Kazakh FM Urges More Practical SCO as Global Turbulence Reshapes Regional Priorities
ALMATY – The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is increasingly shifting from a platform centered on political dialogue and regional security toward one that places greater emphasis on economic resilience, trade connectivity and practical cooperation, as member states respond to growing geopolitical and supply-chain disruptions. That transformation was at the center of discussions during the July…
Kazakhstan Advances as Regional Education Hub With Rise in Student Cities Ranking
ALMATY – Kazakhstan continued to strengthen its position as Central Asia’s leading higher education hub as Almaty reached its highest-ever position in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 ranking and the country recorded another year of growth in international student enrollment. Astana also improved its position, rising eight places to 119th, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s growing role…
Kazakh National Bank Lowers Base Rate as Inflation Continues to Ease
ALMATY – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) cut its base rate to 16.75% on July 24, citing nine consecutive months of slowing inflation, while Governor Timur Suleimenov said policymakers would continue to base future decisions on incoming economic data rather than follow a predetermined easing path. The NBK Monetary Policy Committee lowered the base…
Election Campaigning Begins Ahead of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai Vote
ALMATY – Election campaigning officially began in Kazakhstan at 6:01 p.m. on July 23 ahead of the Aug. 23 elections to the Kurultai, with seven political parties competing for 145 seats in the representative body. The campaign will run until midnight on Aug. 21, while Aug. 22 has been designated as the official day of…
Kazakh Foreign Minister Joins SCO Talks Ahead of Leaders’ Summit
ALMATY – Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev is participating in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Cholpon-Ata, the Kyrgyz Republic, on July 24. The meeting is focused on preparations for the upcoming SCO Council of Heads of State Summit, while foreign ministers are also…
Kazakhstan Improves SDG Ranking as Experts Urge Greater Focus on Resilience
ALMATY – Kazakhstan climbed three positions to 67th place among 169 countries in the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, while experts say the country’s long-term competitiveness will depend on strengthening resilience in an increasingly volatile global economy. Published by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the annual index evaluates countries’ progress…
Kazakhstan to Use Digital Tenge Across Government Spending This August
ALMATY – Kazakhstan to begin using the digital tenge in public procurement from August after completing the integration of the digital currency platform with the Finance Ministry’s information systems, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on July 22. The announcement followed a government meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik…
Almaty to Host Central Asia Fintech Summit 2026 in September
ALMATY – The Central Asia Fintech Summit (CAFS) 2026 will take place in Almaty on Sept. 11, bringing together financial institutions, fintech companies, regulators, investors and technology leaders to discuss the future of digital finance in Central Asia. Organized by the National Payment Corporation of Kazakhstan and the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the summit will…
Kazakhstan Reports Record Ice Cream Production in June
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s ice cream production more than doubled in June compared to the same month last year, reaching nearly 20,100 tons, according to new data released by the Bureau of National Statistics. The surge comes as the country’s dairy industry continues to expand, with ice cream among the fastest-growing product categories in the first…
Ye’s Almaty Concert Sells Half of Available Tickets During Presales
ALMATY – Around half of all tickets for American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, sold out on the first day of presales for his Aug. 14 concert in Almaty, organizers announced on July 22. The performance at Almaty’s Central Stadium is expected to become the largest music show ever staged in Central Asia…
Kazakhstan Monitors CPC Exports After New Drone Attack on Oil Tanker
ALMATY – Kazakh Energy Ministry is closely monitoring operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after another drone strike targeted an oil tanker loading Kazakh crude at the consortium’s Black Sea marine terminal overnight on July 20, reported the Kazinform news agency. The attack came after CPC resumed loading operations following an earlier drone strike…
Jackie Chan’s ‘Armour of God: Ultimatum’ Begins Filming in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region
ALMATY – Production has officially begun on the international feature film “Armour of God: Ultimatum” in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region on July 18, with globally renowned actor Jackie Chan and director Robert Kun launching filming during a ceremonial event. Following a long-standing filmmaking tradition, Chan and Kun broke a ceremonial film slate to mark the official…
Kazakhstan Warns Drone Attack on CPC Oil Tankers Risks Global Energy Security
ALMATY – Oil loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal were suspended after two tankers carrying Kazakh crude came under a drone attack on July 19, prompting authorities to assess the damage before exports can resume. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, the tankers ASIA and NISSOS IOS were loading oil…
Kazakhstan, China Chart New Course for Economic Cooperation Through 2030
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the countries’ “eternal comprehensive strategic partnership” during talks in Shanghai on July 16, signing a new roadmap for trade and economic cooperation for 2027-2030 and pledging to deepen collaboration in trade, investment, artificial intelligence and regional security. The meeting took place ahead of the…
AIFC Launches Investment Platform for Kazakhstan’s Creative Industries
ALMATY – The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has launched Creative Pitch Day 2026 this July, a pilot initiative designed to connect investors with creative businesses and help transform intellectual property into investable assets. The program is open to companies working in movie, music, game development and digital content creation. Applicants must hold registered intellectual…
Tokayev Courts Chinese Investment in AI and Digital Infrastructure
ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited Chinese technology companies to expand their presence in Kazakhstan during a roundtable with Chinese business leaders in Shanghai on July 16, presenting the country as an emerging hub for artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, smart logistics and high-tech manufacturing. Speaking ahead of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Tokayev said…
Kazakhstan Ranks 61st in Global Social Progress Index
ALMATY – Kazakhstan ranked 61st out of 171 assessed countries in the 2026 Global Social Progress Index, scoring 70.85 points in an assessment that measures quality of life and social development independently of economic performance. Published annually by the Social Progress Imperative, the index evaluates countries using 57 indicators across three broad dimensions: Basic Human…
Kazakhstan to Officially Launch Digital Tenge on July 18
ALMATY – Kazakhstan will officially put the digital tenge into circulation on July 18, marking the next stage in the country’s central bank digital currency project that has been under development since 2021. The launch is provided by amendments to Kazakhstan’s legislation on financial market regulation, communications and bankruptcy, which recognize the digital tenge as…
Azerbaijani President Aliyev Highlights Kazakhstan’s Strategic Role in Regional Projects
ALMATY – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev praised Kazakhstan’s growing strategic role in regional transport, energy and digital connectivity projects, saying close cooperation between the two countries is essential to developing the Caspian region. Speaking at the third Shusha Global Media Forum, Aliyev said relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan continue to deepen across a wide range…
Tokayev Visits Qatar to Offer Condolences Following Death of Former Emir
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev traveled to Doha to personally offer his condolences to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the ruling Al Thani family following the death of the Emir’s father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. During the meeting on July 13, Tokayev paid tribute to Sheikh Hamad’s legacy, describing…
Kazakhstan Strengthens Ties With China, Joins International Mediation Organization
ALMATY – Kazakhstan formally joined the newly established International Organization for Mediation after Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev signed the organization’s convention during his official visit to China on July 13, where he also held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on expanding bilateral trade, artificial intelligence cooperation and the countries’ permanent comprehensive strategic…
East Kazakhstan to Host International Gala Concert Celebrating Turkic Cultural Heritage
ALMATY – East Kazakhstan will host the gala concert of the international festival Altai – The Golden Cradle of the Turkic World on July 11, bringing together acclaimed performers from across the Turkic world and beyond for a celebration of shared cultural heritage. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Altai mountains, the concert will…
US Consul General Reflects on 20 Years of Change, Cooperation and Power of Human Connections
ALMATY – As Michelle Yerkin prepares to conclude her tenure as the United States Consul General in Almaty, she leaves Kazakhstan at a moment of deepening engagement between the two countries. For Yerkin, who first served in Almaty two decades ago in 2003, the posting has been both a professional milestone and a personal journey…
Tokayev Meets Global Business Leaders to Deepen Investment and Digital Cooperation
ASTANA – Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a series of meetings with the heads of major international financial institutions and global companies on the sidelines of the 38th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council on July 2, discussing investment, infrastructure, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and strategic industrial cooperation. During talks with President of the European Bank…
Astana Attracts Record Tourism Investment as Visitor Numbers Continue to Rise
ASTANA — Astana attracted a record 438.3 billion tenge (US$840 million) in tourism investment in 2025, the highest figure among Kazakhstan’s regions, as the capital continues to expand its tourism infrastructure and international promotion efforts, city officials said. Speaking at a July 1 briefing at the Central Communications Service, Maksat Zhanabayev, deputy head of Astana’s…
