Articles by Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Sept. 14 presented the Order of Dostyk (Friendship), second degree, to five prominent South Korean state and public figures for their contribution to strengthening Kazakhstan-Korea relations, as cooperation between the two countries continues to expand into practical areas including employment, trade, investment and technology. The awards ceremony was held…

ASTANA – Elena Rybakina has officially become the new World No. 1 in women’s singles, making history as the first Kazakh tennis player to top the WTA rankings, and has crowned the milestone with victory at the U.S. Open. Rybakina defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final on Sept. 13…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 12-13, focusing on expanding Kazakhstan’s cooperation with India, the United States, the UAE and Ethiopia. Kazakhstan-India relations During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tokayev congratulated him on successfully…

ASTANA – Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank plans to triple project financing in Kazakhstan over the next 18 months, from the current 2.5 trillion tenge (US$5.5 billion), as the bank expands its role in supporting the country’s real economy and infrastructure development. The plans were discussed during a Sept. 9 meeting between Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s first government meeting in its updated composition after the Kurultai elections focused on a topic that could determine the success of its economic transformation: whether the country will have enough skilled workers to support planned growth. At the Sept. 8 meeting, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov called for an accelerated pace of work…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan residents are largely positive about improvements in their towns and villages, but their expectations are shifting toward further development of everyday infrastructure and services, according to a nationwide survey presented on Sept. 7.  National Analytical Center expert Roza Tleukhan said the findings show that people continue to expect the development course to…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s resilient economic growth, moderate public debt and strong external buffers are strengthening its ability to access global capital markets despite tighter borrowing conditions worldwide, according to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) September Macroeconomic Outlook. The EDB experts said the economy continued to expand this year, with GDP growing 4.1% year-on-year in January-July,…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s vision for deeper Kazakhstan-China cooperation, the Middle Corridor, and more. Tokayev links Kazakhstan-China partnership to wider vision for a more connected and cooperative Eurasia Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has used the Shanghai…

ASTANA – ChatGPT’s growing development in the Kazakh language highlights a broader challenge for artificial intelligence: understanding a language also requires understanding the cultural context behind it, futurist and author Ron Immink told The Astana Times. Kazakhstan’s efforts to build Kazakh-language datasets and culturally specific AI benchmarks show why AI systems need to reflect the…

ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan cut its base rate by 50 basis points to 16.25% on Sept. 4, as annual inflation fell below 10% after 11 consecutive months of disinflation. The regulator, however, warned that persistent inflation risks limit room for further easing. “The balance of risks remains tilted towards inflation. Therefore, we…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to join the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a new Member State, opening opportunities for greater cooperation in digital technologies, AI, innovation and digital trade.  The DCO, the world’s first standalone international organization dedicated to accelerating the inclusive and sustainable growth of the digital economy, announced on Aug. 28 that…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s ambition to increase oil refining capacity to 40 million tons a year will require more than expanding existing plants and building a new refinery. The country will also need to address the economic incentives that currently make crude exports more attractive than supplying some oil to domestic refineries, Executive Director of Energy…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan claimed its first two gold medals at the sixth World Nomad Games in the Kyrgyz Republic, with Nurtalap Kerim and Sailau Mukhamedzhan winning titles in audaryspak, a traditional Kazakh horseback wrestling sport. In the up to 60-kilogram category, Kerim defeated a Kyrgyz representative in the final to become champion. In the up…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a key land corridor between China, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe while seeking to deepen cooperation with Beijing in trade, technology and investment, Kazakh political scientist and historian Daniyar Ashimbayev wrote in his Telegram channel, commenting on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s Sept.1 interview with Xinhua. Ashimbayev noted that…

ASTANA – Two young Amur tigers brought from Russia as part of Kazakhstan’s tiger reintroduction program are planned to be released into the wild in May 2027, marking the next stage of efforts to restore the species in the Ili-Balkhash ecosystem. “Two tiger cubs are planned to be released in spring 2027, in May. They…

ASTANA – KazMunayGas’ (KMG) historic issuance of 3.5 billion yuan (US$520.3 million) in Dim Sum bonds could mark a new stage in Kazakhstan’s access to yuan-denominated financing, financial analyst Andrei Chebotaryov said.  The transaction, which includes the first 10-year Dim Sum bonds issued by a company from Kazakhstan and Central Asia, attracted more than 25…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has entered a new investment cycle that is beginning to change not only the volume but also the structure of capital entering the economy, according to the country’s leading financial analyst Rassul Rysmambetov.  While the country remains dependent on extractive industries, growing investment in manufacturing, processing and high-technology production suggests that the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina has moved to No. 1 in the WTA live rankings as the US Open women’s singles main draw gets underway in New York, putting her within reach of becoming the first Kazakh player to top the official world rankings.  Rybakina currently leads the live standings with 7,911 points. Aryna Sabalenka…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research and a leading global center for particle physics, are advancing a new mechanism that will enable Kazakh scientists to participate in CERN research experiments and scientific internships. This was discussed at a meeting between acting Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek and…

ASTANA – Erlan Karin was elected vice president of Kazakhstan on Aug. 31, while the Kurultai also backed Olzhas Bektenov to remain as prime minister, filling two of the country’s most senior posts as the new unicameral parliament began its work. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev nominated both candidates during a meeting with the leaders of political…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has outlined a broad legislative and institutional agenda for Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai, calling on deputies to modernize national legislation, strengthen the quality of lawmaking and help build a stronger system of checks and balances. Speaking at the opening session of the first Kurultai on Aug. 28, Tokayev said the new…

ASTANA – Singapore’s experience shows that countries seeking long-term economic competitiveness must be prepared to adapt their policies and institutions to changing circumstances continuously, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during a lecture at Nazarbayev University on Aug. 27. Speaking to students and the academic community, Lee outlined Singapore’s development journey from the 1950s, highlighting…

ASTANA – The first session of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai of the first convocation began on Aug. 28, marking the start of work of the country’s new unicameral legislature. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the launch of the Kurultai marks the beginning of a new stage in Kazakhstan’s political development. “The unicameral legislative body of the country, the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Singapore need to translate strong political ties and mutual trust into tangible economic outcomes, including more investment, joint projects and technology exchange, as cooperation expands into transport, artificial intelligence, digitalization and other strategic sectors, according to experts. “The key now is to translate the excellent political relationship and mutual trust between…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is investing heavily in airports, cargo infrastructure and international connectivity. But the bigger economic question is whether a growing aviation network can generate more than transit income – and become a platform for logistics, exports and higher-value economic activity. Building the infrastructure for a regional hub The government is upgrading aviation infrastructure…