Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates People’s Unity Day on May 1 with more than 20.5 million citizens living side by side in peace and harmony under a shared shanyrak (the sacred crown of the yurt, symbolizing home and unity). The country stands as a vivid example of unity in diversity, where friendship between nations is not…

ASTANA – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid an official visit to Kazakhstan on April 30 and was received by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and held talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. The discussions focused on preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming state visit to Kazakhstan, scheduled for late May.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will host GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus on May 4-5 in Almaty, marking the country’s largest international technology forum to date. The event will bring together over 600 exhibitors from more than 60 countries and more than 10,000 participants, focusing on artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, and e-government as Kazakhstan…

ASTANA — The Kazakh city of Aktau has been designated the tourism capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) for 2030, marking a major step in boosting its international profile. The decision was approved during the 7th Meeting of Tourism Ministers of ECO member states and confirmed at the 9th Meeting of the High-Level Experts…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to launch a new supercomputer and expand its data center infrastructure as part of efforts to support large-scale artificial intelligence development, Kazakhtelecom Chair Bagdat Mussin said at an April 28 government meeting. New data centers are currently under construction across the country, with Kazakhtelecom managing the largest network in Kazakhstan,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is preparing to adopt the large-scale digitalization strategy Digital Qazaqstan, which will define the long-term vision for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at an April 28 government meeting. The strategy aims to coordinate nationwide efforts on digitalization and the widespread introduction of AI technologies. Bektenov stressed…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence across key sectors, including healthcare, transport, and energy, with early results showing improved efficiency, reduced costs, and better public services, officials said at an April 28 government meeting. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev reported that more than 50…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has announced a planned reallocation of 260,000 tons of oil exports following an adjustment to the Druzhba pipeline transit schedule to Germany’s Schwedt oil refinery for May. The volumes will be redirected via alternative, technically proven routes, with 100,000 tons shipped to the port of Ust-Luga and 160,000 tons…

ASTANA — Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Isaac Herzog held talks on April 27 during the Israeli president’s official visit, focusing on trade, technology and regional matters. Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan’s decision to join the Abraham Accords, linking the move to efforts to support regional stability and expand international engagement. The officials discussed bilateral trade, investment, and cooperation…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will host the Astana AI Film Festival this fall, another landmark international event, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his visit to the Alem.ai International Artificial Intelligence Center on April 24, highlighting the country’s ambition to position itself as a global hub for digital innovation. During the visit, Tokayev launched the Astana Smart…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is strengthening its position as a key Eurasian transport and logistics hub through large-scale railway expansion, digital modernization, and growing investment in international transit corridors. At the 40th Conference of General Directors of the Railway Cooperation Organization (OSJD), Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined the country’s long-term strategy to leverage its geographic position…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected key articles from international media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights the Regional Ecological Summit, domestic political reforms, the Middle Corridor, and other key developments. Kazakhstan President Tokayev’s Antalya message and the rise of the ‘The World Is Bigger Than Five’ approach EU Reporter published…

ASTANA – Air pollution in Central Asia remains a serious and growing challenge driven by both human activity and natural factors. Governments across the region increasingly recognize that coordinated, science-based approaches are essential to improving air quality and protecting public health. Building on the first High-Level Regional Policy Dialogue in 2024 in Tashkent, the second…

ASTANA – Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov confirmed the suspension of Kazakh oil transit to Germany via Russia, citing technical constraints on the Russian side. Earlier reports suggested that transit through the Druzhba pipeline could be halted starting May 1. While no official notification has been received from Russia, unofficial information indicates that shipments have…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has simplified visa, entry, and work permit procedures to attract foreign investors, skilled professionals, and labor migrants, while maintaining controls to protect the domestic labor market.  The updated system offers simplified visa regimes, faster application processing, and support mechanisms for investment projects. It also prioritizes highly skilled foreign workers in fields such…

ASTANA – Kazakh chess player Bibisara Assaubayeva has risen to seventh place in the FIDE world rankings following the 2026 Candidates Tournament, held from March 28 to April 16 in Paphos, Cyprus. Assaubayeva now holds a rating of 2527.2, gaining 11.2 points after the event. The top three positions remain dominated by Chinese players: Hou…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has suspended several joint projects with Iran, including grain supplies and food trade, due to the current situation in the country, said Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov. Speaking at a Senate briefing on April 16, Issetov noted that cooperation has been affected by difficult conditions in Iran, where the military situation…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United States (US) have strengthened their strategic partnership through high-level meetings in Washington, D.C., focused on expanding economic cooperation, investment, energy collaboration, and infrastructure development. Rubio meets Kazakhstan officials to address bilateral cooperation  U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy…

ASTANA – Azerbaijan and Russia have reached a settlement, including the issue of payment of compensation, in connection with the crash of the Embraer 190 airplane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) near the city of Aktau on Dec. 25, 2024, resulting from the unintended operation of an air defense system in the airspace of Russia.…

ASTANA – A ceremonial listing of Kazakhstan’s first-ever panda bonds in Central Asia was held on April 13, marking a milestone for the country’s and the region’s integration into global capital markets. The bonds, issued by the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund,  on China’s domestic market, total 3 billion Chinese yuan (US$439.2 million) with a…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation, notably in the economic sphere, during a meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov on April 14. Tokayev emphasized the importance of maintaining an active, trust-based dialogue and ensuring the effective implementation of agreements reached at the highest political level, Akorda reported. Ryzhenkov,…

ASTANA – South Korea is close to securing crude oil supplies from Kazakhstan as it seeks to diversify its energy sources amid disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East, said Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jeong-kwan. “There has been quite (some) progress, so we should be able to announce specific amounts and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is purchasing two new single-point moorings (SPMs) from the United Arab Emirates for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) at a cost of 106 million euros (US$124.2 million). This was announced by Yerbolat Mendybayev, director of the Department of Transportation and Logistics at KazMunayGas, on the sidelines of the Mazhilis, reported Kazinform on…

ASTANA – Each significant investment project will be accompanied by a specific prosecutor from initial application through implementation, ensuring direct oversight and faster resolution of questions, Prosecutor General Berik Assylov announced during an Investment Protection Forum on April 9. Currently, more than 2,800 projects worth 96 trillion tenge (US$201.6 billion) are under enhanced legal protection.…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights strengthening ties between Kazakhstan and Georgia, expanding cooperation with South Korea, and other key developments. Kazakhstan hails Pakistan’s mediation in US-Iran truce Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also lauded Pakistan’s mediation, noting that the agreement was “reached with…