Kazakhstan’s Trade Surplus Hits $20.1 Billion in Ten Months of 2024
ASTANA — Kazakhstan recorded a foreign trade surplus of $20.1 billion from January to October 2024, a 33.4% year-on-year (y/y) increase from $15.0 billion in the same period of 2023, Halyk Finance investment bank reported on Dec. 20, citing the Bureau of National Statistics. This is the highest trade balance in the past four years,…
Serik Zhumangarin Appointed as Kazakhstan’s New Minister of National Economy
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed Serik Zhumangarin as the new Minister of National Economy on Dec. 21, relieving him of his previous position, reported Akorda. Zhumangarin retains the post of Deputy Prime Minister, which he has held since 2022. This follows the dismissal of Nurlan Baibazarov, who held the post for less than a…
Kazakh Content Growth Spotlighted, Mufasa Dubbed in Kazakh
ASTANA – Maulen Ashimbayev, the chairman of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, highlighted the importance of preserving national identity through content creation in the creative industry development during the QazaqSham forum on Dec. 18 in Astana, reported Khabar TV. “According to research, Kazakh youth now prefer to view and distribute domestic…
Kazakhstan to Transfer Two Airports to Trust Management
ASTANA – Airports in Turkistan and Kyzylorda will be placed under the trust management of Vietnam’s Sovico Group, Vice Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov announced during the Global Avia Day international forum on Dec. 18 in Astana, reported Kazinform. “Sovico Group plans to enter the Kazakh market, acquire Qazaq Air, and expand its fleet with…
Kazakhstan Expands Air Routes Network to 22 International Destinations in 2024
ASTANA – This year, Kazakhstan has expanded its international air route network to 22 new destinations, Vice Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov said at a government meeting on Dec. 17, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. International network Now, international flights are operated to 31 countries, including Russia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia,…
Turkistan City to Receive Special Status as Spiritual and Historical Capital
ASTANA – The Mazhilis, a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, approved in its first reading a draft law granting Turkistan the special status of the spiritual and historical capital at a plenary session on Dec. 18, reported the Mazhilis’s press service. The legislation aims to preserve Turkistan’s historical appearance by establishing a reserve of…
Kazakhstan to Establish $1 Billion Venture Capital Fund Backed by Private Investment
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to establish a Fund of Venture Capital Funds, targeting $1 billion in private investment in the medium term. This was revealed during a Dec. 19 meeting between Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and leading venture capital experts, Kazakh business community representatives, and international partners. According to the Prime Minister’s press service,…
Kazakh Eco-Startups Set to Compete at UNIDO Global Event in Istanbul and COP30 in Brazil
ASTANA – Five Kazakh eco-startups have received the opportunity to represent their country at the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) competition in Istanbul in 2025, following their success at the 2024 Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) finals in Astana on Dec. 12. These projects have earned cash prizes and the chance to present their projects…
Cargo Transport via Middle Corridor Surges to 4.1 Million Tons in 11 Months
ASTANA – The volume of cargo transported through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, rose by 63% in the first 11 months of 2024, reaching 4.1 million tons, the Prime Minister’s press service reported on Dec. 17, summarizing this year’s results. Middle Corridor During the same period, container traffic…
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…
