Articles by ASSEL SATUBALDINA

ASTANA  – Two days since a fire broke out in the Batpayev forestry in the Abai Region, with large areas of forest and grasslands being engulfed in flames, the fire has been declared under control, said Nurbolat Derbisov, chairman of the Fire Service Committee at the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations.  Additional rescuers from the…

ASTANA – Astana International Forum (AIF) is an important addition to major economic forums held annually, said Bart W. Édes, Professor of Practice at McGill University and distinguished fellow at Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in an interview with The Astana Times.  The forum will commence on June 8 with the plenary session addressed by…

ASTANA – The bustling Kazakh capital is set to host the highly anticipated Astana International Forum (AIF) this week, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and prominent figures from various fields to engage in an inspiring dialogue aimed at shaping the future of humanity.  The forum, scheduled to commence on June 8, promises to be a…

ASTANA – Rodina (Motherland) village, located 70 kilometers from the capital city Astana in the middle of the steppe, is the kind of spot the nation sees as the future of energy. Having its own wind turbines, the Rodina village generates enough electricity to meet its needs. The village is one of the few examples…

ASTANA – On May 30, Astana hosted the 10th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic and Industrial Cooperation. Chaired by Kazakh Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev and Secretary of State for Trade of Spain Xiana Margarida Méndez Bértolo, the meeting reaffirmed the strong willingness to explore new opportunities for cooperation beyond…

ASTANA –  The TopIQ platform offers digital books to children and teachers, spearheading a digital revolution along with other startups in the Kazakh education sector by harnessing technologies to enhance education opportunities for children.  Starting as an idea during the pandemic, the platform, developed by Almatykitap, one of the nation’s oldest publishing houses, has found…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to China was a major highlight of last week. The milestone China-Central Asia summit on May 19, which welcomed Tokayev and other Central Asian leaders in Xian, drew global attention, with leaders reaffirming their plans to strengthen cooperation with China. According to Kazakhstan’s experts, the country should…

ASTANA – Cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union (EU) is taking a new turn amid the ongoing geopolitical shifts and will continue to grow with a focus on connectivity, sustainable growth and economic development, according to experts.  “Since the Central Asian countries gained independence, we have had stable strategic relations with the EU.…

ASTANA – In recent years, the Central Asia and Caucasus regions have been facing a myriad of complex challenges that require concerted efforts and regional cooperation. Ranging from climate change impact to food insecurity and economic effects of geopolitical conflicts, these challenges are deeply intertwined and cannot be effectively addressed in isolation. Asian Development Bank…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economy is forecast to grow 4.3% in 2023, up from 3.2% in 2022, driven by the normalization of oil production and expansion of the country’s giant Tengiz field, said Subir Lall, Deputy Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund. Lall spoke in Astana on May…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s recent parliamentary election saw the emergence of new political forces that aim to create positive changes in the country. A young Respublica party, focused on economic development and entrepreneurship, has managed to navigate the complexities of the political landscape, securing seats in the Mazhilis (lower house of the Parliament) and bringing fresh…

ASTANA – Jordan and Kazakhstan have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations for over three decades, yet there is significant untapped potential, according to the country’s Ambassador in Astana Yousef Abdelghani. Abdelghani, who has been on his mission to Kazakhstan since 2019, sat down for an interview with The Astana Times to discuss the current state of…

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov paid an official visit to Tehran on April 26, meeting with senior Iranian officials to enhance bilateral ties. Export contracts worth $60 million, bilateral documents in tourism, sport, youth work, customs training, and an agreement to develop transportation between the ports of Kuryk and Amirabad are among the…

ASTANA – Bike for Peace, a global nuclear disarmament movement from Norway, is eager to foster cooperation with Kazakhstan, said Bike for Peace President Tore Naerland in an interview with The Astana Times.  Naerland and the delegation from Norway were on a week-long visit to Kazakhstan April 13-22, meeting with senior officials and young people…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan, a vast and resource-rich country in Central Asia, is home to some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves. With such an abundance, the country’s gas industry plays a vital role in fueling economic development and energy security, both domestically and internationally. Yet, some critical challenges remain, including meeting domestic demand, export…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired a meeting in Astana on April 19, focusing on the nation’s socio-economic development. He once again exhorted the government to work more efficiently to address the country’s urgent problems as it tries to navigate the challenging times externally and internally.  The meeting, which took place less than a month…

ASTANA – The Astana Qazaqstan Team, a professional road cycling racing team based in Kazakhstan, aims to enter the world’s top 18 teams, said Alexander Vinokurov, former professional road cyclist and the team’s general manager, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. Astana Qazaqstan Team was founded in 2006 and has since then competed…

ASTANA – During a visit to Kazakhstan on April 10, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with the two leaders showing a solid commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. Key outcomes included the decision to establish a Supreme Interstate Council and six memorandums of cooperation to foster partnership in the development…

ASTANA – Assisting the countries in Central Asia to promote efficient water and energy management is one of the key missions of the new Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change for Central Asia presented by the European Union in 2021. Johannes Baur, Head of Сooperation at the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, spoke…

ASTANA – The first game of the 2023 World Chess Championship on April 9 between two chess titans, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren, ended in a draw in what was a highly anticipated face-off in the championship hosted in Kazakh capital Astana until May 1.  The championship organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) will…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to change the focus of its economic policy, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his address to the first session of the Kazakh Parliament on March 29, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev outlined the key steps to tackle the challenges facing the nation following the March 19 election to the…

ASTANA –  The government of Kazakhstan has resigned today, March 29, before the beginning of the new session of the Parliament of the eighth convocation, reads the presidential decree published on the Akorda website.  Following the election to the Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, on March 19, “the government shall resign its…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Belgium share a parallel destiny and common values of peace, reflected in the diverse traditions of the two countries, said Henri Vantieghem, Ambassador of Belgium to Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, in an exclusive interview with The Astana Times. From trade and investment to cultural exchange and political cooperation, Kazakhstan…

As the latest parliamentary election in Kazakhstan came to a close, the nation is abuzz with anticipation for what the future holds. With the votes tallied and the final results announced, it became clear that the election had produced a mix of familiar faces and newcomers. With the last year’s constitutional changes, Mazhilis, a lower…

ASTANA – A total 54.19 percent of eligible voters have cast their ballots in the parliamentary election in Kazakhstan as of 10 p.m. Astana time, as polling stations closed at 8 p.m. nationwide, announced Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chairman Konstantin Petrov during a press briefing today.  Voting ended at 9 p.m. local Astana time…