Articles by Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the council aimed at improving the investment climate to advance agreements reached under the C5+1 format, emphasizing constitutional reform, economic modernization and deeper cooperation with U.S. investors. The meeting brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, including newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Julie…

ASTANA – Beekeeping in Kazakhstan saw a 2.5-fold increase in honey exports in 2025, reflecting strong international demand and opening new opportunities for agricultural trade. Exports totaled 1,477 tons, up from 603 tons in 2024. Uzbekistan remained the main destination, with 1,264 tons, while Kazakh honey also reached Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United…

ASTANA – The National Payment Corporation of Kazakhstan has outlined ongoing projects to integrate the digital tenge into multiple sectors of the economy. The digital tenge is a third form of the national currency, alongside cash and bank deposits. Issued by the National Bank of Kazakhstan, it combines the advantages of both cash and non-cash…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have extended their partnership on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) support through 2030 and unveiled a new initiative to strengthen the investment potential of medium-sized businesses.  The announcement was made during the 13th annual meeting of the Coordinating Committee…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan seeks to strengthen its position as a regional digital transit hub with the launch of the South Route telecommunications corridor, a new infrastructure link connecting Central Asia directly to the United Arab Emirates and the wider Middle East. The project was launched by the international division of e& Carrier & Wholesale in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the World Bank Group have discussed a new partnership framework for 2026-2031 that could provide up to $1 billion in annual financing to support infrastructure, private-sector growth, and economic reforms. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin met with World Bank representatives on Feb. 12 to review…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan convened a high-level meeting on Feb. 12 to push forward a regional climate education initiative, as preparations continue for the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES), scheduled for April 22–24 in Astana. Discussions focused on establishing the Regional Green School Platform under the auspices of the Kazakh government and UNICEF, with regional coordination…

ASTANA – Today marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, established by the UN General Assembly to highlight the importance of equal opportunities in science and to inspire a new generation of girls to pursue careers in research. To mark the occasion, the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education released updated…

ASTANA – Members of the Constitutional Commission discussed proposals to expand protections for property and housing rights during a Feb. 10 meeting. One of the key proposals would explicitly recognize all forms of ownership in the draft new Constitution. Currently, concerns have been raised that the existing wording does not cover all possible forms of…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s updated Constitution establishes a strong legal framework for education, science, and creative freedom, which officials say is essential for unlocking the country’s intellectual potential and encouraging the return of talent, as Kazakhstan remains among the top nations worldwide for students studying abroad. Aigul Sadvakassova, director of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s insurance sector expanded in 2025, with assets rising to 3.9 trillion tenge (US$7.9 billion) and insurance premiums growing 12.5% year-on-year to 1.7 trillion tenge (US$3.4 billion), driven mainly by voluntary personal and property insurance and higher investment income. As of Jan. 1, the market comprised 25 insurance companies, including 10 life insurers.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan outlined its plans to develop a global hub for computing and data processing at the World Government Summit 2026, with a government delegation highlighting its intention to convert the country’s energy potential into large-scale digital and AI infrastructure. Kazakh delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital…

ASTANA – The United States has reaffirmed its support for Kazakhstan’s continued regional integration and development, including through platforms such as C5+1, following talks between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4. During the meeting, Landau and Kosherbayev discussed political and economic cooperation,…

ASTANA – The second international B5+1 (Central Asia + the United States) business forum opened in Bishkek on Feb. 4, bringing together government officials and business leaders to strengthen practical cooperation in trade, investment, and technology across priority sectors. Discussions focus on economic cooperation in finance and banking, critical minerals, agriculture, transport and logistics, tourism,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s construction industry continues to strengthen its role as a key driver of economic diversification, attracting 3.8 trillion tenge (US$7.6 billion) in housing investment, most of it private, while accelerating urban renewal, improving living standards, and modernizing utilities infrastructure. Consistent government policy, institutional reforms, and digitalization have elevated the sector to a new…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Pakistan signed 32 commercial agreements at a Feb. 4 business forum in Islamabad during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit. The agreements aim to expand bilateral cooperation across priority sectors, including finance, logistics, industry, energy, the agro-industrial complex, digital services, and infrastructure. The largest industrial agreement concluded during the forum was a…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the European Union are celebrating 33 years of diplomatic relations, marked on Feb. 2, a partnership that has evolved into a strategic, forward-looking collaboration across trade, investment, energy, connectivity, education, and sustainable development.  EU Reporter published an article by Roman Vassilenko, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the European Union, highlighting the milestone. “When…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will introduce an AI-powered digital assistant for tourists as part of efforts to scale up a national electronic tourism service based on the Kazakhstan.Travel platform.   According to Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Baurzhan Rapikov, work to populate the platform’s database will begin in February, to create a unified digital tourism ecosystem,…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan and the United States addressed their strategic cooperation in nuclear energy and fuel security during the Nuclear Fuel Supply Forum, organized with the support of the Kazatomprom national atomic company. The event was held at the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, D.C., the leading U.S. industry organization in commercial nuclear energy policy…

ASTANA — Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Transport Ministry has been appointed an ambassador under the Global Ambassadors Program of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) by decision of ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. The appointment reflects ICAO’s high level of trust in Kazakhstan. It recognizes the country’s…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest highlights a multibillion-dollar arbitration loss for oil majors at the Karachaganak field, talks with U.S. officials on energy cooperation, Kazakhstan’s leadership in attracting foreign investment in Central Asia, and more. Oil majors lose Kazakh field dispute worth as…

ASTANA — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cautioned that Kazakhstan’s strong economic growth is showing clear signs of overheating, calling for tighter and better-coordinated macroeconomic policies, continued monetary restraint, and accelerated structural reforms to ensure sustainable growth. The IMF Executive Board completed its Article IV Consultation with Kazakhstan. Under this process, the IMF holds…

ASTANA — Driverless taxis will be tested in Astana and Almaty, according to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. The ministry noted that two memorandums on pilot projects for driverless taxis were previously signed with the Transport Ministry, the Astana Akimat (administration), and operators inDrive and Yandex Qazaqstan. The three-year pilot project will…

ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has urged the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) to rapidly adopt artificial intelligence and digital tools to counter financial crime, warning that technological lag could pose serious risks to Kazakhstan’s economic and national security during a Jan. 28 meeting. Tokayev noted that the agency, established five years ago during a period…

ASTANA — Dimash Qudaibergen’s project, Voice Beyond Horizon, will premiere worldwide on Feb. 5 on Hunan TV and Mango TV, and in Kazakhstan on QazaqstanTV.  Created in partnership with Hunan Broadcasting System, Voice Beyond Horizon brings together artists from six countries – China, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Serbia – who will showcase…