Articles by Zhanna Shayakhmetova

Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources to Implement Projects on Pollution Reduction, Water Resources Management

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources has announced plans to develop the Zhasyl Kazakhstan (Green Kazakhstan) project and a new project on water resources management, according to a Feb. 2 report by the ministry’s press service. The project planning stage is set to be completed by July.  The objective of…

More Than 40 Projects Approved for Financing as Part of Almaty Business 2025 Program

NUR-SULTAN – Forty-two projects worth 8.3 billion tenge (US$19 million) will be implemented as part of the Almaty Business 2025 entrepreneurship development program, reported the press service of the regional administration. This will create more than a hundred jobs. The Almaty Business 2025 program aims to create favorable conditions for doing business, increasing financing, reducing…

KazISS Ranks First Among Central Asian Institutions in 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) under the President of Kazakhstan has beaten out the competition to rank first among top think tanks in Central Asia out of 58 nominations in the region in 2020, according to the 2020 edition of the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Go To Think-Tank Index released Jan.…

Kazakhstan Observes Increase in Foreign Investment Over 3 Years Since Joining WTO, says Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov took part Jan. 29 in an Informal Meeting of Trade Ministers of the World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries, the ministry’s press service reported.  Trade ministers and heads of representations to the WTO in Geneva from 36 countries attended an online event dedicated to…

Almaty Volunteers Launch Make-A-Wish Concept Charity Project to Help Children in Need

NUR-SULTAN– The Year of the Volunteer has inaugurated a plethora of volunteer movements and actions nationwide in 2020. The Menin Armanym (My Dream) project is a unique initiative in Kazakhstan and Central Asia as the fund helps to fulfill the wishes of children with physical disabilities and serious health conditions.  Launched in October 2020, the…

Kazakhstan Ranks 94 in 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, Jumps Up 19 Positions

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has jumped up 19 positions and now ranks 94th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released Jan. 28 by Transparency International. Brazil, Ethiopia, Peru, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Tanzania also took the 94th position along with Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan leads by 38 points in the…

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University to Launch Science and Technology Center for IT and Healthcare Innovations

NUR-SULTAN – Almaty-based Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) announced plans to create the Al-Farabi Science and Technology Center, the university’s press service reported Jan. 25. KazNU and the Görkem Co Turkish company signed an investment agreement for the construction of facilities and training of specialists in the field of IT-technologies, innovations and medicine. As part…

Kazakhstan’s MOST Business Incubator Launches Venture Fund for Best Technology Startups and Innovators

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s MOST Business Incubator launched a $10 million private venture fund in late December, the company’s press service reported.  The MOST Ventures Fund I plans to invest in startups from Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Siberia. It is expected to organize acceleration programs in the Investment Readiness Accelerator format…

Central Election Commission: Nur Otan Party Leads in Kazakhstan’s Parliamentary Elections, Two Parties Win Seats in Majilis

NUR-SULTAN – The Nur Otan Party won a majority of the votes in the Majilis (the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament) election and leads with 71.09 percent of votes, the Secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Sabila Mustafina reported at the Jan.11 briefing.  According to the preliminary results, the Ak Zhol Democratic Party…

Kazakh Parliamentary Election Begins Nationwide

NUR-SULTAN – The parliamentary election for the Majilis (a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament) and the Maslikhats (local representative bodies) has begun in the country on Jan.10.  According to the Central Election Commission, more than 10,000 polling stations are opened in 14 regions and three cities of national significance – Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Shymkent.…

Le Figaro Newspaper Includes Kazakhstan in World’s Top Authentic Travel Destinations For 2021

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has been included in the list of 21 recommended  destinations around the world in 2021, by the French newspaper Le Figaro.  Zambia, Palau, Spitsbergen, Malta, Swiss Alps, Costa Rica, Greece, Singapore and other countries and territories are also featured in the review.  In its travel section, 2021 is called a year of…

Dimash Kudaibergen to Perform at 2021 Inauguration Celebrations of US President-Elect

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh popular singer Dimash Kudaibergen will take part at the 2021 Inauguration celebrations of United States President-elect Joe Biden on Jan,17, Interfax Kazakhstan reported. Due to the pandemic, this year’s gala will be held virtually. The host of the premier gala the Sister Cities International announced the theme of the event to be…

Kazakhstan Adopts New Environmental Code with Focus on Eco-Friendly Technology in Manufacturing, More Green Projects

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed Kazakhstan’s new environmental code into law Jan. 2,  reported the Akorda Press.  The document will enter into force July 1, 2021. “The experts in the Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources, the public and deputies worked on this strategic document. The code meets all modern challenges and…

Kazakhstan Schedules International Flights to 12 Countries For New Year’s Holidays

NUR-SULTAN – International flights from Kazakhstan will be performed to 12 countries and 19 destinations in the period from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development reported. “Overall, 54 flights are scheduled. The list of destinations includes Belarus, Egypt, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Russia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates,…

Major Events and Headlines in Kazakhstan That Shaped 2020

NUR-SULTAN – This has been a most unusual year for all. Kazakhstan as well as the other nations have experienced one of the most challenging periods with the pandemic outbreak. Its consequences affected not only the lives of individuals, but the entire universe.   Remarkably, the world community learnt that every person’s actions matter. This year…

Ferroalloy and Sinter Plants to be Built in Karaganda Region

NUR-SULTAN – The construction of the ferroalloy and sinter plants has been launched as part of the Business Roadmap 2025 initiative in Karaganda, the regional press service reported.    The production capacity of the plants are 57,000 tons of ferroalloys and 240,000 tons of sinter per year. 100-percent locally sourced content is a significant factor…

Kazakh Director Wins Best Documentary Film Award at Qatar’s Ajyal Film Festival

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh director Alina Mustafina’s film “Ander” won the Best Documentary Film Award at Qatar’s Ajyal Film Festival this November.  The film is also included in the program of the Short Film Market at France’s  Clermont Ferrand film festival, which will be held in February 2021. Earlier, the film received the special jury prize…

AIX Announces Growth of Monthly Trading Indicators, Brings Stock Market Innovations to Investors

NUR-SULTAN – The Astana International Exchange (AIX) is seeing positive trends in its activities as monthly trading in November has increased up to $3.7 million compared with $659,000 in the same month last year, which translates to a six-fold increase, the press service of the organization reported.  Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively…

Astana Opera House Presents “The Elixir of Love” Opera ahead of New Year Holidays

NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Opera House will stage Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “The Elixir of Love” (“L’Elisir d’Amore”) Dec. 26-27 in the Kazakh capital, the theatre’s press service announced.  The stunning, bright dresses and large-scale sets including a hot air balloon are expected to draw viewers to one of the most frequently performed of Donizetti’s operas.…

Observers of Kazakh Federation of Trade Unions Launch Hotline to Ensure Voting Rights of Workers

NUR-SULTAN – The headquarters of the Kazakh Federation of Trade Unions’ (KFTU) observers launched a special hotline to receive complaints on violations of citizens’ electoral rights during the electoral period, the organization’s press service reported Dec.21. People can report about any incidents related to the upcoming elections by calling +7 775 005 4242.  The federation…

Prime Minister Takes Part in Inauguration of New Construction Plant in Kazakh Capital

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin took part in the opening of the ModeX construction plant in Nur-Sultan, reported the Prime Minister’s office.  The design capacity of the modular plant is 200,000 square meters of housing per year. 500,000 more square meters of housing are planned for 2023. The plant will create more than…

EU Scholarship Recipients from Afghanistan Begin Their Studies in Kazakh University

NUR-SULTAN – Ten recipients of the scholarships funded by the European Union (EU) from Afghanistan are set to start their online English language classes at the Almaty Management University (AlmaU) Language School, the press service of the EU Delegation in Kazakhstan reported. Upon completion, they will study mining at the Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU).  In…

Kazakh, UK Officials Discuss Bilateral Economic and Trade Links at Meeting of Intergovernmental Commission

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom confirm their plan to further expand their strategic partnership in the post-COVID-19 period. This was announced at the seventh plenary session of the Kazakh-British Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation (IGC) which was held virtually on Dec. 9. The direct investment from the U.K.…

Astana Opera House Set to Premiere “Call of the Steppe” National Ballet

NUR-SULTAN – The “Call of the Steppe” ballet will be premiered on Dec.12-13 at the Astana Opera House in the Kazakh capital, reported the theatre’s press service.  The national ballet is set to the music of Kazakh composer Tles Kazhgaliyev and staged by German choreographer Patrick de Bana. The author of the libretto is Kazakh…

Superheroes Among Us: UN in Kazakhstan Presents Exhibition Dedicated to Strong, Independent Women on Frontline of COVID-19 response

NUR-SULTAN – Determined, charming and courageous. This is how the superwomen are described in the United Nations (UN) photo exhibition dedicated to women on the frontline of the COVID-19 response in the Kazakh capital.  The event is held as part of the 16 Days of Activism – a part of the Gender Violence against Women…