Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA — Two more foreign nationals have been granted the Neo Nomad Visa, which allows them to live and work remotely in Kazakhstan. One is a resident of South Korea, and the other is a citizen of Singapore. Additionally, a U.S. citizen is currently under consideration for the visa, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Tourism…

ASTANA – The Astana Hub, Kazakhstan’s international technology park, was awarded the Top Startup Ecosystem in Central Asia by StartupBlink, solidifying its global presence and securing a spot among the top 75 startup ecosystems worldwide. The first and latest edition of the Startup Ecosystem Awards took place on Jan. 28, celebrating the achievements of ecosystems…

ASTANA – A military cooperation plan for 2025 was signed between Kazakhstan and Türkiye during a visit of a Kazakh delegation led by Colonel Olzhas Khussainov, head of the International Cooperation Department of the Defense Ministry, to Ankara. The agreement was signed by Khussainov and Turkish Brigadier General Çatal Erdoğan, reported the Kazakh Defense Ministry…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported the seizure of over 1,000 firearms and non-lethal weapons over the past two years, including 130 taken during the January 2022 unrest. Since the start of 2025, authorities have confiscated 20 firearms and non-lethal weapons have been seized during operational search activities, including four stolen during…

ASTANA – Almaty court delivered its final verdict on Jan. 27 in the case of the January 2022 unrest, sentencing 45 defendants involved in the violent protests, reported Kazinform. Among those sentenced were Arman Zhumageldiev, known as Dikyi (Wild) Arman, given 20 years in prison, and former Almaty maslikhat (local representative body) deputy Kairat Kudaibergen,…

ASTANA – The Astana-Almaty route train has become the first in Kazakhstan to offer passengers internet access as part of a new pilot project. The service, powered by Eutelsat-OneWeb low-orbit satellite technology, allows passengers to make video calls, stream videos, and browse the web during the 17-hour journey. It is planned to expand to other…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s National Congress of Historians convened on Jan. 25 with 300 representatives from the scientific community, including historians, researchers, and public figures. State Counselor Erlan Karin highlighted the forum’s significance for advancing Kazakhstan’s historical research, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of the nation’s history in light of new archaeological discoveries and…

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov on Jan. 24 to review the implementation of monetary policy in 2024 and discuss plans for this year. The meeting covered key economic indicators, including inflation, financial stability, and the performance of Kazakhstan’s National Fund, gold reserves, and pension assets, highlighting strong…

ASTANA — Almaty will host the fifth EU-Central Asia Civil Society Forum, which will take place from Jan. 28 to 30. The forum will focus on digital transformation, climate change, and empowerment. The forum is a key component of the EU Civil Society Facility project funded by the European Union and implemented by the United…

ASTANA – Second-year Kazakhstan Maritime Academy (KMA) cadets of the Kazakh-British Technical University crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Dutch sailing vessel Eendracht, covering nearly 5,910 kilometers.  “The journey on board the sailing vessel became a significant part of the educational process and was made possible thanks to the partnership of KMA with STC Group,”…

ASTANA – China’s Yesil Technology Company will launch industrial unmanned drone manufacturing in Kazakhstan with the cooperation of the Kazakh Invest national company. The Kazakh Invest press service reported on Jan. 15 that the project involves building a 50,000-square-meter industrial and research facility in the Almaty Region. The facility will include a battery manufacturing workshop,…

ASTANA – On the margins of the 48th session of the Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, Kazakhstan’s delegation informed the international human rights community about the country’s democratic transformation with an emphasis on political and social reforms on Jan. 22 in Geneva. Representatives of 40 UN member states and…

ASTANA – For the first time in 40 years, Kazakhstan is presenting a national pavilion at one of the world’s largest international education exhibitions – the British Educational Training and Technology Show, also known as the Bett Show, which is taking place on Jan. 22-24 in London. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Science and…

ASTANA – Only 32.1% of Kazakhstan’s population is engaging in healthy aging practices, according to the Active Longevity Index (ALI) for 2023, reported by the Kazakh Bureau of National Statistics on Jan. 20.  The index reveals that men scored slightly higher at 32.9%, while women stood at 31.5%, leaving 67.9% of the population underutilizing their…

ASTANA – For the first time, Kazakhstan’s six leading universities will demonstrate their achievements in priority specialties at the British Educational Training and Technology Show (Bett Show), which will take place on Jan. 22-24 in London. According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, participants include the Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan exported IT services worth $471 million in January-September last year, 26% more compared to the same period in 2023, said Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev during a Jan. 21 government meeting. According to the ministry’s forecasts, IT services exports could reach $700 million in 2024. The Astana…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to host 12 major national and international events this year within the Year of Vocational Professions, said Deputy Minister of Education Yedil Ospan during a Jan. 20 meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tamara Duissenova. According to Ospan, the first of them will be held in February in Astana. The…

ASTANA—The Taza (Clean) Kazakhstan environmental campaign, initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has involved nearly 6.2 million people since 2019. These people collected 1.1 million tons of waste and planted approximately 1.6 million trees, said Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev at a Jan. 21 government meeting. During the period of its implementation, participants…

ASTANA – Winter’s fairytale, picturesque mountains, the snow-covered trees, rapid speeds, and the snow shining on the sun. What could be better than feeling the freedom that comes with skiing, snowboarding or skating?  Kazakhstan’s winter resorts offer modern facilities and infrastructure at comparably lower prices than popular foreign ski locations.  Recently, travel guide publisher Lonely…

ASTANA – The Tazy hunting dog breed received a patent from National Institute of Intellectual Property Qazpatent on Jan. 14.  The Kansonar national group of public associations of hunters and subjects of the hunting industry owns the Kazakh tazy patent. Patent for a selection achievement was issued based on the conclusion of the state commission…

ASTANA – Kazakh freestyle skier Anastasia Gorodko won her second gold medal in the parallel moguls event at the 2025 FISU World University Games Winter, which takes place in Torino on Jan. 13-23. Ayaulym Amrenova won the silver medal. Anton Bondarev won a silver medal in the men’s parallel moguls, losing in the final to…

ASTANA – The Kazakh passport ranked 65th, moving one spot up in the Henley Passport Index 2025 released on Jan. 8. Citizens of Kazakhstan can now visit 77 countries without a visa or using a simplified procedure. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. In 2024, Kazakhstan ranked 66th. Singapore secured the top…

ASTANA – Almaty became the most popular region of Kazakhstan among foreign tourists in 2024, according to the Kazakh Tourism national company’s analysis based on data on accommodations registered in the eQonaq information system, responsible for tracking and analyzing tourist movements and migration control in Kazakhstan. Last year, eQonaq system registered 534,340 foreigners who stayed…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital started implementing the project to create a second industrial park on an area of 409 hectares based on the Astana – New City special economic zone. According to Khalel Akimzhanov, head of Astana’s investment and entrepreneurship development department, industrial park No. 1 is the country’s leader in the production volume,…

ASTANA – Kazakh national telecom operator Kazakhtelecom has completed a deal with a Qatari-based Power International Holding (PIH) to sell a 100% stake in Mobile Telecom-Service LLP (MTS). In February last year in Doha, Kazakhtelecom, PIH and the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund signed an initial agreement, and a final agreement on the sale of…