Articles by Saniya Sakenova

ASTANA — The Cosband Siberia team from Russia won the Grand Prix of 3.6 million tenge (US$7,606) for their portrayal of Valkyrie’s Rage Thanatos and Ares from the video game Smite on July 28, the last day of Comic-Con Astana 2024. According to the festival’s press service, 51 participants made it to the finals of…

ASTANA – Some 30 horse riders walked along the iconic places of the Kazakh capital on the morning of July 28 in a vibrant performance organized in anticipation of the fifth World Nomad Games, reported the Astana city administration’s press service. Riders gathered in the adjacent area near the Barys Arena Ice Palace and proceeded…

ASTANA – Amendments made to the Concept for the Development of Higher Education and Science in Kazakhstan for 2023-2029 aim to enhance the quality of higher education and the effectiveness of scientific research, according to the report published by the Prime Minister’s press service on July 25. International promotion Kazakhstan is working to open branches…

ASTANA – The international horse race (baige) marathon Uly Dala Zhorygy (The Great Steppe Tour in Kazakh) will take place for the first time in Kazakhstan on the eve of the fifth World Nomad Games on Sept. 3-7. According to the National Sports Association’s press service, Uly Dala Zhorygy is a “steppe laboratory” aimed at…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prosecutor General Berik Asylov discussed key aspects and priorities in the fight against crime at the 22nd meeting of the Prosecutors General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states on July 25 in Bishkek. According to the Kazakh Prosecutor’s General press service, heads of prosecutor’s offices in Belarus, India, Iran, China,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s foreign trade surpassed $55 billion in the first five months of 2024, according to the report published by the Prime Minister’s press service on July 26. Priority markets for Kazakh exports Traditionally, the top three trading partners include China, Russia, and the European Union (EU). In January-May, exports from Kazakhstan increased by…

ASTANA — CEO of KazMunayGas (KMG) Askhat Khassenov discussed key cooperation issues at a meeting with President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Rovshan Najaf during his visit to Baku on July 24-26. According to the KMG’s press statement, the officials noted a stable supply of Kazakh oil. In 2023, 1.057 million tons…

ASTANA – Tazy hunting dog is an ancient breed that has taken a strong place on the phylogenetic tree after experiencing a genetic bottleneck around 50 generations ago, said Candidate of Biological Sciences, Professor Bakytzhan Bekmanov, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s press service reported on July 23. The Tazy, a national treasure of…

ASTANA – Kazakh First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin confirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to global nuclear disarmament at the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on July 22 in Geneva. As stated by the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service, the Second Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of…

ASTANA – The Kazakh capital is preparing to host 100,000 tourists from Kazakhstan and around the world for the fifth World Nomad Games, said Ablai Kondybayev, deputy head of the directorate for preparation and hosting, Kazinform reported on July 23. The games will be held in six key venues in Astana: the Astana Arena stadium,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan offers vacationers stunning natural attractions, from Swiss-like landscapes and American-style canyons to unique beautiful lakes, some with healing waters and breathtaking mountains. Popular vacation spots include the Caspian Sea, Alakol and Balkhash lakes, the Burabay resort, and the Kapshagai reservoir. Here’s a detailed look at what these destinations offer and the costs…

ASTANA – The G7 countries are ready to invest up to $200 billion in infrastructure projects in Central Asia, and Kazakhstan is one of the main destinations for these investments, Acting Special Coordinator for the Partnership on Global Infrastructure Investment (PGI) in the United States (U.S.) Department of State Helaina Matza said at a July…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have launched the new air corridor T916, enhancing flight routes between Europe and Southeast Asia. This strategic addition, as reported by the Civil Aviation Committee on July 22, is expected to increase in traffic towards the end of the summer season as airlines familiarize themselves with the route.  Although the…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan signed a roadmap with Iran, Turkmenistan, and Russia to synchronously develop the eastern route of the North-South international transport corridor for 2024-2025 at the first transport trade and export forum, held July 19-20 in Aktau. According to the Kazakh Transport Ministry’s press service, the North-South transport corridor, with its final destination in…

ASTANA – The unique natural and climatic conditions of the East Kazakhstan Region make it an increasingly popular destination among tourists. Last year, the domestic tourist flow to the region grew by 2.7% to over 350,000 vacationers, as was reported during a July 19 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. According to the…

ASTANA — The Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) is set to launch the first Kazakh large language model (LLM) on Dec. 16, the thirty-third anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence, as reported during a July 18 briefing at Nazarbayev University (NU). According to the university’s press service, ISSAI began collecting data in March and…

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek presented several initiatives and projects aimed at developing the higher education and science system to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a meeting on July 19. In a press statement released by Akorda, the minister noted that opening of 25 branches of foreign universities in Kazakhstan…

ASTANA – Seventy-seven military personnel of Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces have completed a six-month intensive English language training course at the Center for Peacekeeping Operations of the Ministry of Defense (KAZCENT), KAZCENT’s press service reported on July 19. Colonel Bauyrzhan Nigmetullin, head of the center, congratulated the graduates on their achievement. “Serving as part of a…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has made significant progress towards creating a market economy and has attracted substantial foreign investment to develop its abundant mineral, petroleum, and natural gas resources, according to the recent publication by the United States (U.S.) Department of State.  Investment attractiveness Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has attracted considerable foreign direct investment (FDI). As…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Meat Processing and Service company, Agro Silk Way, and Agro Product Astana signed three contracts worth $75 million for meat export and the supply of live cattle to China at a meeting between Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and the management of Chinese companies CITIC Construction and Beijing Capital Agro on July…

ASTANA – The National Museum of Kazakhstan has presented a catalog of its best masterpieces of fine art released as part of the exhibition Painting of the Steppe: Symbols, Colors, Images, dedicated to the museum’s 10th anniversary, Kazinform reported on July 15. The exhibition features works by renowned Kazakh artists, including Abylkhan Kasteyev, Aubakir Ismailov,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan exported 2.6 million tons of grain in January-May this year, Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov said at a meeting on July 15. According to the ministry’s press statement, the primary buyers of Kazakh grain were Uzbekistan, China, Tajikistan, Italy, and Afghanistan. Notably, exports to China surged by 66%, from 152,800 tons in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is keen on strengthening investment cooperation and jointly developing new markets with Turkish partners, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Nazira Nurbayeva said during negotiations with 35 large Turkish holdings from July 9 to 12 in Istanbul. According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service, with the assistance of Kazakhstan’s Consulate General in Istanbul…

ASTANA — Based on best world practices, the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry and the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, developed a draft law on artificial intelligence (AI) at a July 16 government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. This draft…

ASTANA – Pavel Durov, founder of the largest social networking site VK and the Telegram messenger app, recently returned from Kazakhstan, “the economic powerhouse of Central Asia,” stating that the country’s beauty “can only be rivaled by its ambitions,” according to his Telegram post on July 15. “The country attracts international companies and tech startups…