OECD Recognizes AIFC’s Tax Regime to Comply with Global Tax Transparency Standards
NUR-SULTAN – The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) announced the tax regime of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) complies with global standards of tax transparency in its recent report. “The introduction of Substantial Presence requirements and the resulting OECD recognition lays the foundation for the development of a complete and more transparent…
Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announces Accreditation for Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Pope’s State Visit to Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Accreditation of international media to cover the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which will take place on Sept. 14-15, as well as Pope Francis’ official visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 13-15 is now open, Kazakh foreign ministry’s press service reports. The upcoming Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional…
Bolashak Onshore Processing Facility Suspends Oil Production Due to Gas Release at Kashagan Oilfield
NUR-SULTAN – The Bolashak Onshore Processing Facility on Kashagan oilfield suspended its operation on Aug. 3 as a result of a gas release within the perimeter of the site, reported the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) on August 5. The incident had no negative impact on people’s health. According to the standard procedure, the facilities…
Kazakhstan and Andorra Sign Visa Exemption Agreement, Enhance Tourism Cooperation During Andorran Foreign Minister’s First Official Visit to Nur-Sultan
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Andorra’s Foreign Minister Maria Ubach signed a bilateral visa exemption agreement during Ubach’s first official visit to Kazakhstan on Aug. 4, reported the Kazakh foreign ministry’s press service. The agreement provides Kazakhstan’s citizens with 90 days of visa-free travel to Andorra during a 365-day period. It is…
Kazakhstan to Increase Horse Meat Exports to Japan
NUR-SULTAN – Nine more Kazakh meat-processing enterprises have been included in the register of companies allowed to export horse meat to Japan, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture on Aug. 4. Overall, the register now includes 43 Kazakh companies. The information on the volume of exports and the start date, however, was not specified. Kazakhstan’s…
Kazakhstan Firmly Committed to ‘One China’ Policy on Taiwan, Says Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan supports Beijing’s ‘One China’ policy on the issue of Taiwan and views the island as an inalienable part of China’s territory, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyrov said on Aug. 4, the Kazinform news agency reports. According to him, Kazakhstan stands for the observance of the existing norms of international law…
OPEC+ Members Agree on Slight Increase in Oil Production
NUR-SULTAN – The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC partners, a group of oil exporters called OPEC+, approved a slight increase in oil production at the 31st OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held via video conference on Aug. 3, reported the organization’s press service. Minister of Energy Bolat Akchulakov represented Kazakhstan at the…
Kazakh Invest National Company’s Investment Pool Expands to 797 Projects in Second Quarter of 2022
NUR-SULTAN – The national pool was expanded to 797 projects worth 30 trillion tenge (US$63 billion) in the second quarter of this year, reported the Kazakh Invest national company on Aug.3. Investors from more than 30 countries will be involved in the project implementation. “The projects will create 130,000 new jobs. The list includes projects…
CPC Reports Decline in Supply Due to Technical Processes at Oil Fields in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) reduced the volume of oil pumped via the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline due to repairs at the Tengiz field and shutdown of production at the Kashagan oil field, reported the company’s press service on Aug. 3. The CPC is the largest international oil transportation project with participation from Russia, Kazakhstan…
Nur-Sultan Hosts Charity Run to Honor Kazakhstan’s First Heart Transplant Tenth Anniversary
NUR-SULTAN – The Heart Center Foundation will organize a charity run on Aug. 7 titled You Are the Champion of My Heart in Nur-Sultan to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s first heart transplant surgery, reported the press service of the Nur-Sultan akimat (city administration) on Aug. 2. Those interested in participating should register by…
Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare Forecasts COVID-19 Cases to Decline in September
NUR-SULTAN – The COVID-19 incidence is projected to decline in September after an average daily increase to 4,000 cases in August, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Azhar Giniyat said at an Aug. 2 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov. “According to statistics, since the beginning of the pandemic, 1.4 million people have tested positive for…
Pope Francis to Conduct Holy Mass for Roman Catholics, Including Pilgrims, During His September Visit to Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – Pope Francis will conduct a holy mass for Roman Catholics, including pilgrims, on Sept. 14 as part of his visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 13-15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Aug. 2. On Aug. 1, the Holy See and the Kazakh President’s press service confirmed that Pope Francis will pay a…
Epidemiological Situation Stable in Regions, as COVID-19 Cases Rise in Nur-Sultan, Says Healthcare Minister
NUR-SULTAN – Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in Nur-Sultan, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Azhar Giniyat reported on the revised restrictive measures in all three zones at an Aug. 2 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov. “In the green and yellow zones, restrictive measures are aimed at localizing the source of infection without restricting…
Kazakh Defense Ministry to Recruit 13 Digital Officers
NUR-SULTAN – For the first time, the Kazakh Defense Ministry announced the selection of 13 digital officers, reported the ministry’s press service on Aug. 2. After an online competition, candidates will have to pass IQ and SHL testing, demonstrate good knowledge of laws and legal norms and present their ideas for the digitalization of the…
Abai Region Launches 100 MW Wind Project
NUR-SULTAN – A 100 megawatt grid-connected wind turbine has been launched in the Ayagoz district of the Abai Region, reported the Kazakh Energy Ministry’s press service on July 29. The project is implemented within the country’s integrated renewable energy system that generates nearly 300 million kilowatt per hour of additional electricity in the grid. Some…
Tenge Strengthens Despite Sharp Drop in Oil Prices
NUR-SULTAN – The tenge has been strengthened despite a sharp drop in oil prices, reported the press service of the Kazakh Association of Financiers on Aug. 2. At today’s morning session, the USD/KZT pair is trading at 474.35 tenge per U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, Brent oil prices slumped 9.1 percent to $100 per barrel earlier this…
Rural Elections to Be Held This Week in Kazakhstan
NUR-SULTAN – The elections of rural akims (governors) will take place on July 31 in 27 rural areas, said Kazakhstan’s State Counselor Erlan Karin on July 29. Another 214 rural akims will be elected by year-end. Elections in 1,037 rural areas are scheduled for 2023 and 2024. Kazakhstan had its first-ever election of rural akims…
717 People Convicted for Crimes During January Attacks, Says Prosecutor General
NUR-SULTAN – 717 people have been convicted for attacks, mass riots, possession of weapons, and theft during the January events, Prosecutor General Berik Asylov said at a Prosecutor General’s Office board meeting on July 28. Since the beginning of the year, prosecutors have focused on establishing the causes and details of the “January tragedy” and…
CPC’s Oil Shipment Secure After Power Supply Failure at Atyrau Oil Pump Stations
NUR-SULTAN – The power supply shutdown at oil pump stations (PS) in the Atyrau Region did not affect oil shipment, reported the press service of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) on July 27. According to the press release, adverse weather conditions in the Atyrau Region (rain, thunderstorm and hurricane wind) and the collapse of several…
US Tribunal Terminates Arbitration Against BTA Bank, Almaty City and Kazakhstan Filed by Two-Time Convict
NUR-SULTAN – The New York City Tribunal of the American Arbitration Association dismissed July 9 all claims filed by Litco against Kazakhstan, the Almaty akimat (city administration), BTA Bank and their consultant after the claimant failed to pay the processing fee, reported the bank’s press service on July 25. Last February, the court warned the…
Sanctions against Russia Directly Affect Kazakh Households, According to Latest Survey
NUR-SULTAN – More than half of the respondents said the Western sanctions against Russia had a significant impact on the lives of Kazakh people, according to the recent survey released by the BISAM Central Asia Center for Sociological and Marketing Research. The survey was conducted in Almaty, Nur-Sultan, Shymkent, Aktobe, Karaganda, Kostanay, Taraz, and Ust-Kamenogorsk…
Kazakh President Visits Saudi Arabian Crown Prince to Discuss Strengthening Bilateral Ties
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has flown to Saudi Arabia in his first official visit as the head of the state to discuss prospects of cooperation in trade and investment with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, reports president’s press office. The visit was planned for July 23-24. At the airport President…
Local Entrepreneurs Launch Wind Power Plant in Almaty Region
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Zheruyyk-Energo company launched a 50-megawatt wind power plant in the Shelek corridor of the Almaty Region, reported the Kazakh Invest company. Some 25 towers were installed using advanced technology and equipment manufactured by the Danish company Vestas Wind Systems. The wind power plant will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 206,000…
It is Time for Central Asia to Unleash Its Full Potential, Says Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister
NUR-SULTAN – The fourth consultative meeting of heads of Central Asian states concluded July 21 in Cholpon-Ata. It is time for the region to unleash its full potential, said Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yermukhambet Konuspayev, commenting on the outcomes of the Cholpon-Ata meeting to The Astana Times. “Our nations are sharing culture, history, geography and…
KazISS Director Sees Growing Importance of Kazakhstan for US
If Kazakhstan was once interested in working closer with the United States, the same can be said of the US now, said Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies Yerkin Tukumov, among other things, in an interview with Zakon.kz. – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan recently said that Kazakhstan is writing a…
