National Universiade to Check Readiness for Winter Universiade 2017
Kazakhstan’s National Universiade, a nationwide university sport competition taking place Feb. 6–13 in Almaty, will help test out preparations for the 2017 World Winter Universiade also to be held in that city, said Director of the Winter Universiade Organising Committee Asset Abdualiyev. Abdualiyev stressed that one of the main goals of holding the National Universiade…
Nazarbayev Urges Intensification of Foreign Economic Activities
ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev placed great emphasis on strengthening the economic component in the work of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry and its missions abroad at an extended board meeting on Feb. 3. Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov, Minister of Investment and Development Asset Issekeshev, Chairman of Astana EXPO 2017 Akhmetzhan Yessimov and the Kazakh ambassadors in…
New Kazakh Transit Route Links China to Iran
A ceremony of sending of a demonstrational container train from China to Iran through Kazakhstan was held Feb. 1 in Yiwu city, the Province of Zhejiang in East China, reported the press office of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company (KTZ). Mayor of the town Sheng Qiuping, heads of China Railway Container Transport Group and Kazakhstan…
Auyl Party Will Focus on Integrated Rural Development
For a comprehensive solution to most problems of villages, the Auyl Social Democratic Party during its 12th congress on Feb. 1 considered it was needed to develop and implement the state programme Rural Infrastructure, providing integrated improvement for rural areas, such as development of social welfare services and engineering infrastructure of rural settlements. During the congress,…
Kazakh Goal to Continue Assisting Africa
Kazakhstan’s continued institutional development assistance to African countries was greatly appreciated during the 26th African Union (AU) heads of state and government assembly, the country’s foreign ministry said in a Feb. 1 press release. A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev participated with observer status. As AU’s supreme organ, the assembly regulates…
Nazarbayev: Central Asia Should Remain a Region of Cooperation, Stability
ASTANA – During the Nur Otan Party’s 17th congress on Jan.29, President Nursultan Nazarbayev placed great emphasis on the stability of Central Asia necessary to pursue peace and security. “Kazakhstan once again calls on its Central Asian neighbours to resume multilateral cooperation formats. This will strengthen the economic and geopolitical potentials of the entire region. We will…
Impact of Lifting of Sanctions on Iran Discussed in Astana
ASTANA – The opportunities presented by the fact that sanctions on Iran are being lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) were discussed at a special briefing at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry on Jan. 28. Economic counsellors at the United States’ embassy Patrick Horn and the Delegation of the European Union in Kazakhstan…
Kazakhstan Moves Up Three Slots on Latest Corruption Perception Index
ASTANA – Kazakhstan last year scored 28 points, moving from 126th in 2014 to 123th place in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. Based on expert opinion from around the world, the CPI assesses perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwideon a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The calculation of the…
Astana EXPO 2017 Chairman Briefs President Nazarbayev on Exhibition Preparations
ASTANA – Astana EXPO 2017 national company chairman Akhmetzhan Yessimov updated President Nursultan Nazarbayev Jan. 26 on the status of preparations for the upcoming international exhibition. Yessimov indicated 70 countries have already confirmed their participation, while 35 other nations are considering involvement. The number is expected to reach 100 countries as planned in a registration…
Kazakhstan to Supply Jordan with Military Hardware
Kazakhstan and Jordan recently signed a cooperation agreement under which Kazakhstan will supply defence industry products, such as optical devices for night vision and sights as well as 12.7 mm caliber heavy machine guns and combat modules with their application, three-coordinate radio detection and means of communication. In addition, the sides agreed that Kazakhstan will…
Almaty, Astana Flights to Balkhash and Alakol Resorts to Begin in Summer
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry for Investment and Development announced recently that twice-weekly flights will begin from Astana and Almaty to the Balkhash and Alakol resorts in the summer. According to the ministry, citizens of Russia, China, India and Iran are particularly interested in visiting Kazakhstan as tourists. Therefore, local resorts are being encouraged to…
Advisory Body Discusses Implementation of Plan of Nation
ASTANA – The new season’s first regular meeting of the Dialogue Platform on Human Dimension, a consultative advisory body, was held on Jan. 22 at the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chaired by Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov. The meeting was attended by civil society activists and officials such as Deputy Minister of Justice of…
Kazakh Reforms Well Received at World Economic Forum
A Kazakh delegation headed by Prime Minister Karim Massimov has traveled to Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the World Economic Forum and attend the 46th annual session. This four-day event took place on Jan. 20-23. On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the government of Kazakhstan, jointly with the World Bank, held a roundtable…
Construction of Universiade Sports Facilities Ahead of Schedule
ALMATY – Akim (Mayor) of Almaty Baurzhan Baibek recently inspected the process of construction of sports facilities that will be used during the international student competition Universiade 2017, reported the Almaty mayor’s press service. These facilities will be the heritage for future generations, and the opening ceremony will be held this year when the city…
Kazakh Delegation Participates in World Energy Summits
A Kazakh delegation took part in the sixth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the ninth World Future Energy Summit, which ended on January 21. The main topics of discussion were global international transformation and joint solutions for generating future energy. The sixth session of the assembly of IRENA was a large-scale…
Kazakhstan’s CEC Approves Election Schedule
ASTANA – The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kazakhstan has approved a schedule of major activities for preparing and holding early parliamentary elections. According to the schedule, the nomination of candidates for deputies conforming to party lists begins Jan.20 and ends Feb. 8. Registration of the party lists begins Jan.20 and ends Feb.19 and is…
Kazakh President Sets March 20 as Date of Parliamentary Election
ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev set March 20 as the date for an early parliamentary election after meeting with top officials and appealing to the people of Kazakhstan concerning the initiative of the deputies of the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) to dissolve the chamber and set an early parliamentary election. Prime Minister Karim Massimov,…
Top Kazakh Think Tank Anticipates 10 Most Important Events in Central Asia in 2016
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan (KazISS) presented Jan. 14 an overview of the ten most important events in 2016 which are crucial for political and economic development, stability and security in Central Asia. Experts noted countries of the region will celebrate their 25th anniversary of independence this…
UNDP Helps Find Solutions in Afghanistan, the Region
ASTANA – Afghanistan has long suffered from chronic instability and conflict during its modern history, depriving its economy and infrastructure of opportunities to grow and causing many of its people to become refugees. The country copes with a low growth of food production and employment, fails in attracting new investments and suffers from a drop…
Kazakhstan, EU Sign Landmark Agreement
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini signed a new Kazakhstan-EU agreement on enhanced partnership and cooperation (EPCA) during a Dec. 21 ceremony at the Ukimet Ui (Government House). Prior to the signing, the EU delegation was received by Prime Minister Karim…
Kazakh President Welcomes Paris Agreement on Climate Change
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev welcomed Dec. 15 the adoption of the final document of the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Delegates from 196 UN member states have done a great amount of work and demonstrated once again unity in the face of…
President Congratulates Independent Kazakhstan on Independence Day
ASTANA – On the eve of the 24rd anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence, President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed and congratulated the people on the country’s national holiday at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre Astana Opera. Since 1991, Kazakhstan has celebrated Dec. 16 as its Independence Day, after the adoption by the Supreme Council of the Republic…
Kazakhstan Weathers Difficult 2015, President Says in Year-End Interview
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed how Kazakhstan fared in 2015 during a recent interview with national television channels Kazakhstan and 24KZ. “During the years of independence, Kazakhstan has experienced several crises. We understood the situation and anticipated this negative trend, although we did not expect that everything would be so difficult. The price…
World Winter Universiade Praises Almaty’s 2017 Universiade Preparations
ASTANA – An International University Sports Federation (FISU) delegation led by Director of the World Winter Universiade at FISU Milan Augustin recently visited the venues to be involved in the Winter Universiade 2017 to review the construction progress and the technical aspects of the preparations for the event, reported the press office of the Organising…
FISU Evaluates Preparations for 2017 Universiade; Praises Sport Development Efforts in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – A delegation of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) led by the recently elected FISU President Oleg Matytsin paid a working visit to Kazakhstan to learn about preparations for the Winter Universiade 2017, reported the press office of the Organising Committee for International Sports Events in Almaty. During the visit, the delegation met…
