Articles by Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov on Dec. 9 to review the state of the economy, financial system, and monetary policy performance in January-November, as well as the bank’s strategic plans for 2026.  Suleimenov provided a comprehensive report on business activity, inflationary factors, and policy measures to stabilize…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s 16 special economic zones (SEZ) play a central role in the country’s investment strategy, offering tax incentives, simplified customs procedures and ready industrial sites. Spanning manufacturing, logistics and technology, the zones are designed to attract investors and create jobs. The Astana Times breaks down key projects and developments across all 16 zones.…

ASTANA — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inaugurated the Nur Bukhara project, the country’s first utility-scale integrated solar and battery project, developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, on Dec. 8 in Tashkent. Mirziyoyev also formally broke ground on Masdar’s 300-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) and 75-megawatt hours (MWh) battery energy storage system…

ASTANA — Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev participated in the Doha Forum 2025 on Dec. 6-7, engaging in high-level discussions on justice, sustainable development and international partnership alongside representatives from 162 countries. Recognized as one of the leading global platforms for high-level dialogue on international affairs, the forum brought together more than 5,000 participants,…

ASTANA — Gennady Golovkin has officially become the first Kazakhstani boxer to be included in the Class of 2026 of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), according to an official announcement on Dec. 4. The induction ceremony will take place from June 11 to 14 next year, in Canastota, New York. Golovkin was elected…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s accommodation facilities welcomed 7.8 million visitors in January-September, marking a 12.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Hotels in Almaty led the country, hosting 1.8 million guests, followed by Astana, which hosted 1.1 million. The Almaty and Akmola Regions each recorded 530,000 guests during the period, reported the National Bureau…

ASTANA —  The investment forum brought together international investors, major Kazakh businesses, and central government representatives on Dec. 4 in Aktobe. The event featured seven ambassadors and delegates from 20 countries. Askhat Shakharov, akim (governor) of the Aktobe Region, welcomed participants, emphasizing the region’s openness to long-term, mutually beneficial investment. He highlighted Aktobe’s large territory,…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights Central Asia’s growing economic influence, Kazakhstan’s role in the AI revolution, the Astana International Forum, strengthening EU-Central Asia relations and more. ASEAN needs to closely watch: Central Asia is rising Central Asia rarely dominates the…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway operator, reported that freight volumes across its network reached 287.8 million tons in January-November, 4% higher than the same period last year. Export shipments increased to 80.2 million tons, up 6%, with coal shipments rising 8% to 31.2 million tons, driven by higher supplies to Russia,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has risen to 44th place in the World Bank’s Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI) for 2024, marking a significant improvement of 21 positions. The SPI overall score is now available for 188 economies, according to the bank’s press service.  The SPI is published annually and evaluates national statistical systems using internationally recognized data…

ASTANA — The 27th Asian Youth Chess Championship concluded on Nov. 29 in Bangkok, with Kazakh players winning 11 medals, including five gold medals across the classical, rapid, and blitz events.  Kazakhstan’s 2025 Asian champions include Milana Filippova (G10) and Maria Kholyavko (G14) in classical chess, Amirzhan Anetov (O10) in rapid, and Alisher Abdsattar (O14)…

ASTANA — Almaty has expanded its international air links with the launch of new direct routes to Bangkok by Thai AirAsia X and to Chengdu by Air China, strengthening tourism, trade, and regional cooperation. Long-haul low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia X has launched a new international route between Almaty and Bangkok (Don Mueang) on Dec. 1.…

ASTANA — Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev met with major Swiss business leaders during his official visit to Switzerland on Dec. 2 to advance investment projects in transport, logistics, energy, and the agro-industrial sector, highlighting strong interest in expanding Swiss participation in Kazakhstan’s key industries. Kosherbayev held meetings with the management of EuroAirport, senior management…

ASTANA — Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and Federal Councillor and Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis reaffirmed the strong, trust-based partnership between Astana and Bern during Dec. 2 talks in Switzerland. Kosherbayev emphasized Switzerland’s role as a key and reliable partner in Europe, highlighting steady political dialogue, expanding regional…

ASTANA — Iran has opened its first specialized center for the conservation, treatment, and dissection of Caspian seals in Bojaq National Park in the Caspian Sea province of Gilan. The center aims to revive and care for the seals, the only marine mammal in the Caspian Sea, reported The Tehran Times on Nov. 21.  The…

ASTANA — The eight OPEC+ countries — Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — met virtually on Nov. 30 to review global market conditions and the outlook. The participating countries reaffirmed their Nov. 2 decision to pause production increases in January, February, and March 2026 due to seasonal factors. They…

ASTANA — Kazakh chess players won the most medals in all FIDE competitions in 2024, President of International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich said during a Nov. 28 meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Dvorkovich presented the Comprehensive Chess Development Plan adopted in Kazakhstan, which outlines new avenues for cooperation between the state, the private…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights Central Asia’s push for stronger regional agency, Kazakhstan-Estonia’s expanding technological partnership, Japan’s preparations for its first summit with Central Asian states and more. Enhancing EU-Kazakhstan cooperation for a sustainable future Kazakhstan and the EU share a long-term…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway operator has increased grain shipments to Azerbaijan by 25 times, transporting 600,000 tons to date, said  KTZ Chairman Talgat Aldybergenov following the plenary session of the Council for Railway Transport of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on Nov. 26 in Baku.  The surge is attributed to…

ASTANA — Azerbaijan plans to increase freight volume along the North-South transport corridor to 5 million tons by 2028, with a long-term goal of expanding the route’s annual capacity to 15 million tons, said Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s minister of Digital Development and Transport, at the 83rd meeting of the CIS Council for Railway Transport in…

ASTANA – SCAT Airlines will launch new flights connecting Turkistan with Bukhara, Urgench (Khiva), and Samarkand starting Dec. 1. Each route will operate three times per week, with one-way fares beginning at 40,000 tenge (US$77).  The initial stage of operations will be subsidized to maintain stable passenger demand, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on…

ASTANA – A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Galymzhan Koishybayev took part in the third European Union-Central Asia Economic Forum on Nov. 26 in Tashkent, highlighting Kazakhstan’s commitment to deepening economic cooperation with the EU. The forum brought together representatives of the European Commission, senior officials from Central Asian countries, and representatives of…

ASTANA — President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization meetings on Nov. 27 in Bishkek. The meetings brought together the heads of state of Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, and Tajikistan to discuss pressing topics of international and regional security. During the sessions, leaders reviewed…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry underscored the ethical and legal dangers posed by AI-driven weapons, as Director of International Security Department Arsen Omarov called for a preemptive global ban on fully autonomous systems and stronger international regulation. Omarov participated in the Regional Roundtable on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), held by the International Committee of…

ASTANA — Almaty’s FC Kairat may have fallen 3-2 to Denmark’s FC Copenhagen on Nov. 26, but the match will be remembered as a breakthrough moment for Kazakhstan’s football and for its two rising stars. In a UEFA Champions League match in Copenhagen, Kairat’s homegrown talents Dastan Satpayev and Olzhas Baibek scored both goals for…