Articles by Aida Haidar

ASTANA — The online trade information hub, Central Asia Gateway, has been named the Best Trade Information Portal at the World Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Oct. 20, reported International Trade Centre’s press service. Since its launch in May 2023, the Central Asia Gateway has emerged as a vital resource, with…

MARRAKECH — During the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Marrakech last week, Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF, discussed the economic outlook and policy recommendations for Kazakhstan and the broader Central Asian region an interview with The Astana Times.…

MARRAKECH — Kazakhstan’s growth is poised to make a strong comeback this year, thanks to robust domestic demand and increased oil production, driven by the alleviation of operational constraints affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and the Tengiz oil field expansion. This optimistic outlook comes from the recently unveiled International Monetary Fund (IMF) Regional Economic Outlook…

MARRAKECH — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), a multilateral institution in Central Asia, has unveiled its plan to issue $500 million worth of sukuk in international markets. This was announced in a statement by the EDB on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Morocco on Oct. 11. Sukuk…

MARRAKECH — The latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO), unveiled on Oct. 10, provided a 0.3 percentage points upward revision for Kazakhstan’s 2023 real GDP growth, forecasting it at 4.6%.  This is more than IMF projected in its Regional Economic Outlook for the Caucasus and Central Asia in May.  The growth for…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Mastercard Executive Vice President Nicola Villa on Sept. 19 in New York, endorsing the company’s decision to choose Almaty as a regional hub in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central and Eastern Europe, Akorda press service reported.  In this pivotal role, Almaty will become the epicenter of…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm on Sept. 18 to discuss joint investment ventures and the expansion of Rio Tinto’s operations in Kazakhstan during his visit to New York, Akorda press service reported.  Stausholm revealed the company’s intentions to broaden its operations in the country. Specifically, he provided insights…

ASTANA — The Kazakh government and GE Healthcare, an American multinational medical technology company, signed a framework agreement that envisions investments of more than $60 billion across four areas, including localizing medical equipment production, the Akorda press service reported. The agreement was signed during the meeting on Sept. 19 between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is…

ASTANA — The Jerusalem Post published an opinion piece by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Sept. 14, where he reiterated the indispensable role of religious leaders and the need for a new global movement for peace to build a new international security system. Tokayev wrote that faith plays a significant factor in people’s lives, with 85%…

ASTANA — Most of the outstanding initiatives launched in Kazakhstan by the United Nations (UN) were undertaken in collaboration with the Kazakh government and organizations, a partnership that has been key to their success, UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey told The Astana Times. “When you ask what the UN does, I am tempted…

ASTANA – The beginning of the second decade of the 2000s marked the turning point for Kazakh auteur cinema. The country launched a reboot of Kazakh art cinema through Kazakhfilm studios, which became the catalyst for realizing Kazakh directors’ unique points of view. With a lineup of films at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice Film…

ASTANA —  In his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored the necessity of boosting Kazakhstan’s IT services exports to $1 billion by 2026, according to the Akorda press service. Tokayev emphasized the country’s remarkable strides in digitalization. He pointed out that the domestic IT industry had increased its export volume fivefold just…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that companies of the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund will undertake initial public offerings (IPOs) starting in 2024. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce the government’s role in the economy, as stated in his state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1. “The aim is to speed up…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev advocated in his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address for expansive growth in the creative economy, encompassing fields such as media, cinema, music, design, education, and information technology. He also emphasized the need for establishing a legal framework to protect intellectual property, according to the Akorda press service. Tokayev stressed that in…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged Kazakhstan to revamp its macroeconomic policy to stimulate investment in his Sept. 1 state-of-the-nation address. Delivered at a joint session of both chambers of the Kazakh Parliament, the speech highlighted economic reform priorities, according to the Akorda press service. Tokayev attributed the country’s slow economic growth to insufficient investment,…

ASTANA — The key to Kazakhstan’s economic development and sustainability lies in developing a strong and diversified private sector, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report, which was dedicated to analyzing the business climate in the country, was released on Aug. 24.  The report stated that to…

ASTANA — Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov emphasized that it is crucial that individuals and businesses within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) firsthand experience the benefits of integration. His comments were made during the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting held in Armenia on Aug. 24, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The meeting, attended by Kyrgyz…

ASTANA – On a visit to her native country to discover Kazakhstan’s endless steppes and rugged mountains, photographer Yulia Denisyuk dived into the country’s rich history and shared her journey in a BBC article. Denisyuk was born in Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, and moved to Estonia when she was just three years old.…

ASTANA — The world’s canine organization – Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) – recognized the Kazakh Union of Cynologists as a full member, with 72 out of 77 FCI member states voting for the approval of the country’s application on Aug. 22, announced the Head of the Office of Presidential Affairs Aibek Dadebayev on his telegram…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan will use existing sports venues in the capital for the fifth World Nomad Games, scheduled for September next year, and does not plan to build additional facilities, according to Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Tamara Duisenova. She made the remarks during the Aug. 23 meeting of the game’s…

ASTANA — Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov outlined the challenges the Kazakh economy faces in light of tense geopolitical realities and how the government is addressing them in an interview with the country’s Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper on Aug. 21. According to Kuantyrov, Kazakhstan has demonstrated adaptability while navigating through the global turbulence resulting from…

ASTANA — Over the past few years, the water supply issue for agricultural needs in Central Asia has become acute. In July, water scarcity hit Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl Region, which borders the Kyrgyz Republic, prompting farmers to seek help resolving the issue. Representatives of the countries met in Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, the…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan and the State of Kuwait celebrated the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations this year. According to Omar Alkanderi, the Ambassador of Kuwait, who has been serving in Kazakhstan for over a year, Kuwait has supported Kazakhstan’s independence and sovereignty from the beginning. In an interview with The Astana Times, Alkanderi discussed…

ASTANA — Astana hosted an international conference to strengthen national and international partnerships in the fight against human trafficking marking the World Day Against Human Trafficking on July 30. Rodney Ferguson, President and CEO of nonprofit organization Winrock International, discussed the conference’s key takeaways, Kazakhstan’s progress in combating human trafficking, and Central Asia’s challenges when…

ASTANA – The children’s book series “The Adventures of Batu and His Friends” (2014, 2019, 2021) is a work of love for Zira Nauryzbai, a Kazakh mythology researcher, writer, and Ph.D. candidate in philosophical sciences, and for her co-author, Lilya Kalaus. This summer, the first book of the series entered the Amazon Crossing Kid’s bestseller…