Articles by Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrated Dombyra Day July 1 for the first time ever commemorating its national musical instrument, the dombyra. The dombyra is a double-string lute instrument and the oldest Kazakh folk instrument.  Central to the history of Kazakh people, the dombyra was an integral part of nomad life accompanying nomadic tribes traversing the steppes…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan offers a myriad of unique places to enjoy breath-taking scenery and nature and the Zerenda resort area is one of them. Zerenda is located 300 kilometres from Astana and is part of the Kokshetau National Park along with Shalkar, Imantau and Saumalkol lakes. It offers blue lakes and crystal-clear springs, pine forests,…

ASTANA – The number of Kazakh citizens diagnosed with cancer increased 9.5 percent in 10 years, while mortality rate from the disease declined by 28.5 percent, said Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov in a June 25 report. The nation’s cancer rate is currently estimated at 199.1 per 100,000 people. “Based on the results of 2017,…

ASTANA – The capital’s population agglomeration has reached 1.189 million and officials expect a 33-percent demographic growth to 1.6 million by 2030, reported Kazakh First Vice Minister of National Economy Ruslan Dalenov during the June 26 government meeting. Developing the areas around the city, home to 1.041 million people, is part of the government effort…

ASTANA – Kazmunaygas (KMG) International, part of the Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company Kazmunaygas, showed 12 percent growth in operating profits in the first quarter of 2018 over 2017. The company’s operating profits reached $47 million and net profits reached $8.5 million in the first three months of 2018. Exports reached 1.3 million tonnes.…

ASTANA – To mark the 25 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership reaching a milestone in June, Kazakhstan and France are seeking to expand existing affiliations with new ones on the horizon. Education and innovation are among key areas, according to French Ambassador to Kazakhstan Philippe Martinet. Of the 310,000 foreign…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will allocate 23.6 billion tenge (US$69.38 million) to develop the areas around Almaty until 2020, Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov announced during a recent government meeting. Development of the Almaty agglomeration that occupies 9,400 square kilometres is envisioned in the interregional plan until 2020, said Suleimenov. The document includes 67 measures,…

ASTANA – Kazakh National Bank approved June 14 the voluntary reorganisation of Qazkom, formerly known as Kazkommertsbank, through its accession to Halyk Bank. The permit issued by the country’s financial regulator also envisions the purchase of Qazkom subsidiaries by Halyk Bank, owned by Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Nazarbayeva. “Halyk Bank was granted a permit…

ASTANA – Kazakh artist Hashim Kurbanov displayed his combination of painting and applied arts in a seven-day exhibition the last week of May at the Riddaren Gallery in Stockholm. The event was organised by the Kazakh Youth Association in Sweden. The exhibition displayed more than 40 works, including the artist’s paintings created with ink and…

ASTANA – French photographer Erik Vazzoler visited Almaty May 28 to conduct a series of photography workshops for children with Down syndrome. The two-week event was organised by the Foundation of the First President and supported by the Kenes Social Adaptation and Labour Rehabilitation Centre. The 10 children taking part in the workshops attend the…

ASTANA – The Atyrau region, one of Kazakhstan’s major oil producing regions, is seeking to boost agricultural development in an effort to diversify its economy. The changes also include the fishing industry, an important area for the region located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. During the recent expanded meeting, regional Akim (Governor) Nurlan…

ASTANA – The Nur Kelbetti Festival unveiled an exhibition June 12 at Kazakhstan’s National Museum featuring paintings of Astana’s landscapes and sights from different angles. The exhibition will run through June 30. Twenty artists from around the world were tasked with painting their visions of Astana within four days after touring the city and its…

ASTANA – Central Asian governments should consider introducing a single visa for the region, said Kazakh Senate Deputy and International Affairs, Defence and Security Committee Chair Dariga Nazarbayeva during a recent meeting with Uzbek colleagues in the Saryagash border town in southern Kazakhstan. She stressed the importance of developing tourism to “know better and trust…

ASTANA – The European Union delegation to Kazakhstan hosted another Ambassadors’ Cafe gathering June 5, drawing European ambassadors and Kazakh young people for an informal discussion at a local café. The event is part of the Day of Europe celebrations that started May 31 in Astana. Europe Day is celebrated May 9 every year worldwide…

ASTANA – Five-hundred and twenty-eight of Kazakhstan’s best student athletes competed May 31 through June 5 in the finals of the nationwide SportFEST competition in Shchuchinsk in northern Kazakhstan. SportFest is Kazakhstan’s largest student athletic competition and includes disciplines such as futsal, military applied sports, chess, table tennis, basketball and the Kazakh national game, togyzkumalak.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s non-permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, its hosting of the Astana Process Syrian peace talks and contributions to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal have increased Kazakhstan’s international influence, German Ambassador to Kazakhstan Rolf Mafael told The Astana Times in a recent interview. The Central Asian nation’s growing relevance as…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is consulting other producers on the potential easing of a 2016 oil output reduction agreement between the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said recently. OPEC and non-OPEC countries agreed in November 2016 in Vienna to cut oil production by 1.8 million barrels…

ASTANA – The sixth International Festival of Contemporary Ethno Music, known as the Spirit of Tengri, will kick off June 2 in Almaty, reported Tengrinews. The two-day open-air event, starting 5 p.m. in Abai Square in front of the Republic Palace, will feature a rich programme culminating in the performance of ethno music bands coming…

ASTANA – First Vice Minister of Agriculture Arman Yevniyev indicated six key problems in the country’s agricultural sector during a May 29 government meeting. The issues include low labour productivity, low product competition, poor technical equipment, lack of knowledge, expertise and qualified specialists, low profitability and high overhead expenses. Yevniyev noted the need to develop…

ASTANA – Kazakh actress Samal Yeslyamova won the prestigious Best Female Actress award at the 71st Cannes Film Festival for her role in “Ayka” directed by Sergey Dvortsevoy. The 34-year-old actress walked on the stage as Cate Blanchett, heading the jury of this year’s Cannes, announced the winner. Born in 1984 in Petropavlovsk in northern…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s SCAT airlines based in Shymkent launched May 27 a new Astana-Vilnius, Lithuania service. The four-hour-and-40-minute Boeing-737 flights depart Thursdays and Sundays with economy return fares starting from $233. “A new route is first and foremost good news for our business community. Economic ties between Lithuania and Kazakhstan are getting stronger year by…

ASTANA – Israeli artist Regina Shafir unveiled a charity exhibition called Sweets May 23 at the Has Sanat Art Gallery in the Kazakh capital. Organised with the help of the Dara Charity Foundation, all proceeds will go to orphanages and children with physical challenges. Established in 2005, the foundation has been implementing projects to assist…

ASTANA – The eleventh Astana Economic Forum kicked off in the Kazakh capital May 17, welcoming 5,000 participants from 111 countries and more than 500 speakers, including former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former French President Francois Hollande and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Organised in Astana since 2008, this year’s event focuses on global trends and…

ASTANA – The ninth Astana Process talks on Syria ended May 15 in the Kazakh capital with three guarantor states – Iran, Turkey and Russia – reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a ceasefire regime and four de-escalation zones established in the war-torn country based on the agreement the three states signed in May 2017. A…

ASTANA – The Filia Association of Greek Communities, uniting 17 groups throughout Kazakhstan, is marking its 25th anniversary. Founded in 1993 after the merger of communities in Almaty, Shymkent and Zhambyl, the organisation has been working to foster intercultural ties and preserve Greek culture and traditions. The Greek diaspora, totalling seven million worldwide, is one…