Kazakhstan’s Football Rise Continues with Anarbekov’s Historic Champions League Honor
ALMATY – Although Almaty’s FC Kairat continues to face tough competition in its series of UEFA Champions League matches, Kazakhstan’s football is entering a new stage of recognition. Even without major tournament victories yet, Kazakh players are increasingly standing out for their technical skills and resilience, drawing attention from European commentators, analysts, and professional football…
Kazakhstan, EU to Launch Second Round of Visa Facilitation Talks in Astana in 2026
ALMATY – Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) aim to modernize the legal framework for travel facilitation and strengthen ties. The initiative is expected to simplify travel procedures, expand humanitarian contacts, and enhance mobility between Kazakhstan and the EU. The talks took place on Dec. 2 within the meeting between Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek…
Kazakh Presidential Envoy Tukumov Visits Afghanistan, Deepens Regional Cooperation
ALMATY – Kazakh Special Representative for Afghanistan and Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yerkin Tukumov paid a working visit to Afghanistan on Dec. 8 to prioritize constructive engagement with Afghanistan and its integration into regional processes. During the visit, Tukumov held a series of meetings with Afghan officials in Kabul. Discussions focused on…
Uzbek Artist Joins Global Cultural Leaders at Art Basel Gold Awards Debut
ALMATY — Art Basel unveiled its first class of Gold Awardees at a landmark ceremony on Dec. 4 at the New World Center in Miami Beach, the United States, marking a new chapter in the fair’s efforts to recognize excellence and innovation across the contemporary art ecosystem. Among the honorees was acclaimed Uzbek filmmaker and…
Kazakhstan, Austria Agree to Deepen Strategic Partnership, Expand Parliamentary and Investment Cooperation
ALMATY — Kazakhstan and Austria reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation during a series of high-level meetings held in Vienna on Dec. 5, as Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev continued his official visit to Austria. The discussions focused on inter-parliamentary cooperation, new industrial and technological partnerships, and expanding Austrian investment…
Central Asia Breaks Tourism Records as Regional Travel Surge Accelerates
ALMATY – Central Asia is experiencing a tourism boom, with the region welcoming 28.6 million foreign visitors in 2024. The rapid expansion reflects the region’s natural and cultural richness, targeted government efforts to transform tourism infrastructure, simplify travel, and expand international connectivity. Kazakhstan continues to anchor the regional surge with sharp increases in both international…
Rule of Law Weakens Worldwide in 2025, Kazakhstan Holds Regional Ground
ALMATY – The World Justice Project (WJP) has released its 2025 Rule of Law Index, assessing 143 countries through nationwide population surveys, indicating that Central Asian countries demonstrated mixed results amid global backsliding. Expert evaluations across eight key dimensions, from limits on government powers to the effectiveness of civil and criminal justice, featured global trends…
Kazakhstan’s Crypto Market Surges to $6.8 Billion as AIFC Expands Regulated Ecosystem
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s regulated crypto market continues its strong upward trajectory, with trading volumes on platforms licensed by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) reaching $6.8 billion in the January-September 2025 period, Director of the Financial Technologies Department at the AIFC’s Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) Altay Slyamov said in an interview with the Kazinform…
Kazakhstan, France to Establish Regional Civil Aviation Training Center in Astana
ALMATY – Kazakhstan and France have reached a preliminary agreement to establish a European-level regional aviation training center in Astana that will become a hub for advanced education and professional standards in civil aviation across Central Asia, the Ministry of Transport reported on Dec.7. A Kazakh delegation led by Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev…
Central Asian Youth Join Forces in Astana to Combat Digital Violence
ALMATY — Thirty young innovators from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan gathered in Astana on Dec. 4 for a regional case championship aimed at developing solutions to counter digital and gender-based violence, reported the UNDP press service. The competition centered on a case study inspired by real incidents in a regional university,…
Kazakhstan Approves New Trade Policy Framework Till 2030 to Modernize Sector
ALMATY — The Kazakh government approved a comprehensive Trade Policy Concept through 2030 on Nov. 27, outlining a new strategic framework for the development of domestic and external trade, modernizing retail infrastructure, and supporting producers. According to statistics, the trade sector remains one of the largest employers in the country. In 2024, more than 1.5…
Tokayev, EU’s Costa Set New Kazakhstan – EU Priorities as Ties Turn 10
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with President of the European Council António Costa, who arrived in Kazakhstan for his first official visit on Dec. 4, underscoring the deepening strategic ties between Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) as the two sides mark the tenth anniversary of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA).…
Kazakhstan Tightens Public Safety Rules With Face-Covering Clothing Ban
ALMATY – Kazakhstan will formally introduce administrative liability for wearing face-covering clothing in public places under a new unified law on the Prevention of Offenses, adopted by the Mazhilis (Parliament’s lower chamber) in its second reading on Dec. 3. The legislation also strengthens responsibility for posting and distributing illegal content, as well as for non-compliance…
OPEC Fund to Provide Up to $400 Million for Kazakh Private Sector Projects by 2030
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis (Parliament’s lower chamber) has approved a landmark framework agreement with the OPEC Fund for International Development, paving the way for expanded financing of private-sector investment projects across key sectors of the national economy. The agreement was ratified during a plenary session chaired by Mazhilis Chairman Yerlan Koshanov. Presenting the document to…
Earthquake Shakes Almaty, Residents Spill Into Streets After Sudden Tremor
ALMATY — An earthquake rattled Almaty on Dec. 4, briefly sending residents out of their apartments and into courtyards as buildings swayed for several seconds. According to the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the tremor originated in China, around 277 kilometers southeast of Almaty. The shaking registered at a magnitude of 2–3 across Almaty — enough…
Kazakh FM Kosherbayev and IAEA’s Grossi Expand Nuclear Cooperation Roadmap
ALMATY – Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev met with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, on Dec. 3 during his working visit to Vienna to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Kosherbayev discussed with the IAEA chief Kazakhstan’s plans to develop its national nuclear…
Kazakhstan Expands Cooperation With Asia-Pacific Partners at UNESCAP Forum
ALMATY — Kazakhstan has strengthened its international development cooperation efforts in the Asia-Pacific region as a national delegation led by Chairman of the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAID) Arken Arystanov participated in the seventh Asia-Pacific Regional Directors Forum held on Dec. 2-4 in Bangkok, Thailand. The forum, organized by the United Nations Economic and…
Kazakhstan Plans Major Air Cargo Upgrade to Win Transit Race
ASTANA — By 2040, 20% of all global air cargo will pass along routes between Asia and Europe, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a Dec. 3 meeting, calling for urgent steps to accelerate the development of regional air cargo hubs and strengthen the country’s role in the rapidly expanding air logistics market. Tokayev emphasized that…
Kazakhstan, EU Launch Formal Negotiations on Visa Facilitation Agreement
ALMATY — Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) officially opened negotiations on a visa facilitation and readmission agreements on Dec. 2 in Brussels, Belgium, marking a historic step in bilateral relations and strengthening mobility between Kazakhstan and EU member states. The inaugural round of talks was co-chaired by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek…
Astana to Become First Central Asian City to Host Berne Union Conference in 2026
ALMATY — Kazakhstan will host a major international gathering of export finance experts for the first time, following the decision by the Berne Union to hold its upcoming Spring Meeting in Astana. The announcement was made during the organization’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025, held from Oct. 21-24 in Ottawa, Canada. The Kazakh delegation, representing…
Kazakhstan Accelerates Industrial Transformation With Focus on Manufacturing, Digitalization, and Energy Modernization
ALMATY – Kazakhstan is accelerating efforts to expand its manufacturing base, advance digital transformation, and strengthen economic diversification, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said during a government meeting on Dec. 2. The discussion also covered progress in oil refining, agricultural processing, and workforce development, reflecting a comprehensive national effort to increase economic resilience and diversify growth…
Kazakhstan’s E-Commerce Market Expands Sevenfold as Digital Trade Accelerates
ALMATY – E-commerce is undergoing transformation worldwide, with digital platforms reshaping how consumers shop and how businesses operate, said Director of the Department for Domestic Trade Development at the Ministry of Trade and Integration Ansar Orazaliev at a Dec. 1 Central Communications Service (CCS) press briefing. Orazaliyev highlighted that around 30% of the world’s population…
Kazakhstan, EU to Launch Visa Facilitation Talks
ALMATY — Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) announced plans to begin negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements at the 22nd Kazakhstan–EU Cooperation Council meeting held in Brussels on Dec. 1, co-chaired by Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermeк Kosherbayev and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. The meeting took place…
Kazakhstan Expands High-Tech Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing in East Kazakhstan
ALMATY — Kazakhstan has significantly upgraded its nuclear fuel production capabilities as the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) in Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan, launches a new automated inspection line for uranium fuel pellets and expands output of fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants (NPPs). The upgraded system now inspects three fuel pellets per second, using micrometer-level precision…
Survey: Kazakh Citizens Most Often Use Digital Tools for Learning and Self-Development
ALMATY – More than half of Kazakhstan’s population uses artificial intelligence technologies such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Midjourney, according to a nationwide sociological survey conducted by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS). The findings reveal significant age-related differences: AI adoption reaches 76.2% among people aged 18–29, while it declines to 57.1% among those…
