Articles by Saltanat Boteu

Astana Club presents 2019 Global Risks rating

ASTANA – Astana Club International discussion platform held the first day of a Nov. 12-13 meeting presenting 2019 Global Risk rating for Eurasian region. The rating distinguishes ten major risks for the region that need to be addressed for the Eurasian integrity and peacebuilding. The date of the Astana Club meeting is a symbolic date.…

Kazakh literature to be translated into United Nations languages

ASTANA – As a part of the Contemporary Kazakh Culture in a Global World project, the Kazakh National Translation Bureau is facilitating the translation of Kazakh literature into the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian languages. According to the bureau, the project, part of the Rukhani Zhangyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) programme, seeks to…

BBC, National Geographic broadcast films about Kazakhstan’s sacred places

ASTANA – Thirty short videos and several documentaries produced by the Kazakh government to showcase the country’s sacred geography as tourist destinations have been shown on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), National Geographic, Viasat history and Discovery channels. The videos and documentaries were produced by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports as part of…

Tarbagatai National Park opens in East Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The Kazakh Government recently opened the Tarbagatai National Park in the Urzhar district in the eastern Kazakhstan to preserve the area’s diverse nature, develop tourism and improve its economy. The park is Kazakhstan’s 13th national park and covers 143,550 hectares, including 7,183-hectare protected zone. The park includes the southern foothills of the Tarbagatai…

Geneva Conventions translated into Kazakh

ASTANA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the translations Oct. 29 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols into the Kazakh language. The translation demonstrates an increased presence of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) in Kazakhstan, noted Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev. “The significance of the translation…

Astana Club platform to host fourth meeting, focus on Eurasian unity

ASTANA – The Astana Club international forum will host a Nov. 12-13 annual meeting of 50 leading experts, politicians and diplomats from 33 countries. The fourth meeting will be dedicated to the prospects of building Eurasian strategic architecture in a multi polar-context and strengthening medium-sized powers’ capacity to shape a new geopolitical reality. Astana Club…

Kazakh beach volleyball team wins country’s first world tour gold-medal

ASTANA – The Kazakh beach volleyball team of Alexey Sidorenko and Alexander Dyachenko won a golden medal at the recent Caspian Sea Series World Tour in Bandar Anzali, Iran. It is the first golden medal in a world championship in the history of Kazakh beach volleyball, volley.kz reports. In the finale of the Caspian Sea…

Kazakhstan jumps 8 points in World Bank’s Doing Business ranking

ASTANA – Kazakhstan jumped from 36th last year to 28th place in the 2019 World Bank Doing Business Report released Oct. 31. Kazakhstan improved in three areas of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) score, including enforcing contracts, starting businesses and trading across borders. Kazakhstan ranked 4th overall in enforcing contracts, improving its place to…

OpenU platform to give access to worldwide-recognised textbooks in Kazakh language

ASTANA – The Kazakh National Translation Bureau is working on translating internationally recognised textbooks in social sciences and humanities into the Kazakh language in accordance with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s state-of-the-nation address. Based on their work during two years, the bureau is developing the online platform Kazakh Open University (OpenU) to make the books available…

Digitising transport and logistics will reduce costs, Kazakh minister says

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister for Investments and Development Zhenis Kassymbek briefed government officials Oct. 23 on the progress of the Digital Kazakhstan programme. According to his report, digitising transport and logistics will optimise costs and repairs for roads and transport. Digitising transport and logistics has several directions aimed at increasing road and air route transit…

Ethno tourist centre opens in West Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Sayat, an ethno tourist centre, was launched recently in Michyurin rural area of Zelenovskyi district in the West Kazakhstan region. The centre seeks to develop local tourism and create conditions for active recreation, reported the West Kazakhstan region Akimat (administration) website. Regional akim (governor) Altai Kulginov, veterans of World War II and representatives…

Kazakh make-up artist participates in shooting Crazy Rich Asians

ASTANA – Kazakh make-up artist Irina Strukova started her career during her student days. Her flair was noticed, for after working on many TV series and movies, Warner Bros. invited her to shoot the movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” reported the Steppe. Strukova entered the profession in the 1990s, when the job of a makeup artist…

Kazakhstan, Nordic Investment Bank sign agreement to fund projects in country

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s visit to Finland Oct. 16-17 resulted in 23 agreements worth $545 million, including the Framework Agreement between Kazakhstan and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) that has been in discussions since last year, reported Primeminister.kz. The Framework Agreement was signed by NIB President Henrik Normann, General Counsel Heikki Cantell and…

Kazakh Tourism promotes six travel directions in TV series

ASTANA – Journey to the Great Steppe, a July 18-Sept. 29 expedition organised by Kazakh Tourism, travelled in six different directions to visit fascinating destinations throughout the country. The trip, one of the stages in developing the nation’s tourism, has become a 60-show TV series. Kazakh Tourism met with the media Oct. 10 to present…

Kazakhstan retains position in World Economic Forum ranking

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 59th, maintaining last year’s position, on the recently-published World Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 Global Competitiveness Index (GCI). The Centre for Strategic Initiatives (CSI) held a press conference Oct. 17 to elaborate on the report, with director Bakhytzhan Sarkeyev and senior partner Olzhas Khudaibergenov answering questions. Kazakhstan has participated in the rating…

Kazakh government provides updates on five social initiatives

ASTANA – Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev chaired a meeting in the capital Oct. 16 which provided updates on the five social initiatives from President Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed earlier this year. The discussion covered housing, reducing the tax burden on low-paid workers, higher education accessibility, expanding microcredits and developing the gas pipeline infrastructure to increase its…

Qonyr Auliye underground cave becoming popular tourist attraction

ASTANA – The Qonyr Auliye underground cave has become a popular destination for local tourists because of its supposedly mysterious healing potential and a legend about the burial place of Genghis Khan, Tengrinews reports. The destination has the potential to develop into tourist destination for foreign tourists as well. The cave is located in the…

Education ministry to raise social status of teachers, improve kindergartens

ASTANA – Minister of Education and Science Yerlan Sagadiyev briefed government officials Oct. 9 on the country’s education system and development plans for the next two years. First, a new law on the status of teachers in schools will be prepared, Sagadiyev said. The law will cover ways to the raise the social status of…