Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Prominent public figures and members of the film industry from around Central Asia gathered March 8-10 in Almaty to discuss gender issues during FemAgora gender equality week and related film festival. The festival is encouraging the public to examine gender issues through the lens of art, politics, human rights and science. “The main…

ASTANA – The Zhambyl region will focus on seven priorities to develop the region’s agricultural sector, Regional Agriculture Department Head Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said during a recent meeting of regional officials. Those priorities include developing farming, increasing arable land areas, developing agriculture chemistry, increasing seed production, improving agriculture products processing, protecting flora and updating agriculture equipment.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan improved its ranking nine spots to 122 and was removed from the list of the world’s most corrupt countries on the recently released 2017 Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The index is published by Transparency International and analyses the perception of corruption across 188 countries. Nations are ranked from 0 to 100 points…

ASTANA – Fighting terrorism and extremism, including radicalisation, tackling drug and arms trafficking as well as environment and water management issues are among key security challenges faced by the European Union (EU) and Central Asia, according to experts who gathered Feb. 22-23 in Astana for the international conference marking the 25 anniversary of diplomatic ties…

ASTANA – Last year was a milestone for Tengizchevroil (TCO), the Chevron-led joint venture operating the Tengiz oil and gas field in Atyrau region, as the company achieved a record-high 28.7 million tonnes in oil production. TCO General Director Ted Etchison reported the 2017 results and plans for 2018 during a recent press conference in Almaty.…

ASTANA – Bank Astana recently introduced microbusiness loans for entrepreneurs, reported Forbes.kz. The loans are up to 3 million tenge (US$9,330) for a maximum of 24 months. Kazakhstan’s one million individual entrepreneurs often lack their due attention, said Bank Astana Managing Director Aidos Zhumagulov, as the bigger focus is on large corporations and small and…

ASTANA – The European Union (EU) seeks to further expand its partnership with Central Asia and refine new cooperation mechanisms to address existing and emerging security challenges, said EU Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian Feb. 22 during the international conference in the Kazakh capital marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the…

ASTANA – Ust-Kamenogorsk, a city in eastern Kazakhstan with a population of more than 300,000, is a must visit destination for someone starting his or her journey through the country. It offers both historic insight and a pleasant vacation near the beautiful Rudny Altai Mountains, canyons and beaches. Located where the Ulba and Irtysh rivers…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital recently hosted the launch of Garage incubator seeking to provide a platform for start-up development ahead of the upcoming launch of Astana Hub accelerator programme in September. With more than 150 applications, only best 14 were selected for the incubator. Garage is a free start-up incubator offering developers and innovators…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Labour and Social Protection will focus on formalising the self-employed workforce and continue digital transformation in the field in 2018, according to newly-appointed Minister Madina Abylkassymova. The issue of the self-employed population, which currently accounts for nearly one-quarter of the nation’s workforce, was raised during a Feb. 9 extended…

ASTANA – One year after celebrating their 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Malaysian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Syed Mohamad Bakri recently told The Astana Times the two countries have built strong and friendly ties. He also discussed the current state of relations, possibilities to deepen cooperation and similarities between the nations. “Relations have been very strong,…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption Agency registered 1,835 corruption-related crimes in 2017 and prosecuted 320 individuals, according to agency chair Alik Shpekbayev. The number of cases is 18 percent less than 2016. The measures returned nearly 14 billion tenge (US$43.4 million) to the national budget last year. Shpekbayev discussed the outcomes…

ASTANA – Kazakh producer Timur Bekmambetov’s new film “Search” won the Audience Award and Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. North America’s leading independent film festival gathered 123 feature-length and 68 short films this year – the result of a thorough selection from 13,468 submissions. “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” “Kailash,”…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to incorporate advanced agricultural technologies in the search for digital solutions to boost the nation’s economy as it seeks to join the world’s 30 most developed countries. Digitising state regulation and technological renewal are the two key tasks, according to First Vice Minister of Agriculture Arman…

ASTANA – Freezing cold weather has settled into Kazakhstan with the arrival of an artic cyclone coming from the Kara Sea located north of Siberia. Recent temperatures have dipped to as low as 39 degrees Celsius below zero, though the weather app showed it felt as low as 53-56 degrees Celsius below zero. Schools have…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office is planning to implement five projects in the next three years under the Digital Kazakhstan programme which is currently underway and cutting across the nation’s key sectors and areas. Deputy Prosecutor General Marat Akhmetzhanov reported on the progress during the Jan. 23 government hour. The projects include introducing…

ASTANA – Enrolling in university at 13 and receiving a master’s degree at 18 is beyond the capacity of many, but not of eighteen-year-old Kazakh composer and pianist Rakhat-Bi Abdysagin. Named “Kazakh Mozart,” he is the winner of numerous international competitions and author of more than 100 compositions, including for symphony and chamber orchestras. Adbysagin…

ASTANA – A Jan. 18 bus fire in the Aktobe region in north-western Kazakhstan killed 52 Uzbek nationals on their way to the Russian city of Samara. Only five, including three Kazakhs and two Uzbeks, escaped. Fire broke out in the passenger bus carrying Uzbek workers from Shymkent city in southern Kazakhstan, close to the…

ASTANA – Warm weather, relatively cheap prices and hospitable people is how one would describe Shymkent, the third largest city in Kazakhstan and the largest in terms of land area. The city has grown significantly in the last decade and, as of 2017, the population was estimated at 943,000. Officials expect it to grow to…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government presented a nationwide plan Jan. 16 featuring 87 measures meant to implement 10 key directions in the recent state-of-the-nation address by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, which focused on new opportunities for development amidst the fourth industrial revolution. Addressing the government, Kazakh Minister for National Economy Timur Suleimenov stressed the positive effect…

ASTANA – Hafizullah Qaderi, an Afghan student studying in Kazakhstan, recently posted a video on his Facebook page asking Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and U.S. President Donald Trump to step up efforts to find a solution to peace and stability in his homeland. “My address aims solely at peace in Afghanistan. I do not want…

ASTANA – Kazakh officials are investigating after the snow in Temirtau city in the Karaganda region recently turned dark from what is believed to be emissions from the city’s numerous industrial factories. Residents also reported a specific smell across the city that feels particularly strong at night and weekends. City residents blame the ArcelorMittal plant, part of ArcelorMittal…

ASTANA – A full house of 800, many of whom waited in line for a seat, were recently treated to Almaty’s Auezov Theatre presentation of the play “Ahiko from Aktas.” The programme also featured Uly Dala Eli, a concert with theatre soloists and dancers performing portions of the well-known play “Kyz Zhybek” and singing Kazakh…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan saw 1,300 kilometres of highways reconstructed in 2015-2016 within the nation’s large-scale Nurly Zhol programme. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the programme in his annual state-of-the-nation address in 2014. “Movement on Western Europe-Western China transit corridor, Astana-Temirtau, Almaty-Kapshagai, Kapshagai-Balpyk Bi, Beineu-Shetpe and Kokshetau-Petropavlovsk highways was fully opened. The construction of the Central…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government approved Dec. 26 the nation’s draft law on foreign currency transactions control during its weekly meeting. National Bank Chair Daniyar Akishev noted changes in foreign currency legislation were planned in line with the requirements entailed by Kazakhstan’s membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), establishment of the Khorgos international border…