz Zairov and Mukhamed Mamyrbekov won the Grand Prix in the Silk Road countries nomination at the Cannes 7th Art Awards, Zairov wrote on his Instagram page on Oct. 17. The social drama follows the story of a female juvenile inspector Saule who,…
CEC Registers Saltanat Tursynbekova as Presidential Candidate
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) registered Saltanat Tursynbekova on Oct. 20 as the fifth candidate to run in the upcoming presidential elections, reported the CEC press service. Tursynbekova met the CEC registration requirements of collecting at least 118,273 signatures, and securing signatures from 119,316 citizens in 18 regions of Kazakhstan. The CEC verified…
Kazakhstan to Use Confiscated Funds to Build Schools, Says Kazakh PM Smailov
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will use the funds seized from corrupt officials to build new schools nationwide, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov during an Oct. 19 visit to the Turkistan Region, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on Oct. 20. Smailov said nearly 100 billion tenge (US$212.3 million) of confiscated funds will be allocated to…
Officials Present G4 City Project During President Tokayev’s Visit to Almaty Region
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the showcase of the large-scale G4 City project during his Oct. 19 visit to the Almaty Region, reported Akorda press service. The smart city project includes four modern thematic districts along the Almaty-Konayev highway including the Gate District, the Golden District, the Growing District, and the Green…
CEC Registers Karakat Abden as Presidential Candidate
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission registered Karakat Abden on Oct. 19 as the fourth candidate to run for the President on Nov. 20, reported the CEC press service. The National Alliance of Professional Social Workers nominated Abden on Oct. 7, submitting the documents to the CEC the following day. The commission recognized the documents…
Anti-Corruption Agency Implements Crucial Measures to Reduce Corruption Risks, Return Illegally Withdrawn Assets
ASTANA – The task is set to reduce corruption and not let corruption interfere with the efficiency of the state governance in Kazakhstan, said Anti-Corruption Agency Chairman Olzhas Bektenov in an Oct. 17 interview with Tengrinews. The democratic processes in society can significantly reduce corruption. “No country is immune to corruption… In the ratings that…
Kazakh Diplomat Unveils Books Devoted to 800th Anniversary of Sultan Baibars
ASTANA – The Kazakh diplomat and orientalist Kairat Saki presented a series of books titled “Sultan Baibars,” “Yurt on the Top of the Pyramid” and “Er karuy – bes karu” (“A warrior has five types of weapons”) at the National Academic Library on Oct. 17 in Astana to mark the 800th birth anniversary of Sultan…
Central Election Commission Anticipates 30 Long-Term, 300 Short-Term International Observers for Upcoming Presidential Elections
ASTANA – Nurlan Abdirov, the Central Election Commission (CEC) chair, expressed his gratitude to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for the decision to send a delegation of 30 long-term and 300 short-term international observers for the upcoming presidential elections at an Oct. 18 meeting with Head of OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation…
Kazakh Foreign Minister Urges Joint Effort to Tackle International Threats at High-Level Conference
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi called for joint work to combat cross-border crime, terrorism, and other threats at the International High-Level Conference on International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists, which takes place on Oct. 18-19 in Dushanbe, reported…
Kashagan Oil Field to Resume Production by End of October
ASTANA – The Kashagan oil field will resume production at 400,000 barrels per day by the end of October, said Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov during the Russian Energy Week, which took place on Oct. 12-14 in Moscow, reported Reuters. “Production at Kashagan has been curtailed due to some ‘nuances’ with the equipment. We are…
Kazakhstan Sees Decrease in Energy Consumption, Seeks to Increase Renewable Energy
ASTANA – Electricity consumption decreased nationwide by 1.4 percent to 86.8 billion kilowatt-hours compared to the same period last year, said Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov at an Oct. 18 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the Prime Minister’s press office. The decrease in electricity consumption is primarily related to the suspension of…
Asian Development Bank, Kazakhstan to Introduce New Partnership Strategy for 2023-2027
ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will develop and implement a new ADB Country Partnership Strategy for Kazakhstan for 2023-2027 with the Kazakh government, said ADB Executive Director Sergio Lugaresi during an Oct. 17 meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov in Astana, reported the Prime Minister’s press office. The parties addressed the development…
Kazakhstan’s Union of Lawyers Creates Special Office to Increase Public Awareness about Elections
ASTANA – A special office set up by Kazakhstan’s Union of Lawyers dubbed the office For Fair Elections continues its work across the country with the goal of fostering objective public opinion about the electoral process. The union explained the decision to create the special office, set up on Sept. 27, saying that there is…
Kazakh Foreign Affairs Minister Tileuberdi Highlights Growing Role of Organization of Turkic States in International Arena
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi highlighted the ever-increasing consolidating role of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in the international arena during an Oct. 17 informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OTS in Istanbul, Türkiye. During the…
CEC Accredits 43 International Presidential Election Observers
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed the accreditation of 43 representatives from international organizations and foreign countries who expressed an interest in observing the presidential elections on Nov. 20, reported the CEC press service. As of Oct. 17, the CEC approved requests from observer missions of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the…
Tokayev Discusses Prevention of Torture with Human Rights Commission’s Chairperson
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the prevention of torture by law enforcement officers with Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Human Rights Igor Rogov during their meeting on Oct. 17, reported Akorda’s press service. The President stressed the importance of human rights’ protections, citing it as the critical component of state policy. According…
Kazakhstan is Ready to Increase Trade Turnover with Vietnam
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov indicated the country’s readiness to strengthen cooperation in trade, tourism, agriculture, and transport and logistics during an Oct. 14 meeting with Vice President of Vietnam Vo Thi Anh Xuan, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Smailov said that the trade turnover between the two countries over the last…
CIS Member States to Maintain Close Trade, Economic Ties Amid Turbulent Global and Regional Economy, Tokayev Says
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stresses the need to maintain close trade and economic ties amid a turbulent global and regional economy during the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of State Council meeting on Oct. 14, reported the Akorda’s press service. “I sincerely thank you for supporting the initiatives of Kazakhstan within the CIS…
Kazakhstan and Qatar Sign Investment Agreements Worth $625 Million
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Qatar have signed 13 bilateral documents worth more than $625 million at an Oct. 12 Kazakhstan-Qatar Investment Forum in Astana, reported the Kazakh Invest national company’s press service. The agreements were concluded for investments in dairy and poultry production, metallurgy and mining, tourism, agricultural, education, healthcare, IT and the communication sectors.…
CIS Heads of State Council Meeting Kicks Off in Astana
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital Astana hosts the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of State Council meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Oct. 14. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Turkmenistan…
Kazakhstan Ratifies Agreement on Free Trade Zone between EAEU and Iran
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on Oct. 12 ratifying the agreement that leads to the formation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran, reported the Akorda press service. The interim agreement was signed on May 17, 2018, in the capital of Kazakhstan. It entered into…
CICA Adopts Astana Statement
ASTANA – The participants of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) sixth summit adopted the Astana Statement during their plenary session on Oct. 13. This milestone decision has been a key priority of Kazakhstan’s chairpersonship in CICA in 2020-2022. The transformation into an organization will affect development priorities as Kazakhstan renews…
Mazhilis Considers Draft Law on Amnesty for January Riots Participants
ASTANA – The Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, took into consideration a bill on amnesty for some participants in the January riots, reported the Mazhilis press service on Oct. 12. The bill will exempt criminal liability or reduce the penalties for citizens who participated in the January riots but did not commit…
Kazakhstan’s Economic Growth Accelerates in January-September This Year
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 2.8 percent in the January-September period of this year, said Kazakh Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov at an Oct. 11 government meeting, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on Oct. 12. The growth was driven by a surge in the agricultural, information and communication, construction, transportation and warehousing,…
