Kazakhstan’s SME Sector Reaches New Economic Milestones

ALMATY – Supporting small and medium-sized businesses remains one of Kazakhstan’s top priorities. As a result of sustained policy measures, Kazakhstan has seen consistent growth in the...


Kazakhstan Secures Six Medals, Finishes Second at IBA World Championships

ALMATY – Kazakhstan delivered a powerful performance at the 2025 IBA Boxing World Championships in Dubai on Dec. 4-13, securing second place in the overall medal standings...


President Tokayev to Pay Official Visit to Japan This Week

ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay an official visit to Japan on Dec. 18-20, according to the Akorda press service. During the visit, Tokayev will hold...


Kazakhstan Releases First Textbook on Using Development Aid as Soft Power Tool

ALMATY – The Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID), in partnership with Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU), has released the country’s first comprehensive textbook dedicated to Official...


Turkic Heritage Takes Spotlight on Global Cultural Stage

ASTANA – This Sunday, Dec. 15, marks World Turkic Language Family Day, a date established by UNESCO to celebrate and promote the Turkic language family spoken by...


Kazakh Family Preserves Generations of Tazy Breeding

ASTANA — A family in the Kerbulak district of Kazakhstan’s Zhetisu Region has spent decades preserving and developing the tazy, an ancient Kazakh sighthound prized for its...


Kazakh Unity and Warrior Courage Define Survival in Dzungar Wars, Historian Says

ASTANA – The courage of Kazakh warriors, known as batyrs, and the people’s unity were decisive in ensuring the Kazakhs’ survival during the centuries-long Kazakh–Dzungar wars, a...


Kazakhstan to Launch Restoration Works on 39 Historical and Cultural Sites in 2026

ALMATY – The Ministry of Culture and Information Committee has approved an updated list of historical and cultural monuments scheduled for scientific restoration in 2026. The national...


Almaty’s Cultural Landmarks You Shouldn’t Miss

ASTANA – Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, is often described as the nation’s cultural capital. Its vast network of museums, galleries and contemporary art spaces continues to strengthen...


Astana Airport Launches Automated Border Control System to Speed Up Passenger Clearance

ALMATY – The Astana International Airport has introduced a new Automated Border Control System (ABCS), designed to significantly reduce processing times and improve the overall travel experience...


Kazakh Scientists Develop Ice Cream and Yogurt Made From Camel Milk

ALMATY – Scientists at the food safety research laboratory of the Zhangir Khan West Kazakhstan Agrarian and Technical University have developed innovative dairy products, including ice cream...


News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Diplomacy, Green Energy, Cultural Recognition and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected key articles from international media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Kazakhstan,...


Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan Strengthen Regional Push for Connectivity and Peace

ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Ashgabat on Dec. 11 to participate in a high-level forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the...


Kazakhstan’s National Bank Reserves Rise to $62.1 Billion as Gold Portfolio Expands

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s gross international reserves rose to $62.1 billion in November, driven by a sharp increase in the National Bank’s (NBK) gold holdings, even as the...


Kazakhstan, Holy See Advance Interfaith Cooperation in Peacebuilding and Global Ethics

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Senate (Parliament’s upper chamber) Chairperson Maulen Ashimbayev led a parliamentary delegation to the Vatican on Dec. 11, where he personally delivered President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s...


Kazakhstan Clarifies Oil Transport Capacity and Logistics Adjustments Amid CPC Terminal Repairs

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy reported that the incident at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s (CPC) marine terminal did not have a critical impact on the country’s...


Kazakhstan, Iran Aim to Boost Trade to $2 Billion

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian took part in the Kazakhstan–Iran Business Forum in Astana on Dec. 11, reaffirming the growing economic...


Giving Heartbeat to Data: Central Asian Female Artists Challenge Silence Through Art

Data often sounds distant and pale until it touches your background. Standing in front of installations built from statistics on femicide, violence, unequal pay, and education gaps,...


EDB: Kazakhstan Drives Surge in Central Asia’s Intra-Regional Investment

ASTANA — Intra-regional foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central Asia has surged to $1.3 billion, a 42% increase from 2023, with nearly 80% of the capital directed...


AIFC Establishes International Islamic Finance Advisory Board

ASTANA – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has established an Islamic Finance Advisory Board, uniting leading global experts from Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and...


Mid-December Highlights: Live Performances, Historical Exhibitions, and More

ASTANA –  The upcoming weekend will be extended in celebration of Independence Day on Dec. 16, marking 34 years since Kazakhstan’s Supreme Council declared the country’s independence...


Astana and Tehran Elevate Partnership as Presidents Highlight Shared Vision and Regional Role

ASTANA – Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a joint statement on Dec. 11, emphasizing the deep historical ties between Kazakhstan and Iran, the steady growth...


Exhibition of Kazakh National Jewelry Opens at Presidential Center

ASTANA – An exhibition of national jewelry dedicated to Independence Day opened at the Presidential Center on Dec. 10, showcasing the richness of Kazakh jewelry art. Over...


Kazakhstan, Iran Boost Trade and Strategic Ties

ASTANA — Kazakhstan and Iran not only maintain a constructive political dialogue but are also seeing growing trade and economic ties, with trade up 40% in just...


Kazakh Language Support Endowment Fund Receives 100-Fold Boost

ASTANA – The Kazakh language continues to gain momentum through major educational, cultural, and technological initiatives, highlighted at the annual congress of the Kazakh Language International Society...


Kyrgyz Constitutional Court Rules Against Reinstating Death Penalty

ASTANA – The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic has ruled that bringing back the death penalty is unacceptable and legally impossible. The decision came on Dec....


Kazakhstan Highlights Human Rights and Penitentiary Reform at International Conference

ASTANA – Kazakhstan reaffirmed its commitment to human rights and the modernization of its penal system at a high-level conference on International Human Rights Day on Dec....


ADB Warns Asia’s Water Security Gains at Risk Amid Climate Pressures and Funding Gap

ASTANA – More than 60% of Asia and the Pacific’s population – around 2.7 billion people – has been lifted from extreme water insecurity over the past...


Astana to Host Int’l Badminton Championship in December

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s capital will host the Astana International Challenge 2025, a major international badminton tournament, scheduled to take place at the Beeline Arena on Dec. 17-21....


Human Rights Day Event Highlights Role of Independent Media in Strengthening Kazakh Society

ASTANA — A roundtable in Astana explored how independent media can strengthen public trust and support a resilient, democratic society in Kazakhstan to mark Human Rights Day...