Nazarbayev, head of National Scientific Cardio Surgical Centre discuss development of cardio surgery in Kazakhstan
President Nursultan Nazarbayev recently discussed the development of cardio surgery in Kazakhstan in a meeting with Chairman of the Board of the National Scientific Cardio-Surgical Centre Yuri Pya. The head of state noted the significance of the 27th Congress of the World Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons, where the best cardio surgeons from 50…
Government should control bitcoin operations, says Mazhilis deputy
ASTANA – Kazakhstan Mazhilis (lower house) deputy Amanzhan Zhamalov suggested placing bitcoin operations under the government control during a Sept. 13 Mazhilis plenary session. Referring to the rapid development and spread of bitcoin operations worldwide, Zhamalov asserted Kazakhstan should keep the operation under control to determine the trends in the emerging market. “The crypto currency…
Jordan launches ‘GGG’ clothing line with Kazakh ornamentation
ASTANA – The Jordan American brand of sportswear recently presented a collection of clothes devoted to Kazakh boxer Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs), vesti.kz reports. Nike has already started selling two kinds of caps, four T-shirts and one sweatshirt from the Golovkin’s collection. The design is based on Kazakh ornamentation and uses the boxer’s phrase…
Prime Minister discusses Digital Kazakhstan with international experts
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev discussed with international experts Sept. 13 in Astana the development of the Digital Kazakhstan programme, according to prime minister’s press service. Development of the programme involves sending its main concepts to experts in various countries for review and has involved working with such large international companies as IBM,…
Electric car charging stations launch in Astana and Almaty
ASTANA – Construction of electric car charging stations under the pilot project has been completed with the active support of the Almaty and capital administrations and private investments. The Ministry of Energy will be increasing construction of up to 100 charging stations and corresponding infrastructure in both cities by the end of the year. The…
Joint development proposed to digitalise Kazakh and Russian economies
ASTANA – Russian Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov, who has proposed strengthening Kazakhstan’s and Russia’s joint digitalisation work, spoke about the initiative during the Set. 13 meeting on the topic here. The session was attended by government representatives, who also served as presenters, and President Nursultan Nazarbayev The two countries need to…
Kazakhstan to issue Sukuk worth $300 million next year
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will issue Islamic independent bonds, or Sukuk, worth $300 million next year, according to the announcement of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during the recent ceremony of Global Islamic Finance Awards in Astana. According to the President, a number of Islamic financial institutions operate in Kazakhstan in the sphere of bank insurance and…
Feasibility study necessary to determine if planned nuclear power plant is built, says Kazakh minister
ASTANA – The Kazatomprom national atomic company will complete a feasibility study by the end of this year before deciding whether to move forward with a planned nuclear power plant, announced Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev at the Sept. 7-8 Kazenergy Eurasian Forum in Astana. “Once we have the report, we will be able to make…
Astana to build enclosed pedestrian skyway system
ASTANA – The Astana city government plans to build a system of enclosed pedestrian footbridges connecting buildings two and three stories above the sidewalk, according to the akimat (city administration) press service. The announcement was made during a meeting with the participation of Akim (Mayor) of Astana Asset Issekeshev. The system will be similar to…
New religion textbook to be included in national school curriculum
ASTANA – A new religion textbook will be added to the national school curriculum, announced Minister of Religious Affairs and Civil Society of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev at a recent government meeting. Society and Religion is the textbook’s working title, according to Yermekbayev. “Together with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan,…
New children’s vaccination method proposed in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is considering making children’s vaccinations mandatory only for dangerous infectious diseases, Minister of Religious Affairs and Civil Society of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev announced during a recent government meeting. “We are currently considering the issue of mandatory vaccination provided for dangerous infections, parasitic diseases that can be transmitted from one child to another,”…
Minister reports on Digital Kazakhstan programme as launch date approaches
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev held a meeting Aug. 23 with Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev, according to akorda.kz, during which the minister reported on the development of the Digital Kazakhstan programme. Nazarbayev stressed the relevance of large-scale digitalisation of the economy in the context of growing global competition. “Today this issue is…
KazSport TV channel changes name to Qazsport
ASTANA – The Kazakhstan TV/radio company, which includes the only sports television channel KazSport in the country, has rebranded itself. Starting with the new TV season, which the channel starts on Aug. 28, the names of a number of TV channels will be written in Latin. Its sports TV channel will be now be called…
60 percent of privatisation programme completed, says Samruk Kazyna chair
ASTANA – The privatisation of 60 percent of companies sought for Kazakhstan’s national privatisation programme within the Samruk Kazyna National Welfare Fund has been completed. Samruk Kazyna Chairperson Umirzak Shukeev reported Aug. 23 on the fund’s activities to Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, highlighting the progress in its transformation and privatisation programmes. Established in 2008, the…
Prime Minister praises EXPO 2017 in Eurasian Week opening remarks
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev praised EXPO 2017’s contribution to economic growth and regional integration in his opening remarks to the Eurasian Week forum on Aug. 24. “It is very symbolic that the Eurasian Week forum is held within the international EXPO exhibition, the achievements of which will contribute to a harmonious transition…
Almaty Appeals Court upholds conviction of fugitive ex-banker in Kazakhstan’s biggest fraud case
The Almaty City Court Appeals Board upheld the decision of the Almaty City Specialised Criminal Court against BTA Bank’s former board of directors’ chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov, who in June 2017 was found guilty of organising and leading a criminal group and embezzling more than one trillion tenge (more than US$7.5 billion) from the bank. The…
Astana hosts swimming race for children with disabilities
ASTANA – A swimming competition involving children with disabilities took place Aug. 17 in Astana. The Kazakh association of parents of children with disabilities organised the event with the support of Asyl Bala national association to demonstrate children’s boundless capabilities. Children that participated in the race have different diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida and…
Kazakh oil export revenues have increased 53 percent in 2017
ASTANA – Almost 80 percent of all oil produced in the country is exported. The revenues of the Kazakh budget from the export of crude oil increased 53 percent this year. Oil export increased 46 percent, according to Energyprom. In the last six months, the prices for crude oil increased 27.2 percent in comparison with…
Chinese entrepreneurs to build solar power plant in South Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Chinese entrepreneurs plan to build a 200 MW solar power plant in the Otyrar district of the South Kazakhstan region, according to Chinese company Qingdao Beihai representative Ming Ie. Local authorities plan to allocate 300 hectares and provide infrastructure. Also, in accordance with a bilateral agreement, the station will be called Kunnery. “In…
EXPO 2017 will not be extended beyond Sept. 10 closing date
Despite urging from Astana area businesses, EXPO 2017 will not be extended past its scheduled Sept. 10 closing date, Astana EXPO 2017 national company director of public relations Sergei Kuyanov announced during an Aug. 16 press conference. “The EXPO works according to the regulations of the Bureau International des Expositions, according to which specialised exhibitions…
Nazarbayev stresses need to create agricultural science centre
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed to Rector of the Kazakh National Agrarian University (KazNAU) Tlektes Yesspolov the need to create a national science centre in the field of agriculture. “It is necessary to increase the effectiveness of the introduction of research results and training of specialists. In addition, the production of competitive, export-oriented agricultural products…
Pierre Cardin to present his new collection in Astana
ASTANA – World-famous designer Pierre Cardin will arrive in Astana Sept. 1 to present his new collection designed specifically for Kazakhstan. The show will last three days and feature 120 outfits with more than 300 accessories. Kazakh fashion lovers have a chance to enjoy a fashion show, but there is more to it than that.…
Almaty 2017 Winter Universiade recognised as best in competition’s history
ASTANA – The Expert Council of International University Sports Federation (FISU) has recognised the Winter Universiade in Almaty as the best in the history of international student competitions, according to an organisation press release. Almaty’s Grand Hyatt Hotel hosted a meeting of the FISU Executive Committee. The key event of this session was the council’s final report,…
Turkey proposes visa-free regime with Kazakhstan for migrant workers
ASTANA – Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci proposed during the recent Kazakh-Turkish business forum a visa-free regime for migrant workers between Turkey and Kazakhstan, Astana TV channel reports. He said both countries have been cooperating for a long time. And over the years of joint work, Turkey has invested about $2 billion in Kazakhstan…
New rules seek to improve emergency medical response
ASTANA – New rules for emergency medical care will provide high-quality emergency medical assistance, according to Vice Minister of Healthcare Lyazzat Aktayeva. “Now there are four categories for emergency calls, three of them have potential and immediate threats to life and health, ambulances will immediately go out for such calls. The fourth category is calls…
