From Bronze Age to the Silk Road: Tracing Kazakhstan’s Ancient Past
ASTANA — Archaeologists and regional authorities are advancing research and preservation projects at major sites across Kazakhstan. From Bronze Age settlements in Rudny to Golden Horde monuments and a Caspian trade hub, the work is expanding knowledge of the country’s archaeological heritage and supporting its long-term preservation. Kostanai’s Bronze Age sites and monumental steppe designs…
What Kazakhstan’s Voters Want Beyond Campaign Promises
ASTANA — Raising incomes and curbing inflation were priorities for 62.3% and 48.9% of 1,200 respondents, respectively, according to the findings presented at the July 17 Sapar Expert Club meeting in Astana. Experts discussed expectations, party roles and participation ahead of Aug. 23 Kurultai elections under the new Constitution. Fighting corruption ranked third among respondents’…
Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks on Vessels Carrying CPC Oil
ASTANA — Kazakhstan strongly condemned drone attacks on July 17 and 19 against civilian vessels transporting oil through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure in the Black Sea. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the attacks are an “unacceptable infringement on Kazakhstan’s economic interests” and deliberate attempts to destabilize lawful international trade, global…
When Events Become Engines of Tourism
From Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to rural Somerset, festivals have long shown how a temporary event can place an overlooked destination on the global map. A recent trip to Katon-Karagai convinced me Kazakhstan is beginning to experience the same effect. Burning Man brings tens of thousands of people into the Nevada desert. Glastonbury transforms farmland…
See You Soon, Kazakhstan: Enrique Iglesias Shares Kazakh Artist’s Portrait
ASTANA — Global pop star Enrique Iglesias shared a video by Kazakh artist and blogger Assel Sabyrzhankyzy on his official Facebook and X accounts, writing, “See you soon Kazakhstan.” The post comes ahead of his September concerts in Astana and Almaty on Sept.3-5. Carpet becomes canvas The two accounts where Iglesias shared the video have…
When Altai Sang: Dimash-Headlined Festival Draws 50,000 Visitors
KATON-KARAGAI — Thundering hooves, improvised verse and Dimash Qudaibergen’s voice carried across the Altai mountains as the Altai – Golden Cradle of the Turkic World festival drew an estimated 50,000 people to East Kazakhstan’s Katon-Karagai on July 10-11. Across two days, the festival brought together poetry, national sports, crafts, regional music and international visitors in…
Dombra Day Celebrates Kazakhstan’s Living Musical Heritage
ASTANA — Kazakhstan celebrates National Dombra Day on July 5 with concerts, educational events and performances across the country, continuing the annual tradition established in 2018 to promote the dombra and showcase one of the country’s best-known cultural symbols. For centuries, the dombra has occupied a central place in Kazakh culture, accompanying oral storytelling traditions…
Middle Corridor Draws UK Attention Amid Supply Chain Risks
ASTANA — Growing instability around key Middle Eastern maritime chokepoints is increasing the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, said experts during a May 27 webinar hosted by the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in London. The webinar, titled The Middle Corridor and the Future of…
NPT Nuclear Talks Enter Final Stretch in New York
ASTANA — Delegates from from more than 190 countries gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 27 for the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), after the previous two review cycles failed to produce consensus outcome documents amid growing geopolitical tensions and divisions over…
Young Kazakhs to Study Tien Shan Glaciers in Research Expedition
ASTANA — A new British-Kazakh initiative will send 15 university students to the Tien Shan mountains in July and August to conduct glaciological research, as glaciers – critical to Kazakhstan’s water security – continue to retreat at an accelerating rate. The program combines fieldwork with leadership training for young participants. Launched by the British Kazakh…
Steppe Diplomacy: How Nomads Preserved Peace After War
ASTANA — Nomadic societies across the Eurasian steppe developed distinct approaches to war and diplomacy that did not rely on formal treaties or territorial control. Instead, they used flexible strategies, including personal guarantees and family-based agreements, to prevent renewed conflict. According to Edil Noyanov, deputy head of Kazakhstan’s History Department at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University,…
UAE Exit Puts OPEC+ and Kazakhstan’s Oil Strategy to Test
ASTANA — The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, also known as OPEC+, moved to raise June output quotas on May 3 after the United Arab Emirates left the alliance amid the war in the Middle East and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. For Kazakhstan, the move underscores the challenge of…
Traditions That Help Kazakhs Cope With Loss
ASTANA — In Kazakh culture, grief has traditionally been a collective experience, shaped by shared rituals and community support. But do these practices continue to define how people cope with loss today? Despite changes in daily life, many of these traditions remain visible, particularly in how communities gather around families during times of loss. The…
Kazakhstan Rail Company to Expand Fleet With Six Vessels for TITR
ASTANA — Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the country’s state railway operator, is launching its own maritime fleet to strengthen the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, with contracts signed to build six cargo vessels. The initiative aims to improve logistics capacity and integration across the Caspian and Black Sea corridors,…
MIT Study Maps AI Capacity in Central Eurasia
ROME — A study to measure artificial intelligence capacity in Central Eurasia and guide investment and policy decisions was introduced at a conference hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 23. The study introduces a methodology to assess how countries build and…
Astana AI Film Festival Opens Global Call for Submissions
ROME — Kazakhstan will host its first international film festival featuring films created using artificial intelligence, the Astana AI Film Festival (AAIFF 2026). Applications for its global short film competition will open in May, organizers announced at a press conference in the capital on April 22. The festival will center on an international competition of…
Can Aging Be Reversed?
ASTANA — Scientists are exploring whether the human body can function as if it were younger by reversing aging at the cellular level, as research led by Nazarbayev University Professor Prim Singh advances “partial reprogramming,” a method that restores how aging cells work. The field is gaining global attention and investment as it moves toward…
How Kazakh Jeweler Modernizes Traditional Designs
ASTANA — Damir Torebai, a 28-year-old jeweler from Aktau, a city in western Kazakhstan on the Caspian Sea, is reinterpreting traditional Kazakh jewelry through contemporary design, blending heritage techniques with modern wearability. Torebai adapts national ornaments for daily use and preserves their authenticity. His path into jewelry began with an early interest in art. He…
Transport, Storage Sector Expands 12.8% in Q1, But Growth Loses Steam
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s transport and storage sector grew by 12.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, though momentum slowed across most segments. The mixed performance reflects both a high base effect and external pressures, according to a recent report published by the Halyk Finance Analytical Center. Asan Kurmanbekov, the center’s analyst, writes that despite…
From Minerals to Manufacturing: Kazakhstan’s Rare Earth Push
ASTANA — Global rare earth production has nearly quadrupled to 379,900 tons over the past two decades, driven by demand for digital technologies and clean energy. In Kazakhstan, the sector remains a small but emerging part of industrial output, reflecting its early stage of development within a rapidly expanding global market. Rare earth elements, a…
Is Kazakhstan Prepared for Cyber Risks of Digital Transformation?
ASTANA — As Kazakhstan expands digital services and online government platforms, cybercrime is emerging as a growing challenge to the country’s digital transformation. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, cybercrime caused 16.4 billion tenge (US$34 million) in damage in the first ten months of 2025. It is 29 times higher than in 2024 and marks…
Astana Launches Science-Based Creative Economy Hub
ASTANA — Art, science and business converged in Astana for the opening of the Өnergy Creative Hub on March 27. The space, supported by Nazarbayev University (NU) Impact Foundation brings together researchers, creatives and entrepreneurs to develop applied projects at the intersection of disciplines. The hub operates as both a collaboration platform and a research-and-development…
Water Diplomacy Grows More Urgent as Climate Pressures Mount in Central Asia
ASTANA — Water resources in Central Asia are increasingly shaping economic stability and interstate relations as climate change intensifies pressure on shared rivers and aging infrastructure. Experts say water diplomacy is becoming an essential tool for managing transboundary resources and reducing risks of regional tensions. Climate pressure and regional risks Rising temperatures, glacier melting and…
Can Kazakhstan’s Mineral Wealth Match UK Industrial Demand?
ASTANA — Demand for critical minerals is reshaping how governments think about industrial growth, economic security and international partnerships. Turning political momentum into bankable projects will require stronger investment frameworks, processing capacity, and closer supply chain cooperation, said experts during a webinar hosted by the British-Kazakh Society on March 12. The discussion highlighted the strategic…
Public Awareness of Water Scarcity is Growing, Survey Finds
ASTANA — Nearly half of Kazakh people consider water scarcity a serious issue, and a large majority say they are prepared to change everyday habits to conserve water, according to a national survey conducted by the DEMOSCOPE public opinion monitoring bureau on Feb. 5-15. The survey, conducted among 1,100 adults across Kazakhstan’s regions and the…
