Recognizing the critical importance of addressing violence against women and girls in ensuring comprehensive security and stability, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) hosted the third Regional Networking and Capacity Building Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 21 to 23 May. The Conference that followed networking events in 2022 and 2023, further reinforced
Interesting facts from the history of relations between the Central Asian region and Africa, as well as prospects for interaction, were presented during a media seminar on May 27 organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Ethiopia together with the African Studies Professionals Association (ASPA) as part of the celebration of Africa Day. The event
A webinar was held last week by the British company FrontierView on the topic “Kazakhstan’s potential: macroeconomic and investment prospects for 2024”. Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov and Project Manager of the Task Force Department of National Company Kazakh Invest, Dinara Isabekova attended the event. The webinar was held with more than 40 representatives of the British
Delegations from the countries of Central Asia and international experts convened in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 27 May to discuss pressing issues around sustainable water and land management, energy, food security and environmental sustainability in the context of climate change in the region, the World Bank reported. Central Asia is increasingly impacted by climate change and climate-driven
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Director of the Continental Europe Department of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Brice Roquefeuil on May 24 held the 10th anniversary round of Kazakh-French political consultations in Astana. The diplomats discussed the state of bilateral cooperation, welcoming its active dynamics and
The Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus Meeting concluded on 23 May in Bishkek. The event, centred on “The role of women in the economies of Central Asia: leadership for promoting digital, social, and environmental innovation,” brought together women leaders from across the region to strategize and commit to enhancing women’s roles in these critical sectors, the
On May 23, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Singapore on a state visit. During his meeting with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Tokayev described Singapore as a time-tested and reliable partner of Astana. Currently, over 140 Singaporean companies and joint ventures operate in Kazakhstan, with total Singaporean investments in the Kazakh economy exceeding $1.7 billion.
The 20th anniversary meeting of the Kazakh-German Intergovernmental Commission for the Affairs of Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan was held on May 21 in Astana in order to strengthen cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany and discuss the affairs of the German ethnic group, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry reported. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of
On May 20-21, Astana hosted a regular meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu. The meeting began with a minute of silence in honor of the Iranian President and Foreign Minister who died in a plane crash. The
The third meeting of the annual High-level Dialogue on Human Rights and Democratic Reforms between Kazakhstan and the United States took place in Astana on May 20 co-chaired by Assistant to the President of Kazakhstan for International Affairs Erzhan Kazykhan and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Kazakhstan are joining forces to support the modernization and development of the national mining sector. They will cooperate on activities that can contribute to better governance, transparency and regulation of the sector in line with best international standards and practices, the EBRD reported. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Labor Migration Agency on May 17 called on the Central Asian nation’s citizens who may have broken laws in Russia to avoid travel to neighboring Kazakhstan, citing Kazakh-Russian agreements on joint efforts against crime, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reported. According to the agency, Uzbeks registered in Russia’s database as violators will be arrested if they cross
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is supporting inclusive lending in Kazakhstan by providing new funds to the country’s leading microfinancier, KMF. KMF has been an EBRD client for almost two decades. The financial package of up to US$ 25 million (€ 23.2 million) will be disbursed in local currency, the Kazakh tenge (KZT)
On May 16 in Astana, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with secretaries of the Security Councils of the five Central Asian countries. The Kazakh president noted that the meeting was an important stage in the preparation for the Sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, which will be held in Astana
According to the latest Regional Economic Prospects (REP) report published by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Central Asian economies in 2024 are expected to see growth slowing to 5.4 percent. However, a rebound to 5.9 percent is expected in 2025. The report notes that intermediated trade with Russia, which had been a significant growth
The 16th Senior Officials Meeting of the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue took place on May 14 in Astana under the chairmanship of Nazira Nurbaeva, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. The meeting was attended by the heads of the foreign ministries of Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan.
Yerzhan Yelekeyev, Chairman of the Management Board of National Company Kazakh Invest, on May 13 met with Pascal Zappone, Vice President of the Swedish company Scania CV AB, to discuss the company’s plans to expand investment activities in Kazakhstan, including implementing an investment project to assemble electric generators, Kazakh Invest reported. Scania manufactures industrial and marine engines, trucks,
A court in Astana on May 13 sentenced former Economy Minister Quandyq Bishimbaev to 24 years in prison for the “violent beating” to death of his wife, Saltanat Nukenova, in November 2023 in a local restaurant. Bishimbaev’s cousin Baqytzhan Baizhanov was sentenced to four years in prison for not reporting the crime, which he witnessed
The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov visited Brazil last week for political consultations. At the meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Eduardo Paes Saboia, the parties discussed current aspects of bilateral relations, the global agenda, as well as multilateral interaction on issues of mutual support for
Since the beginning of this year, about 70 thousand women have used the service of traveling in “women’s carriages” in trains of Kazakhstan’s national railways company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. This figure has doubled compared to the same period last year — more than 34 thousand women, the company’s press service reported. Since the introduction of
