Articles by Dana omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is intensifying efforts to raise public awareness of organ donation and improve its transplant system as 4,739 patients, including 126 children, remain on the national transplant waiting list, with transplantation representing the only chance of survival for many of them. Documentary raises public awareness A documentary film, “4739,” produced by the Khabar…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 53rd out of 150 countries in the May 2026 Special Edition of the Global Investment Risk and Resilience Index (GIRRI), improving from 70th place in the original 2025 ranking, as the updated index reflects the impact of recent geopolitical and economic developments on global investment risk. The updated ranking was released…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has opened accreditation on July 23 for foreign journalists planning to cover the election of deputies to the Kurultai of Kazakhstan, scheduled for Aug. 23. Under Kazakhstan’s legislation, foreign journalists may carry out professional activities in the country only if they hold a valid permanent or temporary accreditation issued by…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has temporarily reduced oil production following the suspension of loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea, the Energy Ministry said on July 23. Loading operations at the CPC marine terminal have been temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of vessels, crews and the environment in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s government has allocated 10.4 billion tenge (US$22.3 million) to begin developing the KazSat-3R communications satellite, which will replace the existing KazSat-3 spacecraft and ensure the uninterrupted operation of the country’s national satellite communications system. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed the corresponding resolution as part of the implementation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directive…

ASTANA – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recognized the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kazakhstan’s system for preparing Olympic delegations as a Best Practice and recommended it to other National Olympic Committees. The IOC highlighted Kazakhstan’s Athlete and Team Official Agreements (ATOA), developed by the NOC to complement the IOC’s standard Conditions of Participation…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has announced on July 22 the composition of election commissions established at the country’s diplomatic missions abroad to organize voting in the elections of deputies to the Kurultai, scheduled for Aug. 23. A total of 82 overseas polling stations have been formed at Kazakh embassies, consulates and permanent missions across…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is accelerating restoration of the North Aral Sea while advancing large-scale water management reforms, including new reservoirs, irrigation modernization, water-saving technologies and industrial water reuse.   North Aral restoration During a working visit to the Kyzylorda Region, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov met with fishermen in the Aral district to…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan is set to expand its air connectivity with China as China Eastern Airlines plans to launch direct flights between Astana and Shanghai this autumn, while FlyArystan will open a new route between Almaty and Chongqing in September. Chair of the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry Saltanat Tompiyeva met with China…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global and regional media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China, the growing role of the Middle Corridor in regional connectivity, and more. Xi meets Kazakh president in Shanghai Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Kazakh…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for fair, inclusive and human-centered global governance of artificial intelligence at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17, urging stronger international cooperation and proposing new initiatives to expand AI development, regulation and digital connectivity. AI governance requires global cooperation Addressing the…

ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed government agencies to finalize an investment agreement with China Tianying Inc. within two weeks to support the construction of solid waste treatment plants in at least three major cities, advancing Kazakhstan’s waste recycling and waste-to-energy infrastructure. During a July 16 meeting with China Tianying Party Committee Secretary…

ASTANA – The 120th anniversary of the birth of composer, educator and public figure Latif Khamidi (1906-1976) is being marked on July 17. One of the leading figures in the formation of Kazakhstan’s professional musical culture, Khamidi devoted more than five decades to the development of the country’s musical life through composition, education, research and…

ASTANA – The Almaty Zoo has welcomed a Przewalski’s horse foal, marking another milestone in its efforts to conserve one of the world’s rarest wild horse species. Born on June 14, the female foal was named Zhelmaya. She is the second offspring of the mare Kurbankul. The foal’s father is Merey, reported the zoo’s press…

ASTANA – Eleven service members of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan have arrived in Lebanon to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where they will carry out peacekeeping duties in southern Lebanon as part of the Indian contingent. The Kazakh peacekeepers have begun carrying out tasks that include monitoring the ceasefire,…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the decree on measures to stimulate and develop the digital assets industry, establishing a comprehensive framework to accelerate the country’s digital economy. Developed by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and the National Bank in cooperation with relevant government agencies and the Astana International Financial…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity by launching a new route to Georgia and reaching an agreement with China to increase the number of weekly passenger flights and deepen cooperation in civil aviation. Starting July 14, Kazakh low-cost carrier FlyArystan launched a new weekly service between Atyrau and Batumi, Georgia, operated with…

ASTANA – Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways plans to launch regular cargo flights to Astana from Aug. 1 and passenger flights between Hong Kong and Almaty from January 2027, expanding air connectivity between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. The plans were announced during a meeting between Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, and Oliver…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected a range of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media worldwide this week. Today’s foreign media digest covers the country’s cultural heritage, Euronews’ launch of Kazakh-language broadcasting, new investment and technology partnerships, and scientific research shedding new light on the Scythian elite and the Golden Man. Kazakhstan’s dombyra:…

ASTANA – British-Spanish actor Taz Skylar, best known for portraying Sanji in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “One Piece,” has been announced as the latest headlining guest of the fifth-anniversary Comic Con Astana, which will take place from Aug. 6-9. Beyond acting, Skylar is also a screenwriter, director and producer, as well as an avid extreme…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Afghanistan discussed expanding banking cooperation to facilitate bilateral trade during a July 8 meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Ghazanfar Bank Chairman Mohammad Ismail Ghazanfar. Zhumangarin said that for Kazakhstan, strengthening trade and economic ties with Afghanistan is important, noting that a reliable and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked first among Central Asian countries in the Global Passport Index 2026, published by Global Citizen Solutions, a migration consultancy. It ranked 109th worldwide out of 197 countries. Kazakhstan ranked between the Maldives and Belarus in the global list, ahead of Uzbekistan (123rd), the Kyrgyz Republic (127th), Tajikistan (140th) and Turkmenistan (144th).…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Iran have signed a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement to construct a Kazakh transport and logistics terminal at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port, a move aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and expanding Kazakhstan’s export routes. The agreement was signed with the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran and provides for the transfer of a…

ASTANA – Kazakh has become the first Central Asian language to be introduced by Euronews, Chairman Pedro Vargas David said during a July 7 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who welcomed the move as a milestone in cooperation between Kazakhstan and the international broadcaster. Tokayev said the launch of Euronews broadcasting in Kazakh reflects the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s FlyArystan airline has launched new international routes to China and the Kyrgyz Republic as part of efforts to expand flight connectivity and increase the number of international services. Starting June 26, the airline operates flights on the Aktau-Urumqi route twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A320 aircraft, the Transport…