Articles by staff report

SCAT Airlines Acquires Brand New Boeing-737 Aircraft

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines expanded its fleet with a brand new Boeing-737 800 NG aircraft with 189 seats to satisfy increased passenger air traffic, reported the press service of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development on Aug. 27. Kazakh Minister of Industry and Infrastructural Development Kairbek Uskenbayev…

Kazakh Pop Singer Dimash Kudaibergen Premieres New Song

NUR-SULTAN – Dimash Kudaibergen, the world-renowned Kazakh singer, released a music video for his “Zhalyn” (Flame) song on Aug. 26, which he wrote with Kazakh composer Yedilzhan Gabbasov, reported the singer’s official website. “I composed the song when I met Dimash back in 2020. I wrote the verse melody and showed an excerpt of the…

Employed Population in Kazakhstan Reaches Nine Million People

NUR-SULTAN – The total count of the employed population in Kazakhstan reached 9.3 million people, increasing by 0.12 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection on Aug. 26. Among them are highly qualified professionals (2.1 million) and service…

Mobile Exhibition Launched in Kazakhstan to Celebrate Diversity of Religions

NUR-SULTAN – The Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Inter-Civilization Dialogue and the Kazakh Ministry of Information and Social Development unveiled a mobile exhibition on Aug. 25 devoted to showcasing world religions ahead of the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions scheduled for Sept. 14-15 in Nur-Sultan, reported the center’s…

Kazakh Government Approves Draft National Budget for Next Three Years

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government approved the draft law of the 2023-2025 national budget on Aug. 27, where the baseline scenario is the cost of oil staying at $85 per barrel and an exchange rate around 470 tenge per dollar, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.  The growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) in…

President Tokayev to Deliver State-of-the-Nation Address on September 1

NUR-SULTAN – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will deliver a state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 1 at a joint session of the two chambers of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the Akorda press service on Aug. 26. The presidential address to the nation will take place at 11 a.m. Nur-Sultan time. It will be primarily focused on…

Annual New Car Sales Increase 9 Percent in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s new vehicle market increased 9.1 percent over the previous year in July, with 10,971 cars, light vehicles, and 666 trucks and buses sold, reported Kazakhstan’s Association of Automobile Businesses on Aug. 15. Rapid restructuring of domestic automotive assembly plants to meet the needs of Kazakhstan’s consumers and the saturation of the domestic…

Arab League: CICA Summit in Nur-Sultan to Become Major International Event on Asian Continent

NUR-SULTAN – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi addressed a letter of invitation to the Secretary General of the Cairo-based Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit to participate in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), reported the foreign ministry’s press service on Aug. 23. The CICA is to be held…

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan to Foster Financial, Economic Cooperation at AIFC Platform

NUR-SULTAN – Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Governor Kairat Kelimbetov, Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and Central Bank Chair Taleh Kazimov discussed prospects for expanding financial and economic cooperation during an Aug. 24 meeting in Baku, as part of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Azerbaijan, reported the AIFC press service. The Kazakh officials discussed…

World Bank Sees Kazakhstan as Reliable Partner, Says Bank’s Regional Director

NUR-SULTAN – The World Bank considers Kazakhstan as a reliable partner, said Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia, at an Aug. 24 meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the prime minister’s press service. The sides discussed the implementation of the joint project to support the reforms in Kazakhstan. “In the…

President Tokayev Discusses Nation’s Budget Planning With Top Officials

NUR-SULTAN – Quality and effective distribution of financial resources are necessary for national budget planning, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the meeting with Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, Head of Presidential administration Murat Nurtleu, National Bank Chairman Galymzhan Pirmatov and other top officials on Aug. 23. It is reported that the country’s real gross domestic product…

Kazakhstan to Establish Permanent Mission to WTO in Geneva

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan plans to establish the Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. Ministry of Foreign Affairs has posted a draft of the relevant presidential decree for discussion on Aug. 19. “The Permanent Mission’s establishment will improve the country’s trade position on an international scale. It will provide a voice for…

CPC Temporarily Shutdowns Two Single Point Moorings After Defects Were Discovered on Subsea Equipment

NUR-SULTAN – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) temporarily suspended the operation of two single point moorings, SPM-1 and SPM-2, after the defects were discovered in subsea hose attachments to buoyancy tanks during scheduled maintenance in August, reported the CPC press service on Aug. 22. There is no threat to the flora and fauna of the…

Global Youth to Address Energy Transition at World Petroleum Council Youth Forum in Almaty

NUR-SULTAN – Young professionals and industry researchers will gather on Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 for the seventh World Petroleum Council (WPC) Youth Forum to discuss energy transition at the Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) in Almaty, according to the forum’s website. The WPC Youth Forum is a platform for young professionals and industry researchers to…

Emir Baigazin’s Film to Premiere at Toronto Film Festival in September

NUR-SULTAN – The drama “Life” by Kazakh filmmaker Emir Baigazin will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September this year. The film will be presented as part of the Contemporary World Cinema category from Sept. 8-18, Baigazin wrote Aug. 18 on his Instagram account. The film explores the meaning of life and what truly…

Russia’s Muslim Leader Confirms Participation in Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

NUR-SULTAN – Chairman of Russia’s Council of Muftis and Spiritual Administration of Muslims Mufti sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin confirmed his participation in the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on Sept. 14-15 during his meeting with Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Russia Yermek Kosherbayev, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service on Aug. 22. Gaynutdin commended…

Kazakhstan’s National Museum Hosts Arts and Crafts Exhibition

NUR-SULTAN – The National Museum of Kazakhstan invites visitors to explore the “Traditions and Time” exhibition of decorative and applied art, which opened on Aug. 20 in Nur-Sultan, reported the Jibek Joly TV channel. The exhibition features works of more than 20 well-known Kazakh masters of applied art in jewelry, felting, weaving, pottery, and leather…

Kazakhstan’s Baiterek Holding Acquires Sberbank Subsidiary

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Baiterek Holding purchased Sberbank’s subsidiary in Kazakhstan after a deal that was signed on Aug. 18, reported Kapital.kz. Baiterek and Sberbank negotiated the purchase of the subsidiary, said the Agency for Regulation and Development of Financial Market Chair Madina Abylkassymova on June 23. According to her, it does not require a new…

Kazakh Citizens Save $58.2 Billion on Deposit Accounts

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s deposit market increased by 3.3 percent over a month in July with total citizen deposits topping 28 trillion tenge (US$58.2 billion), according to National Bank data. According to Andrey Chebotaryov, a financial analyst, growth in savings accounts is due to both the revaluation of dollar deposits in terms of tenge and the…

Nur-Sultan Authorities Start Major Landscaping Work Near Small Taldykol Lake

NUR-SULTAN – The Nur-Sultan Akimat (city administration) announced plans to plant some 600 hardwood trees at an eco-park near Small Taldykol lake (Malyi Taldykol) on Aug. 28, following the residents’ long-running campaign to save the Taldykol lake network and green spaces from urban construction, reported the city administration’s press service. An eco-park near the Small…

Kazakh Internal Affairs Minister Calls SCO Member States for Collaborative Efforts to Tackle Transnational Crimes

NUR-SULTAN – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should develop a coordinated mechanism to combat transnational crime, said Kazakh Internal Affairs Minister Marat Akhmetzhanov at the fourth meeting of SCO member states’ Ministers of Internal Affairs and Public Security on Aug. 18 in Tashkent, reported the ministry’s press service.  According to the minister, Kazakhstan has ratified…

Kazakh Feature Films Receive Accolades at Russia’s International Film Festival

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh filmmakers Aizhan Kassymbek and Alisher Zhadigerov received awards for their feature films at the One Sixth International Film Festival of Debut Films, held Aug. 12-17 in Yekaterinburg, QazaqTV reports on Aug. 18. Kassymbek’s feature film “Fire” earned a Grand Prix at the One Sixth International Film Festival for Debut Films. Zhadigerov won…

Petropavlovsk Airport to Launch More International and Domestic Flights, Upgrade Fuel Complex

NUR-SULTAN – Petropavlovsk airport plans to launch flights to Shymkent, Turkistan, Russia’s Tyumen and Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh, said Valikhan Dzhilisbayev, director of Kyzylzhar International Airport LLP, Kazinform reported on Aug. 17. People now fly only to two destinations from Petropavlovsk – Almaty and Nur-Sultan. “Our job is to ensure aviation security, flight safety, airport…

No Grounds for Pessimistic Forecasts Regarding Kazakh-Russian Cooperation, Says President Tokayev in Sochi

NUR-SULTAN – There are no grounds for making pessimistic forecasts regarding the future of Kazakh-Russian cooperation, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his Aug. 19 meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Akorda press service reported.  “We share the world’s longest border, which is completely delimited,” said Tokayev.  Tokayev reiterated his determination to strengthen…

Vietnam Confirms Participation in Upcoming CICA Summit in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN – Vietnam confirmed its participation in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit, which will be held in October this year in Nur-Sultan during the first official visit of Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi to Hanoi on Aug. 18, reported the ministry’s press service. The…