The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on February 14 said it has invested $41.99 million into shares of Kazakhstan’s flagship carrier, Air Astana, supporting the country’s first partial privatisation through an initial public offering (IPO). The EBRD’s investment represents a 5 per cent shareholding in Air Astana. The shares will be listed on both the London
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the west have underlined the urgency of finding alternative trade routes between Europe and Asia that do not pass through Russia. In the new geopolitical realities, Kazakhstan has a good chance to become the main and most sustainable transit route between Europe and Asia. In
During his official visit to Qatar on February 14, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and participated in the Kazakhstan–Qatar Investment Roundtable in Doha. During his talks with the Amir of Qatar, Tokayev expressed his firm belief that in the near future Qatar will become one
On February 13, comprehensive presentation on democratic reforms was delivered to the diplomatic community accredited in Kazakhstan, on the eve of the regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. During a briefing on the topic “Promotion of human rights: a comprehensive dialogue on transformational reforms in
Kazakhstan’s Culture and Information Ministry said it has blocked the Selftanu.kz website, which focuses on LGBT relations, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The ministry said the move was made “to protect children’s rights” while taking into account “the culture and traditions of Kazakhstan’s society and culture.” Although homosexual relations were decriminalized in Kazakhstan in the 1990s,
On February 12, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Nikolai Podguzov, the chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Management Board. Podguzov informed President Tokayev about the Bank’s plans and said that the EDB’s annual investment in Kazakhstan’s economy has exceeded $1 billion for the second consecutive year, the EDB’s press service reported. The EDB
On February 9, the new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, held a Government meeting on the implementation of instructions of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced at an expanded Government session on February 7. Bektenov emphasized that state budget expenditures must be clearly prioritized with an emphasis on obtaining full economic returns, and
From February 5th to 7th, backed by UNDP in Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Culture and Information, and Almaty Management University (AlmaU), a series of training sessions on creative industries took place in Astana. These sessions were aimed at local akimat (state administration) representatives from across the country and hosted at the Academy of Public Administration
The recent developments in Kazakhstan, with the appointment of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and the subsequent meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, signal a proactive stance towards addressing economic challenges. President Tokayev’s emphasis on achieving a GDP growth target of 6% annually and increasing the economy to $450 billion by 2029 demonstrates a commitment to
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Egypt, Official Representative of Kazakhstan to the League of Arab States (LAS), Kairat Lama Sharif on February 6 met with the Secretary General of the Arab International Tourism Organization under LAS Dr. Sherif Fathi Attia. The parties shared views on cooperation in the field of tourism, participation in international tourism exhibitions
Ambassador of Kazakhstan Viktor Temirbayev on February 6 visited the largest city of Northeastern Bulgaria and the “maritime capital” of the country – Varna. During the meeting with the Mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, the parties noted the important role of interregional cooperation in the progressive development of trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties, and also
One day after appointing a new prime minister, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on February 7 chaired an extended meeting of the Government. The meeting was attended by the new Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Government ministers, the chairman of the National Bank, governors of the regions, and mayors of the country’s three largest cities of Astana,
In the wake of the recent accident at the Bishkek thermal power plant, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have once again showcased their strong and amicable relationship. Following the explosion at the power plant on February 2, which resulted in significant damage and disruption to the supply of hot water and heat in parts of the capital
UNICEF and its partners launched the CYBER TUMAR informational and educational campaign in Kazakhstan on International Safer Internet Day. On this day, the world strives to draw attention to the responsible, safe, and productive use of digital technologies, especially among the most vulnerable users – children and adolescents, the Delegation of the European Union to
Olzhas Bektenov, the head of the presidential administration, has been named as the new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. Bektenov was nominated for the post by Kazakhstan’s ruling Amanat party on February 6. On the same day, Bektenov’s candidacy was presented to the Kazakh parliament, the Majilis, at a plenary session attended by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
A joint briefing by the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the International Organizations, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, and the Permanent Representative of Australia, Ian Biggs, on the preparation of the International Conference on Nuclear Safety (ICONS-2024) under the auspices of the IAEA was held in the United Nations Office in Vienna on February 5. The ICONS-2024 International Conference
The Kazakh presidential press service said on February 5 that the Central Asian nation’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, accepted the government’s resignation and appointed First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar as acting prime minister. According to the presidential decree, the government will continue its duties until the cabinet’s new staff is approved. No reason for the
Kazakhstan increased the supply of electricity from its Zhambyl power plant to neighboring Kyrgyzstan following an explosion at the Bishkek thermal power plant on February 2. Three workers of the power plant were seriously injured in the explosion, which caused the plant’s breakdown and left parts of the capital city without hot water and heat.
On February 2 in Astana, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a joint Investment Forum aimed to explore proposals for enhancements to Kazakhstan’s investment legislation and to highlight important achievement supported by the USAID Kazakhstan Rule of Law Program, implemented by the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). The
Kazakhstan ranks 8th in the world in the development of online services. In 2023, 50 million services were provided online and citizens received 92% of services without leaving their homes, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, Bagdat Musin said, summing up the results of Digital Almaty-2024 forum held last week.
