Kazakhstan Explores Satellite Systems to Enhance Internet Connectivity
ASTANA – Top global experts at the Digital Almaty forum, held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, discussed how non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems could help bridge the digital divide, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry. NGSO systems can significantly increase the availability of…
Kazakhstan Introduces National Day for Tazy and Tobet Dog Breeds
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources issued a resolution to designate Sept. 3 as the Day of Kazakh Dog Breeds – Tazy and Tobet. “Tazy and Tobet are original Kazakh breeds, the pride of the Kazakh people, one of the seven treasures of Zheti Kazyna. Tazy dogs are irreplaceable hunting companions,…
Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund Provides $354.1 Million in Charitable Aid
ASTANA – The Qazaqstan Halqyna Fund (to the people of Kazakhstan) has provided 186 billion tenge ($354.1 million) in charitable assistance since its establishment three years ago, former chairman Bolat Zhamishev said at a Jan. 29 press conference in the Central Communications Service (CCS). Zhamishev, who led the fund since January 2022, stepped down from…
Kazakhstan to Use $8.7 Million in Recovered Assets to Build First-Aid Station in Aktau
ASTANA – The Kazakh government has allocated 4.6 billion tenge (US$8.7 million) from the Special State Fund to build a regional first-aid station in Aktau city at the expense of illegally withdrawn assets returned to the state, the Prime Minister’s press service reported on Feb. 1. The 2.6-hectare facility will be capable of handling 100,000…
Kazakh Oil Price Stands at $79.87 per Barrel
ASTANA – The price of Kazakh oil has reached $79.87 per barrel, Kazinform reported on Jan. 30. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil has been declining for five consecutive days. Since Jan. 24, its price on the London International Exchange (ICE Futures) has dropped from $78.85 to $75.42 per barrel as of 12 p.m. Astana time. Market…
Kazakhstan to Receive 11 Billion Cubic Meters of Water This Spring
ASTANA — Kazakhstan will receive 11 billion cubic meters of water by April, following agreements with Central Asian countries, as Kazakh Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov agreed at the 88th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia on Jan. 29 in Dushanbe. According to the ministry’s press service,…
Kazakhstan to Build First Nuclear Power Plant Within Eight Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is working to accelerate the construction of its first nuclear power plant (NPP), aiming to complete the first unit within eight years, Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev said at a briefing on Jan. 29, reported Kazinform. Nuclear power plant This follows President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s instructions to speed up the project amid the country’s…
University Medical Center Transforms Lives Through Transplant Procedures
ASTANA — The University Medical Center (UMC) in Astana continues transforming lives through advanced transplant procedures, performing miracles for patients with severe conditions. Little hero becomes a bone marrow donor for his sister A six-year-old Bogdan became a donor for his younger sister Arina, a patient at the UMC’s Mother and Child Center. Arina was…
Digital Almaty Forum to Host Plenary Session of EAEU Prime Ministers
ASTANA — The Digital Almaty 2025 forum, scheduled for Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, will feature a plenary session of the Prime Ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Iran, as well as the heads of the Eurasian Economic Commission. According to the press…
Kazakhstan’s Economy Achieves 4.8% Growth Amid Challenges in Oil Sector
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 4.8% despite a decline in oil production and prices in 2024, Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) Timur Suleimenov said during a Jan. 28 expanded government meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. According to Suleimenov, the country’s overall inflation fell to…
President Tokayev Calls for Creating Nuclear Cluster in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for accelerating the construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) and creating a broader nuclear cluster to address growing energy shortages and support the country’s progress. He made these remarks during an expanded government meeting on Jan. 28, reported Akorda. He instructed the government and Samruk Kazyna Sovereign…
Tokayev Prioritizes Economic Diversification, Infrastructure Transition in Country’s Development
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined economic diversification and advancing infrastructure development as key priorities for the government during an expanded government meeting on Jan. 28, reported Akorda. Economic diversification Tokayev noted that in 2024, 180 investment projects worth 1.3 trillion tenge (US$2.4 billion) were implemented in the manufacturing industry. As a result, the sector…
Kazakhstan Adjusts VAT, Tax Thresholds
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to rebalance its tax system with a new Tax Code currently under discussion in Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin announced during an expanded government meeting on Jan. 28 chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Value-added tax (VAT), one of…
Kazakhstan to Finalize Agreements for First Nuclear Power Plant in Almaty Region
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to conclude agreements for the construction of its first nuclear power plant (NPP) in the Almaty Region, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at a Jan. 28 expanded government meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. “Regional analysis to determine locations for a second nuclear power plant is also nearing completion,” Bektenov…
How Przewalski’s Horses Feel During Winter in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Despite cold temperatures and snow, Przewalski’s horses, also known by the ancient Kazakh names Kerkulan and Kertagy, feel great in their native lands during winter in the Torgai Steppes of the Kostanai Region, Kazinform reported on Jan. 21. The horses gained weight, and fur became much thicker than in autumn. Rustam Bidibayev, the…
Kazakh, Austrian Artists Open 2025 Exhibition Season at Kazakhstan’s Presidential Center
ASTANA – Kazakh artist Akzhan Ali and Austrian artist Gerald Florian Messner opened the 2025 exhibition season with their joint exhibition at Kazakhstan’s Presidential Center on Jan. 23, reported the center’s press service. The vernissage, “We are not alone,” was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. Akzhan Ali,…
Preliminary Findings on AZAL Plane Crash Near Aktau to be Announced Next Week
ASTANA – Preliminary results from the investigation into the AZAL plane crash near Aktau are expected to be announced next week, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said during a Jan. 24 government briefing, reported Kazinform. The investigation, conducted according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, involves approximately 17-18 experts from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and…
Kazakhstan Recovers $824.4 Million in Illegally Withdrawn Assets in 2024
ASTANA — Kazakhstan recovered 428.7 billion tenge (US$824.4 million) in assets illegally withdrawn in 2024, Prosecutor General Berik Asylov said at an expanded meeting on Jan. 24, according to the Prosecutor General’s office. Under agreements with the law’s subjects, 15 social and investment projects worth more than 48 billion tenge ($92.3 million) were launched. In…
UN Welcomes Kazakhstan’s Actions to Strengthen Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms
ASTANA – UN member states expressed their support for Kazakhstan’s ambitious reforms and welcomed its concrete actions to strengthen fundamental human rights and freedoms during a dialogue at the 48th session of the Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on Jan. 23 in Geneva. According to the Foreign Ministry’s press…
Almaty to Host Debut Performance of Birlik Ensemble
ASTANA — Almaty will host one of the most striking and unique events in the world of culture — the debut performance of the Birlik ensemble — only once on Jan. 30, the ensemble’s art director, Anel Marabayeva, announced on her Instagram page. The Birlik celebrates Kazakhstan’s cultural diversity and the unity of peoples through…
Nazarbayev University Rises in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025
ASTANA – Nazarbayev University (NU) has risen in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 by subject, with Education Studies now placed in the top 200, NU’s press service reported on Jan. 22. NU is ranked in nine of THE’s 11 subject clusters, with four clusters now among the top 500 globally. These…
Kazakhstan Begins Construction of Airports in Key Resort Areas to Drive Tourism Growth
ASTANA – Kazakhstan began construction of three new airports in the resort areas of Zaisan, Katon-Karagay, and Kendirli, following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directive to develop domestic tourism and passenger air transportation in 2025, the Transport Ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 22. Last year, the country launched three new passenger terminals in Almaty, Shymkent, and…
Kazakhstan’s Association of Film Critics Joins FIPRESCI
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Association of Film Critics, headed by its President Gulnara Abikeyeva, has become a member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), the association’s press service reported on Jan. 21. FIPRESCI, founded in 1930, unites film critics and scholars globally to develop world cinema and protect the rights and interests of film…
Kazakhstan – EU Trade Grows Nearly 18% in 2024
ASTANA – The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the European Union reached $44.2 billion in January-November 2024, 17.7% more than the same period in 2023, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service reported on Jan. 21. Exports totaled $34.6 billion, while imports – $9.6 billion. At an overview briefing for the heads of EU diplomatic missions…
Kazakhstan to Launch New Flights from Shymkent to Europe and Asia
ASTANA – A new terminal at Shymkent airport plans to open 14 domestic and 16 international routes, including to European countries, China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the United Arab Emirates, Belarus, and many other popular destinations, said Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines Spokesperson Victoria Starozhilova, Kazinform reported on Jan. 22. This terminal was opened last December with…
