The World Bank Group’s Board of Directors on May 14 discussed a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Kazakhstan for fiscal years 2026–2031, aimed at supporting the country’s transition toward a more diversified, competitive, and resilient economy. The framework is structured around three outcomes: 1) strengthening connectivity and infrastructure services; 2) enhancing resilience through improved natural
Hosted by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, an informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held on 15 May in Turkistan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic World. The summit was also attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President
Of course, the transition of the Former Soviet Republics from Communism to Market Economy witnessed a dramatic fall in infrastructure spending. Consequently, different republics progressed at different speeds, though with an increasing realization that such spending is necessary to develop their economies. Ironically, it is their western counterparts who are arguably underinvesting in their own
On May 14, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit, attended the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum. Opening the event, Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan provides comprehensive support to Turkish companies. “Today, approximately 3,800 enterprises with Turkish capital are successfully operating in our country. Thousands of jobs
Kazakhstan’s economy is expected to remain resilient over the medium term, though growth is set to moderate following a period of strong demand-led expansion, according to the World Bank’s latest report Kazakhstan Economic Update, Strengthening Skills to Unlock Productivity. After a robust 6.5 percent expansion in 2025 — driven by strong domestic consumption and a one-off boost
The first return shipment has been organized along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) from Türkiye to China via Kazakhstan. KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), in collaboration with Türkiye’s Pacific Eurasia Lojistik Dış Ticaret A.Ş. sent a container train from Türkiye to China via Kazakhstan, according
On 11 May in Astana, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Mauro Vieira, who arrived in Kazakhstan on an official visit. The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to bilateral cooperation, including political, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian interaction, as well as coordination within
An informal summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) will be hosted by Kazakhstan on 15 May 2026 in Turkistan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic World, under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.” The summit will bring together the heads of state and government of
The collapse of the Soviet Union is rarely seen as a deliberate project. Rather, it is viewed as a crisis or a chain of events that spiralled out of control. Yet, when the early years of independence across the post-Soviet space are examined through the lens of sustainable development, it becomes clear that this period
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) says it has signed a transaction advisory services agreement with the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Satbayev University to develop modern, affordable, inclusive, and resilient student accommodation through a public–private partnership (PPP). Under the agreement, ADB will act as transaction advisor for the project, which aims to develop student
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is continuing to support the exploration, development, production and processing of critical raw materials (CRM) in Kazakhstan by making a follow-on equity investment of AUD 1.4 million in Sarytogan Graphite Limited, an Australian Securities Exchange-listed company developing one of the world’s largest known high-grade graphite deposits.
The government of Kazakhstan and Asia Altyn Dan LLP, with the participation of China’s Dalian Hesheng Holdings Group, have signed an investment agreement for the construction of a deep grain processing plant in the Akmola region. At the signing ceremony, Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov emphasized that Kazakhstan is consistently transitioning from a raw materials-based model
Kazakhstan held its first-ever investment roundtable on the SelectUSA Investment Summit platform in Washington on May 3, marking a significant milestone in strengthening economic ties with the United States, according to QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center JSC. The event, titled “Strategic Sectors and U.S. Market Entry Opportunities,” brought together more than 80 participants, including
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the Mangystau region for the construction of a sturgeon caviar farm. The project is being implemented with the support of Kazakh Invest national company. According to Kazakh Invest, the farm will be located in the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea. The main goal is to restore the sturgeon
Sustainable development in Kazakhstan is not an abstract policy aspiration. It is a deliberate strategic choice that shapes our domestic reforms, our regional engagement in Central Asia, and our partnerships with the European Union, Roman Vassilenko, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the European Union, writes in an article published in Open Central Asia Magazine. As emphasised by
On April 30, a historic event took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome: the first test launch of the prospective medium-lift launch vehicle Soyuz-5/Sunkar was successfully carried out from Site 45 as part of the Baiterek Space Rocket Complex, the Kazakh Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development said. As part of the flight design tests,
China’s Inner Mongolia Muland Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. is launching a project to establish a high-tech virus-free potato seed production center in Kazakhstan, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. The project envisions the launch of industrial production of high-quality seed for the domestic market and export to Central Asian countries. The project was discussed
The aging of Kazakhstan’s population continues to accelerate. The aging index, which measures the ratio of elderly people per 100 children, has been steadily increasing in recent years. While the figure stood at 26.7 in 2021, it reached 32.9 in 2025. This means that for every 100 children under 15, there were almost 33 elderly
Central Asia is a region prone to disasters, and earthquakes remain among its greatest risks. In April 1966, Tashkent was struck by a devastating earthquake that left more than 300,000 people displaced. Although the city was rebuilt and transformed into the modern Tashkent we know today, the remnants of that tragedy continue to endure. Other
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to improve Central Asia’s regional connectivity and boosting the operational efficiency of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ or Kazakhstan Railways) by investing up to $125 million in a Eurobond issue by the company of up to $1 billion, which was listed on the London Stock