Articles by Assem Assaniyaz

LONDON – The results of Kazakhstan-Switzerland academic exchanges are conclusive and beneficial for both countries. We want to further develop them in research, doctoral, and postdoctoral training, said Abdeljalil Akkari, an international expert, in an interview with The Astana Times. He is a professor and the director of the research group on international and comparative…

ASTANA – Kazakh Embassy in Switzerland and the Switzerland-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus Joint Chamber of Commerce (JCC) organized an investment roundtable on April 27 to address business opportunities in Kazakhstan.  As part of the meeting, the Kazakh Invest national company and JCC signed an agreement to expand cooperation between Kazakhstan and Switzerland.     The…

LONDON – With a mission to bring Italian innovations in professional practice, technologies, education, and sustainability to Central Asia, Italy4East, an international management consulting company, specializes in the internationalization of Italian and European companies through business partnerships, B2B (business-to-business) matchmaking meetings, international projects, and events.    Its objective is not only to introduce the Made in…

LONDON – Recent events in cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom have opened new horizons for both countries to maximize the benefits in trade and investment. The test of time and geopolitical developments have proved the stability of this partnership, enabling the countries to further enhance business ties and work together to address emerging…

ASTANA – The United Nations Country Team in Kazakhstan published the UN Kazakhstan Annual Report 2022 on April 1, which outlined the country’s progress in strengthening human rights and gender equality, enhancing social policy and digitalization, developing economic diversification and decarbonization after facing the challenges associated with the January unrest, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the…

LONDON – The U.K.-based companies are expanding their mining and metallurgical operations in Kazakhstan, as the country’s strong potential in critical minerals exploration and development aligns with the United Kingdom’s industrial strategy. This was noted at the webinar organized by the British-Kazakh Society (BKS) on April 6, which explored key trends and drivers for industrial…

ASTANA – Turan, an ethno-folk ensemble from Kazakhstan, is giving concerts in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, and Hungary on its 15th anniversary as part of the European tour this month, according to the ensemble’s announcement on Instagram.      Supported by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports, the five-member group of Maksat Medeubek, Baurzhan…

ASTANA – The UK-based Kazakh diaspora celebrated Nauryz in the city of Woking on March 25. The five-hour indoors and outdoors family festivities in the countryside gathered more than 230 Kazakh citizens across the nation.       Guests participated in folk dances in national attire, cultural performances, entertainment, and were offered traditional Kazakh dishes, including Nauryz kozhe,…

LONDON – Kazakh citizens celebrated Nauryz at the Central Asian Spring Festival (CASF) in London after casting their vote in the March 19 parliamentary election in the Kazakh Embassy in the United Kingdom.       Voting kicked off at 7 a.m. London time in Kazakhstan House, the home of the Kazakh Embassy in London, offering visitors national…

ASTANA – Kazakh citizens abroad have been casting their vote in today’s parliamentary election. The country’s younger generation showed particular engagement in this political event and shared their expectations with The Astana Times.    Elnur Assanov, an officer trainee from Kazakhstan, became the first Kazakh citizen in South Korea to use his constitutional right to vote.  …

LONDON – The Kazakh Embassy in London held a cultural program for British fans of world-renowned Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen on Feb. 17 to mark International Mother Language Day, celebrated on Feb. 21, reported dimashnews.com.  The meeting turned into a charity event, as “the dears” (the term used by Dimash fans to refer to themselves)…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government is considering a new Social Code, projecting a 51 percent basic pension growth in four years, reported the ministry’s press service.  Minister of Labor and Social Protection Tamara Duisenova presented a new draft on Feb. 7 to the Senate, an upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament.  The Social Code embraces…

ASTANA – The British-Kazakh Society (BKS) organized a webinar on Feb. 8 to address the transitional balance of coal, oil, gas, and renewables in Kazakhstan, as the country is boosting gas generation, developing clean energy projects, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.    The KazMunayGas (KMG) national oil and gas company,…

LONDON – The Heriot – Watt University will open a branch at the Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University in Kazakhstan. This was announced during the signing of an agreement between Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek and Vice-Principal and Provost at Heriot – Watt University Mark Biggs at the Feb. 1 meeting of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s political reset is not just for the sake of novelty, but for the implementation of important economic and social reforms this year, said Director of Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) Yerkin Tukumov in an interview with Kazinform, referring to the presidential election and national referendum on constitutional amendments in the past…

ASTANA – The short documentary film “Qantar Okigasy” (January Events), published by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan on its official YouTube channel on Jan. 5, presented the detailed chronology of the tragic January events, the most unprecedented unrest in the history of the country.    The 11-minute film, which tells the key developments of each…

ASTANA – The situation in Ukraine and a recent spike in the US-China tensions have increased Western interest in the development of rare earths in alternative jurisdictions, particularly in Kazakhstan, said Managing Director of Prism Political Risk Management company Kate Mallinson, an independent political risk expert on Central Asia, in an interview with The Astana…

ASTANA – This year has provided a solid impetus to expanding Kazakhstan’s cultural potential. The country held a plethora of large-scale events in art, music, history, literature, and cinematography, presenting its perspectives both at the local level and on the world stage.    Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, the Kazakh capital hosted the seventh Congress of Leaders…

ASTANA – Beknur Zhanibekuly, a 10-year-old singer from Kazakhstan, entered the Guinness World Records (GWR) book as the holder of the first functional LEGO prosthetic arm with a stylus and the foot-controlled LEGO prosthetic arm, according to the 2023 edition of the book.   “Got two Guinness World Records certificates, thanks to my dear friends @handsolooficial…

ASTANA – Kazakh citizens traveling or living abroad have demonstrated a high level of engagement in the Nov. 20 presidential election. As of 7 p.m. Astana time, the voter turnout abroad was 57.5 percent with nearly 7,400 people out of 12,841 registered casting their vote, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign embassies…

ASTANA – Amanat Nazarkulov, a member of the Kazakh Union of Artists, presented on Oct. 26 his art exhibition titled Menin Elim (My country) at the Kazakh National Military History Museum in Astana.  The exhibition, which will be open to the public until the end of this month, marks Republic Day in Kazakhstan and the…

ASTANA – A screen adaptation of comics about Kazakh legends would be timely and relevant, said Madibek Musabekov, a 30-year-old comic book illustrator from Kazakhstan, in an interview with The Astana Times. He now works for the world-renowned Marvel Comics entertainment company.  An Almaty native, Musabekov is an author of the “Yermek Batyr” and “Golden…

ASTANA – The French Association of Kazakh Cinema hosted the fourth Kazakh film festival in Paris from Oct. 27 to 30 to introduce local cinema to the public, according to the association’s press service.  The film festival, organized with the help of the Kazakh State Center for Support of National Cinema, the Kazakh Ministry of…

NUR-SULTAN – The art project against domestic violence titled “Behind the Door” will be unveiled at the Almaty-based Kazakh Central State Museum on Sept. 23, according to an Instagram post by Kazakhstan’s CITIX IT company. The exhibition, which will be held until Oct. 9, tells the real stories of victims of domestic violence through paintings,…

NUR-SULTAN – This year, films from Kazakhstan are picking up steam at international film festivals worldwide.  The film “Goliath” by Adilkhan Yerzhanov was presented at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on Lido Island from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10.  In May of this year, his other work titled “Shturm” (Assault) won the grand jury…