Barsakelmes Nature Reserve Added to UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
ASTANA – Located in the Sahara-Gobi Desert zone of the Aral Sea basin, the Barsakelmes Nature Reserve was added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) during a meeting of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO in Lima, Peru on March 18 and 19, according to…
Top Gear’s Extreme G-Wagen Arrives in Almaty
ASTANA – Top Gear TV are shooting a series of episodes in Kazakhstan in late March and early April. Top Gear is a British television show about cars considered one of the most commercially successful television and radio shows of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). It has been airing since 1977 and is watched by…
Astana Improves Public Transport System
The Astana LRT (light rail transit) recently developed a modernisation programme for the capital transport system for 2015-2019. The company and city administration for public transport and roads conducted an analysis, identifying the following problems: low pass-through capacity of streets, growing number of public transport users, increase in cars, shortage and poor condition of public…
KazGUU Academic Diplomatic Club Hosts Farewell to UAE, Japanese Ambassadors
ASTANA – The South African Embassy to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway together with the KazGUU Academic Diplomatic Club hosted a farewell event Feb. 15 in honour of the outgoing Ambassador of Japan Masayoshi Kamohara and his spouse and the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Suhail Matar…
Moscow Commemorates 170th Anniversary of Birth of Zhambyl Zhabayev
The Union of Kazakh Youth together with the Kazakh Embassy in Moscow organised a musical evening to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the birth of Kazakh poet Zhambyl Zhabayev on Feb.16. The event was held in the Moscow House of Nationalities, where best music pieces and poems created by Zhambyl Zhabayev were performed. Zhabayev’s…
British Superb Films to Shoot Genghis Khan Movie in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Sports and British company Superb Films have agreed to cooperate in the field of culture and film arts, according to a Feb. 8 report by Kazpravda.kz with reference to the ministry’s press service. “Agreements were signed for 2016-2017 in arranging the ‘We will rock you’ musical and filming…
Kazakh Senate Ratifies Free Trade Agreement between EAEU and Vietnam
ASTANA – Members of the Kazakh Senate have adopted a law “On ratification of the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and its member states on the one hand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the other hand,” reported Kazpravda.kz on Feb. 11. “The free trade agreement with Vietnam covers areas…
Crimean Artist Creates Sand Animation about Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Famous Crimean artist and sand animation performer Kseniya Simonova has dedicated her new film to Kazakhstan, reported Kazpravda.kz on Feb. 9, citing Argumenty I Fakty Crimea. The five-minute film “Astana, My Love” is gaining popularity among Internet users. “Astana is a beautiful, new, totally unique city. I was honoured to be able to…
More than 6,000 Kazakh Citizens Received Microcredits in 2015
ASTANA – The Employment Road Map programme functioning since 2011 is already bearing fruit, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection Bauyrzhan Nurymbetov said recently at a Central Communications Service briefing. The employment road map consists of three areas: repair of social facilities and infrastructure, promotion of the self-employed population through microcredits and training for…
Iran Introduces Protective Duties for Kazakh Grain Imports
ASTANA – The Iranian government recently introduced protective duties for the import of Kazakhstan grain to protect its domestic market, according to President of Aktau International Seaport Mikhail Yalbachev. This is expected to decrease cargo traffic to Iranian sea ports from Kazakhstan. At that, cargo traffic to Azerbaijan increased and great volumes of cargo traffic from…
Russian, Kazakh Leaders Discuss Crisis in Turkish-Russian Relations
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of Russia Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral ties, the situation in Ukraine and the deterioration of Russian-Turkish relations in a Feb. 8 phone call. Putin reiterated that the current tense state of affairs is Turkey’s doing and it is Turkey who has to take steps to normalise the situation,…
National Bank to Remain in Almaty, Plans for Relocation to Astana Cancelled
The Kazakh President recently halted plans to relocate the country’s National Bank from Almaty to Astana. The government had planned to move the bank in 2017. “In two years, we are preparing to relocate the infrastructure and the head office to Astana. Nonetheless, Almaty remains a major financial centre. I think, two major cities will…
Birlik (Unity) Party Announces Participation in Early Mazhilis Election
ASTANA – On Feb. 5, the second extraordinary congress of Birlik (Unity) announced the party’s intention to run in the upcoming election for the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) and approved an eight-point electoral programme under the slogan “Clean intentions, clean actions, clean environment.” The list of Birlik candidates for the Mazhilis includes eight people.…
Kremnii Kazakhstana Sold for More Than $36 Million
ASTANA – The Investment Fund of Kazakhstan (IFK), a subsidiary of Baiterek Holding, sold 100 percent of Kremnii Kazakhstana (Silicium Kazakhstan) LLP shares to the Tau-Ken Samruk National Mining Company, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper reported Jan. 29, referring to the press service of IFK. Chair of IFK Rinat Sisembayev and Chair of Tau-Ken Samruk Mazhit Turmagambetov…
Kazakh Specialists Restore Ancient Artefacts Dated from Third Century B.C.
Artefacts dating from the third century B.C. have been restored over 16 years by specialists under the supervision of art restorer Krym Altynbekov, reported Kazpravda.kz, citing MIR 24 TV channel on Jan. 25. Artefacts, including a fox fur coat, hat and stockings of a Saka rider, were found at excavations in different regions of Kazakhstan…
Ak Zhol Party Cautious About Electoral Prospects, Reiterates Pro-Business, Anti-Crisis Agenda
ASTANA – The Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Democratic Party of Kazakhstan approved a list of 35 candidates during its Feb. 3 congress. The slate will run in the March 20 early parliamentary election for seats in the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament). Party chairman Azat Peruashev urged “pragmatism” and not nurturing “exaggerated expectations” to increase…
Communist People’s Party Nominates 22 for Mazhilis, Seeks to Increase Presence in Chamber
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s capital hosted the extraordinary congress of the Communist People’ Party (CPP) of Kazakhstan on Feb. 2. The congress delegates announced their programme for the March 20 general election and approved the list of the party’s nominees, which includes 22 names. Among them are deputies of the previous convocation of the Mazhilis (lower…
Nationwide Social Democratic Party Seeks Participation in Parliamentary Election
ASTANA – The Nationwide Social Democratic Party (NSDP) ruled during its congress on Jan. 30 in Almaty that the party should seek participation in Kazakhstan’s early parliamentary election set for March 20. The decision was approved by a clear majority of 127 out of 135 delegates of the congress, NSDP Chairman Zharmakhan Tuyakbai announced, according…
Cadet Corps Future Graduates Start Military Internships in Armed Forces
ASTANA – About 200 cadets who will graduate this year started their internships in military units and formations of Kazakh Armed Forces on Jan. 11, according to the Ministry of Defence. “For the students of the Cadet Corps of the Ministry of Defence, it is a new experience and the first opportunity to see the…
KazMunayTeniz, Rosneft Resume Exploration Works in the Caspian Sea
The press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Energy has recently announced plans to carry out additional exploration works in the Kurmangazy oil field located in the Caspian Sea. According to the statement, the abandoned wells are going to be re-monitored and proposals on additional extraction works in the field to be scheduled soon. It…
Astana Energy Companies Reduce Polluting Emissions
The Astana mayor’s office recently reported a 22 percent reduction of emissions’ volume from energy enterprises, leading to a “favourable” pollution rating. According to a city press release, 24,700 tonnes of emissions were released in 2014 with 27,200 released in 2015.Levels of nitrogen oxides also decreased by 19 percent (1,700 tonnes per year) and the…
Kazakh President Says Sports and Horse Meat Keeps him Healthy
During a TV interview aired Dec. 13, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was asked which diet he follows to stay in shape. “According to internet sources, many heads of state use various diets to be able to work with tough schedules. Some of them even do aqua-fitness or pilates. Do you practice such techniques?” asked one…
Monument Dedicated to 25th Anniversary of Independence to Be Installed in Astana
A Monument dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence will be installed in Astana next year. Yedil Alimbekov from Almaty won a national contest, reports the city akimat (administration). According to Alimbekov, the stele-shaped monument reaching into the sky will include 25 edges, each of which represents one of the milestones reached by the…
Akorda Discusses Energy Sector Development in Face of Current Global Economic Conditions
President Nursultan Nazarbayev recently met with government representatives to discuss the development of the energy sector of Kazakhstan under current economic conditions, reported the press service of the Akorda. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Karim Massimov, head of Presidential Administration Nurlan Nigmatulin and other heads of agencies and organisations involved in the energy…
National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, US Business Council Sign Cooperation MoU
The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (NCE) Atameken and the U.S. Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) signed a memorandum of understanding on Dec. 9 in Washington, according to the 24KZ TV channel. The BCIU is nonpartisan organisation founded as a White House initiative by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955. Today, it links the government and…
