Kazakh Museum enters Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries of Silk Road
ASTANA – Employees of the Almaty-based Abylkhan Kasteyev State Museum of Arts joined in Beijing with representatives of national art museums and key art institutes in 17 countries of the former Silk Road and current Belt and Road Initiative to establish the Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries of the Great Silk Road. The organisation…
AIFC launches Expat Centre to assist influx of AIFC-related workers
ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) recently launched the Expat Centre to assist the influx of foreigners expected following the AIFC’s official opening. “The establishment of the Astana International Financial Centre will attract a large number of foreign investors, specialists and companies to Astana. In this regard, the creation of favourable conditions for…
Kazakh National Bank issues one kilogramme silver coins
ASTANA – The Kazakh National Bank issued June 20 silver and nickel coins in the denomination of 100, 500 and 5,000 tenge. The coins are dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Astana, the press service of the National Bank reports. The coins’ obverse displays the National Emblem, inscriptions of the denomination and the name of the…
Kazakh government to change method of assigning basic pensions
ASTANA – Beginning July 1, the Kazakh government will change the method of assigning basic pension payments. The figure will depend on the duration of the individual’s participation in the pension system, reported the Government for Citizens press service. The base pension will be appointed only if a citizen reaches the general established retirement age.…
AIX appoints Chief Executive Officer, prepares for launch
ASTANA – The Astana International Exchange (AIX) administration has appointed Timothy Bennett to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Arman Tastanbekov was named Chief Legal Officer and a member of the management committee and Jean-Philippe Louvancour will serve as head of regulation and compliance. Bennett was most recently the CEO of NZX, which operates New…
AIFC has performed pioneering role, says LAC chair
ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has performed a pioneering role, said its legal advisory council (LAC) chairperson Michael Blair. In an interview with The Astana Times, he discussed the council’s operation, his commitment to the centre’s activity and its distinctive features. Blair noted he strives to comment in writing as early as…
Astana Opera presents music of love
ASTANA – Astana Opera, one of the most important cultural entities in the Kazakh capital, will join the city’s 20th anniversary celebration June 10 with remarkable young artists performing classical works about love. “At all times, love inspired authors to create masterpieces in all forms of art. Each composer devoted more than one work to…
Kazakh government boosts e-commerce development
ASTANA – Kazakh e-commerce turnover has reached 101 billion tenge ($304.6 million) in the first five months of 2018, with 2.9 percent in retail trade turnover, according to Kazpost. To increase market volume, the government has improved legislation, upgraded the postal service and exempted e-commerce companies from taxes. Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov reported…
AIFC announces plan to speed foreign investment in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) announced at a May 30 business conference in Astana plans to help reduce bureaucratic delays experienced by foreign investors. “We are creating an environment of ‘Zero Bureaucracy’ for doing business. From the very beginning, a businessman, an investor, will be engaged in the things for which he…
National Bank: Kazakh citizens buying fewer US dollars
ASTANA – The National Bank reported a sharp decrease in May in the demand for U.S. dollars. Last month, Kazakh citizens purchased 23.4 percent fewer dollars compared to April. The population bought 146.1 billion tenge (US$444.1 million) in foreign currency in May. Bank experts report citizens purchased 52.9 percent of the total foreign currency in…
2,000 Almaty residents examined for meningitis
ASTANA – Responding to the eight fatal cases of meningitis registered this year, approximately 2,000 Almaty residents will be examined for the disease. Kazakh healthcare heads are confident the situation is under control and the infection chain will be broken. Chief State Sanitary Doctor Zhandarbek Bekshin and Vice Minister of Healthcare Lyazzat Aktayeva were accompanied…
Cambridge University, British Council to support translating Kazakh literary works
ASTANA – An anthology of modern Kazakh literature will be translated into the six official UN languages and published by Cambridge University with the support of the British Council. The initiative is financed under the Ruhani Janghyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) programme. Famous Kazakh writers, poets and critics met in the House of Friendship in…
Astana holds festival showcasing the talents of special needs children
ASTANA – Astana recently hosted its first festival showcasing the creative talents of children with special needs. The Meirim festival attracted more than 400 children with special educational needs. “This year, we have participated in such a festival for the first time. My daughter Aziza dances. I wish that there were more such festivals because…
EBRD to finance reconstruction of water supply system in Shymkent
ASTANA – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is contributing $13.5 million for water supply improvements in Shymkent. The loan will help the city upgrade its water supply network, which is used by more than 800,000 residents. The privately owned Kazakh Vodnye Resursy Marketing is responsible for the water supply of more than…
Political turbulence, role of journalism reviewed at Eurasian Media Forum
ASTANA – Some 800 participants from 70 countries gathered at the 15th Eurasian Media Forum in Almaty on May 23-25 to discuss their work in the context of today’s rapidly changing political climate. Political positions seem to be shifting with the weather with the return of cold war rhetoric between world leaders, economic and political…
Kazakhstan launches Latin script translation mobile app
ASTANA – The State Language Development Foundation has created the Qazaq Latin Keyboard, a Kazakh keyboard with Latin letters for smartphones and tablets. The app can translate Kazakh text written in Cyrillic script to Latin script. “Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev is paying great attention to the development of the Kazakh language. He defined a phased…
Sudden storm in Astana injures 10, damages buildings
ASTANA – Ten people were treated for injuries and several buildings and cars were damaged after a sudden gale hit Astana May 22. No deaths or major injuries were reported. “Today, due to a sharp deterioration of weather conditions, namely a short-term gust of wind and rain, the 112 emergency hot line received calls about…
Astana Bank imposes new restrictions, seeks way out
ASTANA – Astana Bank introduced new restrictions May 4, including conducting cashless transactions, which will be in use until June 1. Despite the changes, S&P Global Ratings has downgraded the bank’s long-term and short-term credit ratings from CCC/C to D/D. The bank stopped withdrawing money May 2 from deposits, giving loans, sending international transfers and…
Kazakh National Chamber of Entrepreneurs to fight recent energy price increases
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs believes the recent electricity price increases in the country are illegal and plans to fight them and look instead for ways to lower electricity costs and promote increased energy saving. Atameken Chair Timur Kulibayev said the chamber will work against what he calls the illegal electric power…
University job fair becomes annual tradition
ASTANA – KAZGUU University and Hilton Astana, in collaboration with the city akimat (administration), sponsored Job Fair 2018, which for the first time welcomed graduates and undergraduates from all of the capital’s universities. Representatives of state, national and international companies had an opportunity to meet and interview newly-minted graduates and current students. Akim (Mayor) Asset…
Kazakhstan doubles automotive production in Q1 of 2018
ASTANA – Kazakh car assembly plants produced 90 percent more vehicles in the first three months of 2018 than in the same period last year, with the companies’ contribution to the national GDP reaching 39.5 billion tenge (US$120 million) in January-March. “The contribution of industry enterprises to the GDP of the state in January-March of…
Family holiday park to open in Aktobe on Children’s Day
ASTANA – A new outdoor family park, the largest in the western Kazakhstan with more than 50 types of entertainment, is under construction in Aktobe. The opening ceremony will be held June 1 in conjunction with Children’s Day. For those who enjoy physical activities, the 3.5-hectare park will have a four-season ice skating arena, sports…
KAZGUU University enters top 50 universities following Jessup competition
ASTANA – KAZGUU University has entered the top 50 universities based on the results of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The university team participated March 31-April 7 in the national and international rounds. The Jessup competition, the most prestigious and famous in international law, is held annually in Washington, D C,…
Sergek has helped solve more than 500 crimes in Astana
ASTANA – Sergek video surveillance system has helped capital police solve more than 500 criminal offenses, including four murders. The system has contributed to reducing the number of offenses by an average of 30 percent and accidents by 18 percent. Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev and Deputy Prime Minister Askar Zhumagaliyev recently visited the city’s situational…
Asian Development Bank forecasts 3.2 percent Kazakh GDP growth
ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts growth of Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) at 3.2 percent in 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2019. It is expected that inflation will slow to 6.8 percent this year and will be 6.2 percent in 2019, provided exchange rate stability remains. The report specifies that following a…
