In January–June 2026, Kazakhstan’s exports grew by 8.6%, reaching $40.3 billion. Exports are growing faster than imports, the positive trade balance approached $9 billion, and Kazakhstani goods have significantly strengthened their positions in the markets of China, Turkey, France, Uzbekistan, and other countries, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration. Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover
The fifth Burabay International Short Film Festival (BISFF) took place in Shchuchinsk from 12 to 14 August 2026. Founded by the British media holding Silk Road Media and curated by Eurasian Creative Guild (London), the festival brought together filmmakers and guests from more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. For
Until recently, Central Asia remained one of the least familiar regions of the world for most people in Latin America. If the names Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Uzbekistan were known at all, they were usually associated with geography, sports, or occasional news headlines. Today, that is beginning to change. Growing trade and economic ties, new international
SABIS International School–Astana has officially opened in Kazakhstan’s capital. The opening ceremony was attended by Victor Saad, President and Chief Executive Officer of SABIS; Talgat Yeshenkulov, Vice-Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan; Bakytzhan Zhumagulov, President of the National Engineering and Technical Academy of Kazakhstan; and Kassymkhan Sengazyev, Head of the Astana City Education
“The most valuable investment a nation can make is an investment in an educated, competitive, and patriotic younger generation.” This principle, consistently emphasized by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has become increasingly relevant in the twenty-first century. Today, international relations are shaped not only through negotiations between heads of state and ministers
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed in Astana between the Akimat of Akmola Region, Kazakhstan’s TauKen Group holding company, and China’s Changzhou Chenwei International Trade Co., Ltd. (Chenwei Group), which coordinates a pool of investors from Changzhou. The investment initiatives are being implemented with the support of KAZAKH INVEST National Company JSC.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and international developer Griffin Partners have signed a credit agreement to finance the first stage of construction of the Griffin Logopark Almaty warehouse complex. The document is a logical continuation of the memorandum of understanding signed by the parties in June 2026 on the sidelines of the EDB Annual Meeting and Business
On July 31, the Kyrgyz resort city of Cholpon-Ata hosted an informal meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. The meeting was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and President
On 29 July, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, the European Union (EU), and the Government of Kazakhstan officially launched the project “Advancing Local Governance Reform in Kazakhstan” at the first meeting of the Project Steering Committee in Astana, according to UNDP Kazakhstan. The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of National
Construction of two plants worth a total of $305 million has begun in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl Region. Zhambyl Region Akim Erbol Karashukeyev participated in a capsule-laying ceremony at the construction site of a solid waste disposal plant and a metallurgical plant, which will be built in the Taraz Industrial Zone, according to Kazakh Invest. The solid
Astana witnessed its first-ever demonstration flight of an air taxi based on an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on July 24. The demonstration marked another milestone in the implementation of Kazakhstan’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) development project, according to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. The demonstration featured the AutoFlight Prosperity eVTOL,
At the Russia–Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum in Omsk on 25 July, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered one of the more striking diplomatic interventions in the debate over the Russia–Ukraine war. Speaking directly to Vladimir Putin, he suggested freezing the conflict and returning to negotiations under an updated “Istanbul 2.0” framework. The importance of the proposal lies
On July 24, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov took part in the first meeting of the Council of Heads of Regions of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which was held in the Kazakh city of Aktau. Bektenov noted that Kazakhstan attaches special importance to the comprehensive development of strategic
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the plenary session of the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum, “Forming a Global Logistics Ecosystem: New Horizons for Russia-Kazakhstan Cooperation.” The Forum was held in Omsk, Russia on July 24–25. Its participants included deputy prime ministers, heads of ministries and departments, heads of regions of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan, and representatives of business and expert communities of both countries. On the sidelines
At the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea on July 25, a decision was adopted to inscribe the “Rock Mosques and Associated Sacred Sites of Mangystau” on the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry. The newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage property comprises five rock-cut mosques: Beket Ata, Shopan Ata,
On July 23, the headquarters of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) hosted the first-ever meeting of the Kazakhstan–Morocco Business Council in Casablanca. The event brought together Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov, President of CGEM Mehdi Tazi, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Morocco Saulekul Sailaukyzy, and representatives of companies from Kazakhstan and Morocco. Deputy
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, on July 22 held an inception workshop in Astana dedicated to the official launch of three strategic projects implemented under the FAO–Kazakhstan Partnership Programme (FKPP). The workshop marked the beginning of the practical implementation of projects aimed
At a Government meeting on July 21, Minister of Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev reported on the current state and prospects for the development of Kazakhstan’s automotive industry. “If in 2010-2019 the foundations of the automotive industry were laid in the country and the production volume increased from 3 thousand to 50 thousand units, then
The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a project to support transboundary water cooperation across Central Asia. It will help countries attract additional investment in water management and conservation and strengthen their collective capacity to manage shared water resources. Around 40 million people across Central Asia are expected to benefit from the
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Mercury Properties (the management company of MP Solutions LLP) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to implement the second phase of construction of the Mercury Logistics warehouse hub in the village of Kokozek, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan. The document was signed by Sergey Paseko, Executive Director — Deputy Head of