Regions of Kazakhstan Join Construction of EXPO 2017, As Medical Staff Learn English
ASTANA – The government administrations and a number of district manufacturers from the Kostanai, Pavlodar and Karaganda regions signed memorandums of cooperation with the Astana EXPO 2017 national company on Dec. 28 to participate in the national effort to host the international exposition EXPO 2017 from June 10 to Sept. 10, 2017 in Astana. The…
Issekeshev Appointed Investment Ombudsman, One Stop Shop for Investors Expands
ASTANA – In connection with Kazakhstan’s aim to become one of the top 30 most developed countries in the world, the government is striving to ensure effective efforts to attract foreign investment flow into the country. These efforts recently included two important developments, the naming of an investment ombudsman and the establishment of a one-stop…
Astana EXPO 2017 Announces Winners of Journalism Competition
ASTANA – The country’s national company Astana EXPO 2017 announced the winners of its first competition among local journalists on Dec. 24. The competition, which began in June, was held among national, regional and online media. The idea of the competition was to cover in the best possible way the upcoming international specialised exhibition EXPO…
President Details Reforms, ‘Path to the Kazakhstan Dream’
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Plan of the Nation to create the pillars of a developed democratic and economically strong state came into effect Jan. 1. On Jan. 6, the Akorda presidential residence website published an article by President Nursultan Nazarbayev titled, “Plan of the Nation – The Path to the Kazakhstan Dream,” which provided details on…
Eurasian Economic Commission to Welcome Dialogue with European Commission, Says Outgoing Chair
ASTANA – The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) became a globally-recognised entity during its first year of operation and in 2016 will continue to strengthen and seek to have a concrete dialogue with the European Union, said outgoing Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Chairman Viktor Khristenko in a New Year’s message. His comments, made Dec. 31, were…
Kazakhstan Supports, Participates in Implementing Iran Nuclear Deal
ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev said Dec. 30 that Kazakhstan welcomes progress in implementing the agreement between the international community and Iran, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme, and the opportunity to participate in the process. In a detailed statement released by the Akorda presidential residence on the same…
Kazakh FM Says Multivector Foreign Policy Proves its Viability in Face of Challenges
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s multivector foreign policy has proven its effectiveness against the backdrop of growing challenges internationally, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov said during a Dec. 23 press conference to discuss the foreign ministry’s 2015 work and plans for the next year. He listed numerous landmark events and achievements during the year. First, Idrissov noted the…
EAEU Elects Kazakhstan 2016 Chair During Moscow Heads of State Meeting
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev took part in the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in Moscow Dec. 21. Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan and Chairman of the Board of…
SCO Prime Ministers Meet in China, Focus on Boosting Economic Ties in Times of Crisis
The 14th meeting of the Council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states took place Dec. 14 in Zhengzhou (Henan province), China, reported the organisation’s website. Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov, Chinese Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariev, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Tajik Prime…
Kazakh PM Visits China, Expands Economic Ties Further
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov participated Dec. 12-13 in the third session of the Kazakh-Chinese Business Council (KCBC) in Beijing, China, and visited Hong Kong, reported the prime minister’s website. Following the conference, the sides signed a package of bilateral commercial documents totalling more than $10 billion. The agreements included memorandums of cooperation between Kazakhtelecom…
Kazakhstan Marks Human Rights Day
ASTANA – A round table discussion devoted to Human Rights Day organised by the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan took place in Astana Dec.10. The round table was chaired by Secretary of State Gulshara Abdykalikova, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Human Rights Commission Kuanysh Sultanov and Deputy Foreign Minister Samat Ordabayev. The event included…
ISTC Opens Headquarters in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan became an official host state for the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) as of Dec. 9, when the agreement on the continuation of ISTC activities in Kazakhstan was signed by Kazakh Minister of Education and Science Aslan Sarinzhipov, the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan reported. The ISTC headquarters will be located at…
UN Adopts Nuclear-Weapons-Free World Declaration initiated by Kazakhstan
ASTANA – During its Dec. 7 plenary session, the United Nations General Assembly (GA) approved the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World put forward by Kazakhstan and co-sponsored by 35 countries. The idea was initiated by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. in April…
Dutch PM Rutte Meets Kazakh President, Prime Minister in Astana
ASTANA – Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte arrived in Astana Dec. 2 for an official visit which was intended to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries and which included the signing of an official agreement on the Netherlands’ participation in EXPO 2017. Rutte held meetings with Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan…
Book on 19th Century Journey to Kazakh Steppe Published in London
“South to the Great Steppe: the travels of Thomas and Lucy Atkinson in Eastern Kazakhstan 1847–52,” a book by award-winning British author and journalist Nick Fielding about a journey through Kazakhstan, was published in London Nov. 27. The book describes the journey of Thomas and Lucy Atkinson in the 19th century to the Zhetysu area…
Kazakh FM Visits Iran, Discusses Bilateral Cooperation
ASTANA – Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov was received by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and met with the country’s government officials during his visit to Tehran Nov. 24 for talks on intensifying bilateral cooperation in trade, economy, investment, the energy sector and infrastructure. Rouhani praised Kazakhstan’s initiatives in international security and cooperation as well…
Kazakhstan Willing to Supply Gas via Proposed TAPI Pipeline to India, FM Says
ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov took part in the third Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), held Nov. 23 in Tehran, stressing that Kazakhstan is willing to supply up to 3 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually through a proposed pipeline from Turkmenistan to India. Hosted by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the summit…
Scientific Conference in Moscow Focuses on Kazakh History
The international scientific-practical conference “From the Turkic El to the Kazakh Khanate” was held Nov. 16 at the Russian State Library, noted the Kazakh Foreign Ministry website. The event was organised by the Institute of Asian and African Studies (IAAS) at Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Eastern Literature Centre of the Russian State Library,…
Kazakh, Afghan Presidents Agree to Expand Trade, Economic Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met Nov. 20 with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani when the latter paid his first official visit to Astana. The heads of state discussed the main directions of bilateral cooperation, including trade and economy, transit and transport, agriculture and cultural and humanitarian collaboration, as well as exchanged views on…
New Law to Give Public Greater Access to Government Information
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the law “On access to information” on Nov. 16, the press service of the Akorda reported. The document is aimed at the implementation of the 100-step Plan of the Nation that is the vehicle for enacting the country’s five institutional reforms programme and ensuring constitutional rights of…
Expert Group Discusses Legal Status of Caspian Sea
ASTANA – The 42nd regular session of the working group on the Convention of the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea opened at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry in Astana Nov. 18. The need to prepare and sign the convention was reiterated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev Sept. 29 at the fourth Caspian Summit in Astrakhan, when he suggested it…
Astana Condemns Act of Terror on Downed Russian Plane, Offers Condolences to Russian People
ASTANA – “Kazakhstan strongly condemns the act of terrorism perpetrated on board the Russian A321 passenger plane of Kogalymavia Airlines flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to Saint Petersburg on Oct. 31, 2015,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan said in a Nov. 17 statement. “Kazakhstan expresses its support for collective efforts in countering the global threat of…
Afghan President Speaks With Kazakh Journalists before Visit to Astana
ASTANA – Khabar Agency reporters visited Kabul Nov. 16 to interview President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on the eve of his official visit to Kazakhstan, discussing security, the narcotics trade, his country’s economic potential and ongoing reform efforts. There are several major drivers of insecurity, Ghani said, including targeting by global and regional terrorist…
Kazakh Muslim Leaders Denounce Paris Attacks
ASTANA – The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan condemned the terrorist acts in Paris in a statement issued Nov. 15, reported the official website of the association. “We strongly denounce the actions of those who organised the terrorist attacks in Paris. We express our deepest condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the…
Nazarbayev Visits French Embassy in Astana, Expresses Condolences
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev visited the Embassy of France in Astana Nov. 16 and left a note in the book of condolences opened after the Paris terror attacks of Nov. 13. Nazarbayev stressed that he came to express condolences on his behalf and that of the people of Kazakhstan, especially taking into…
