Kazakh, Chinese foreign ministries sign 2017-2019 cooperation agreement
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Chinese Foreign Minister China Wang Yi signed a cooperation agreement between their ministries for 2017-2019 during their April 21 meeting in Astana. They discussed cooperation in politics, trade, the use of transboundary water resources and consular issues. They also stressed the importance of dialogue. “Our meeting confirms…
Kazakh President lays out principles for modernisation of nation’s identity
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev published April 12 a wide-ranging policy article, “Course towards the future: modernisation of Kazakhstan’s identity” in national newspapers outlining steps for modernisation of social norms and priorities alongside the political and economic modernisations announced in January. “I am sure that the large-scale reforms that we launched should be continued…
EAEU defines macroeconomic policy, establishes temporary free trade zone with Iran; CSTO marks 25 years
ASTANA – Two regional organisations in the economic and security spheres, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), held their top-level meetings April 14 in Bishkek, where key priorities of development and expansion were defined. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev attended the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) and…
CIS ministerial council condemns religious discrimination during meeting in Tashkent
ASTANA – The Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) agreed on a number of important documents and confirmed its commitment to interreligious equality during its regular meeting April 7 in Tashkent. The Kazakh foreign minister took part in the meeting and held bilateral talks with his colleagues from CIS…
EU launches human rights, civil society development programmes in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Nine new projects funded by the European Union in Kazakhstan worth 3.8 million euros, were presented April 7 in Astana. The projects seek to improve living conditions, the development of democracy and human rights, the participation of civil society in a political dialogue at national and local levels, as well as the strengthen…
Government presents new agriculture development programme
ASTANA – Prospects for cooperation in the agro-industrial sector were presented to the diplomatic corps in Astana at a joint briefing hosted by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture on April 5. The newly adopted State Programme of Agro-industrial Development was also presented. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Askar…
Kazakh UN envoy calls for joint efforts and compromises to find political solution to conflict in Syria
ASTANA – The most difficult times call for greatest efforts and also the greatest of compromises, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the United Nations Kairat Umarov said April 7 at the extraordinary UN Securiy Council consultations on the situation in Syria. That is why Kazakhstan, with an ever stronger impetus, calls on all parties concerned to refrain…
SCO heads of security councils gather in Astana, as group anticipates expansion in June
ASTANA – The 12th meeting of secretaries of security councils of the Shanghai Cooperation organisation’s (SCO) member states confirmed the willingness of the organisation to strengthen cooperation in various fields, especially in view of the upcoming accession of India and Pakistan during the SCO Summit in June in Astana. The meeting took place April 6…
Kazakhstan welcomes wide cooperation with France, Central Asian neighbours, FM says
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov attended a joint meeting March 28-29 of the foreign ministers of France, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan devoted to the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the French Republic and the countries of Central Asia. During his working visit, he also held separate meetings with Minister of…
Nazarbayev, UAE Prime Minister discuss cooperation in Dubai
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum discussed bilateral cooperation, particularly trade, finance and investment, during a March 27 meeting in Dubai. Sheikh Al Maktoum welcomed the Kazakh President and reaffirmed the countries’ deep friendship. Nazarbayev…
Kazakh President congratulates women on International Women’s Day
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated March 7 the women of Kazakhstan on the upcoming International Women’s Day, noting the invaluable role of women in the development of Kazakhstan society. “Today, women of Kazakhstan make a special contribution to the formation of our state. The representatives of the beautiful half of humanity are…
Kazakh Parliament approves dozens of amendments to Constitution
ASTANA – The bill “On introducing amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was approved March 6 in the second reading at a joint session of the Parliament chambers. The day before, along with members of the Parliament, the draft amendments were discussed by representatives of the Constitutional Council, Prosecutor General’s…
Constitutional reforms bill introduced to Parliament, passes first reading
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced March 3 to a joint meeting of the chambers of the Parliament the bill “On introducing amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan (first reading).” The bill proposes amending 23 articles of the Basic Law, redistributing 35 presidential powers. The new reforms keep the…
In Kazakhstan, 35 of 40 presidential powers to be redistributed under final draft proposal
ASTANA – Thirty-five of a proposed 40 presidential powers would be redistributed to other branches of government under the final draft of proposed constitutional amendments designed to decentralise the powers of President and increase the powers of the Kazakh Parliament. The draft was presented March 1 at the final meeting of the government working group…
FM confirms Kazakhstan’s human rights and disarmament priorities in Geneva
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov outlined once again Kazakhstan’s priorities in human rights, democratisation and disarmament processes in a high-level segment session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the Conference on Disarmament (CD) as well as during bilateral meetings over the course of his visit to Geneva Feb. 27 to March…
Kazakh officer awarded UN medal for peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire
ASTANA – Kazakh Armed Forces Captain Assylkhan Amangaliuly recently received the United Nations Medal for impeccable and exemplary fulfilment of requirements for military observers for a peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire. Amangaliuly served for one year as a member of a mission monitoring the border with the Republic of Mali. He helped monitor illegal border…
BIE officials, EXPO 2017 organisers and commissioners meet in Astana
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted Feb. 22-23 the EXPO 2017 third international participants’ meeting, the main and final event on the eve of the international specialised exhibition. Three hundred and twenty-six delegates from more than 100 countries attended the two-day meeting and were informed on preparations for the exhibition. The meeting included detailed presentations…
Kazakh government services app receives award at World Government Summit
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s eGov.kz mobile application was named the best “one stop app” in the first World GovTechioneers competition at the February 12-14 World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai. The Android, iOS and Windows phone app was launched in late 2014 and offers86 e-services, including a “Mobile Personal Cabinet” where a citizen can view his/her…
Second round of Syrian talks in Astana adopt mechanism to monitor ceasefire
ASTANA – Another two days of talks on strengthening the ceasefire regime in the nearly six-year-old Syrian conflict ended Feb. 16 in Astana with the adoption of a document to formalise monitoring of the ceasefire. The document will guide the activities of a joint operational group to be formed by Russia, Turkey and Iran that…
Kazakhstan welcomes Syrian ceasefire monitoring group’s first meeting, says another planned for mid-February
ASTANA – Kazakhstan welcomed the first meeting of the joint operational group of Russia, Turkey and Iran set up in January in Astana to monitor the ceasefire in Syria which took placed Feb. 6 in the Kazakh capital. It said the next meeting is provisionally scheduled for Feb. 15-16. “This meeting, which took place in…
Kazakhstan, Czech Republic Work to Reach Cooperation Potential
ASTANA – Chairperson of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jan Hamáček met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Speaker of the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) Nurlan Nigmatulin and visited a Kazakh-Czech business forum during his Feb. 6 official visit to Astana. During the meeting with the Kazakh President, the sides…
Trilateral Working Group on Syrian Ceasefire Holds First Technical Meeting in Astana
ASTANA – The joint working group for monitoring the ceasefire regime in Syria held its first technical meeting behind closed doors Feb. 6 in the Kazakh capital. Representatives of Russia, Turkey, Iran, as well as the United Nations discussed the details of implementing the ceasefire agreement from December 2016. Jordan also participated as an observer,…
Kazakh Leader Outlines Five Priorities of Kazakhstan’s Third Stage of Modernisation
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s 2017 address to the nation, published Jan. 31, focuses on what he termed a new, third stage of the country’s modernisation. It consists of five top priorities that are to ensure economic growth above the world average and bring the nation closer to its goal of joining the top…
President Announces Third Modernisation of Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during a Jan. 30 televised statement outlined the topics to be covered in his annual address to the nation, which was released Jan. 31 in written form. He said the address will discuss the third stage of Kazakhstan’s modernisation and then briefly outlined the areas of Kazakhstan’s development that…
Kazakh President Reorganises Government Ministries, Appoints New Ministers
ASTANA – The responsibilities of numerous government ministries were reorganised Jan. 25 by decree of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development was split into the Ministry of Healthcare and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population. The responsibility to establish and implement state healthcare policy was transferred…
