Kazakhstan Targets 26 GW Energy Expansion by 2035
ASTANA – The Kazakh Energy Ministry has developed and approved a development plan for the energy sector until 2035, targeting the introduction of at least 26 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, the ministry’s press service reported on Dec. 16, summarizing this year’s results. Renewable energy sources To date, 148 renewable energy sources (over 100 kilowatts)…
Kazakh Opera Legend Bibigul Tulegenova Celebrates 95th Birthday
ASTANA – Kazakh opera singer Bibigul Tulegenova turned 95 on Dec. 16. Almaty Mayor Yerbolat Dossayev congratulated her on behalf of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the city administration’s press service. “A long and fruitful creative path has brought you to the heights of recognition. You left a rich legacy in the gold fund of our…
Kazakhstan’s Exports of Processed Goods Grow 10.2% to $23.3 Billion in 11 Months
ASTANA – Thanks to measures taken to support domestic producers and stimulate deep processing, Kazakhstan’s export of processed goods increased by 10.2%, reaching $23.3 billion from January to November 2024, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said during a Dec. 17 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported Akorda. Meanwhile, imports of goods declined by 3.3%, and investments…
World Bank Highlights Measures to Boost Inclusive Growth in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Making fiscal policy more pro-poor, improving the quality of education, and strengthening climate resilience are critical priorities for policymakers to reduce poverty and inequality in Kazakhstan, according to the Kazakhstan Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024 report, published by the World Bank on Dec. 12. Kazakhstan’s economy has shown robust growth since 2006, with…
Kazakhstan Reiterates Commitment to Multilateral Cooperation at World Policy Conference
ASTANA—Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has pursued a multivector, pragmatic, and balanced foreign policy, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko said at the 17th annual World Policy Conference (WPC), organized by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), on Dec. 13-15 in Abu Dhabi, according to the ministry’s press service. The distinguished French scholar Thierry de…
Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship of CICA Concludes After Four Years
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) concludes on Dec. 17 at the seventh meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, marking the end of a transformative four-year tenure. Azerbaijan will assume the chairmanship for the 2024-2026 term, reported CICA’s press service. A key milestone…
Updated Red Book of Kazakhstan to Feature New Species by Year-End
ASTANA – The fifth edition of Kazakhstan’s Red Book of endangered species will be finalized and presented by the end of this year, General Director of the Institute of Zoology Roman Yashchenko told Kazinform on Nov. 28. The updated version will include new species in various categories. History of Red Book editions As Yashchenko noted,…
Foreign and Defense Ministers of CSTO Countries Meet in Astana
ASTANA – The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council of Foreign Ministers, Council of Defense Ministers, and Committee of Security Council Secretaries gathered for a joint meeting on Nov. 28 in Astana. According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service, they approved the Declaration of the Collective Security Council, which was signed during the session…
Astana Attracts Nearly $2.5 Billion in Investments Over 10 Months of 2024
ASTANA – Over ten months of this year, Astana has attracted nearly 1.3 trillion tenge ($2.5 billion) in investments, while industrial production volumes increased approximately 7% compared to 2023, Deputy Mayor Yevgeniy Glotov reported to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, who toured the city’s enterprises on Nov. 29. According to the Prime Minister’s press service, the…
National Bank of Kazakhstan Raises Base Rate to 15.25%
ASTANA – The Monetary Policy Committee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) decided on Nov. 29 to increase the base rate to 15.25% per annum with a corridor of +/- 1 percentage point. The NBK’s press service reported that the decision was made taking into account updated forecasts and an assessment of the balance…
Four Kazakh Restaurants Enter La Liste’s Top-1000 Restaurants 2025
ASTANA – The prestigious French restaurant ranking guide La Liste has included four Kazakh establishments in its Top-1000 Restaurants 2025 list, announced on Nov. 25. Ogonyok in Almaty received the highest score among the Kazakh entries with 76.5 points. Qazaq Gourmet and Selfie, both located in Astana, earned 76 points each. Another Almaty-based restaurant, Qazaq…
“Money Heist” Director Starts Filming Netflix Movie About Karlag
ASTANA – Miguel Ángel Vivas, the acclaimed Spanish director of “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”), has started filming “The Truce” (“La Tregua”), a Kazakh-Spanish movie about Karlag under an exclusive Netflix contract, the Karagandy Region administration’s press office reported on Nov. 26. Karlag, short for Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp, was one of the largest labor…
Kazakhstan Reaffirms Support for UN Goals in Promoting Inter-civilizational Dialogue
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to continue promoting the UN goals and objectives for inter-civilizational dialogue, said Maulen Ashimbayev, the chairman of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, at the tenth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) on Nov. 25-27 in Cascais, Portugal. As stated by the Senate’s press…
Kazakhstans IT Exports Surge: On Track for $600 Million in 2024
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s IT services exports grew to $306 million in the first half of 2024. This volume is expected to exceed $600 million by year-end. Over five years, exports have increased 20 times, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev said during a Nov. 26 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister…
Kazakh Composer Wins Silver Medal of London’s Company of Musicians
ASTANA – Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin, a Kazakh composer, pianist, and Bolashak scholarship recipient, became the first from Kazakhstan to receive the prestigious 2024 Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians in London in mid-November, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Established in 1889, the Silver Medal is awarded annually to the most…
Kazakhstan Plans to Export 68.8 Million Tons of Oil This Year
ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to export nearly 68.8 million tons of oil in 2024, based on production forecasts of 88.4 million tons, Kazakh Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev said at a Nov. 25 meeting in the Mazhilis, a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament. Export routes and production According to the ministry’s press service, key routes…
Kazakh PM: Digital Solutions to Combat Shadow Economy, Improve Budget Efficiency
ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov highlighted in a Nov. 25 meeting focused on digital solutions that these innovations are crucial in combating the shadow economy, improving tax and customs administration, and ensuring more efficient planning and allocation of budget funds. According to the Prime Minister’s press service, the Ministry of Finance has introduced the…
Kazakhstan Set to Expand Business Partnership with Croatia
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković on Nov. 22 to discuss enhancing political dialogue and expanding business ties. According to the Foreign Ministry’s press service, the meeting took place during Nurtleu’s official visit to Zagreb. Nurtleu encouraged Croatian companies to explore trade…
Kazakhstan Marks 30 Years of UN Child Rights Convention
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry hosted a ceremony to unveil a commemorative postage stamp block, marking the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and celebrating World Children’s Day on Nov. 22, reported the ministry’s press service. The CRC was one of the first international…
National Bank Explains Why Inflation in Kazakhstan Remains High
ASTANA – Despite the overall downward trend during the year, annual inflation in Kazakhstan rose to 8.5% in October, up from the previous month, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) Vitaliy Tutushkin said at a Nov. 21 plenary session of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, reported the NBK’s…
Kazakhstan Releases Record Number of Nearly 90 Films This Year
ASTANA – Kazakhstan released a record number of nearly 90 films in 2024, which is 1.5-fold more than 60 movies produced last year, film critic Karim Kadyrbayev told Kazinform ahead of the 17th Eurasia International Film Festival (EIFF), scheduled for Nov. 24-30. Kadyrbayev, who also heads the EIFF business platform, noted that six films this…
Turkic World Business Women to Launch Digital Platform
ASTANA – The Women Entrepreneurs Board (WEB) of the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) signed a crucial memorandum of cooperation to launch the Turkic Business Hub digital platform at the third WEB general assembly and the Turkic World Business Women forum on Nov. 19, reported the Asmar National Association of Women…
Cardiff University to Open Branch in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Cardiff University signed an agreement with the Qualified Centre of Education Public Foundation (QCEF) on Nov. 20 to establish its branch in Astana, marking the first Russell Group university presence in Kazakhstan, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Kazakh Minister of Science…
Kazakhstan, Hungary Set $1 Billion Trade Turnover Goal
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced plans to bring trade turnover with Hungary to $1 billion at a joint media briefing with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán on Nov. 21 in Budapest during his state visit to Hungary. Tokayev said Kazakhstan offers 95 types of goods worth $700 million. Outcomes of the visit Tokayev,…
President Tokayev’s First Visit to Serbia Opens New Chapter in Bilateral Ties
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the significance of his first official visit to Serbia as the head of state, describing it as the beginning of a new and important chapter in Kazakh-Serbian relations during narrow-format talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Nov. 19, Akorda reported. Tokayev acknowledged the trust-based partnership between the two…
