Kazakhstan has signed eight commercial agreements worth $2.5 billion with Chinese companies, significantly enhancing bilateral economic relations between the two countries. The agreements were signed on November 4 during Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s visit to Shanghai, RFE/RL reported. The agreements support a broader strategy of the two countries to double trade turnover, which reached
The 17th “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Cooperation Forum took place in Seoul on November 4. The forum addressed key areas of partnership between Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea, focusing on sectors such as transport and logistics cooperation, energy collaboration, digital transformation, and environmental issues, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. In
Climate finance, infrastructure, agriculture, and micro and smaller businesses in Central Asia were just some of the areas that benefited from strong funding from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, over the last fiscal year. The funds, coupled with advisory support, are helping to increase private sector participation, create jobs, boost financial inclusion,
On November 1, the VII Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR-2024) was held in Astana under the “Global Investment Trends: A Vision of the Future” agenda. Speaking at the forum, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov noted that the roundtable is a logical continuation of the meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council, which was held the day
On October 31, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the 36th meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana. Tokayev noted that the Council has become the most important dialogue platform for discussing issues of improving the investment climate in the country. “We have set ourselves a rather ambitious goal – to attract an additional $150
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to introduce a public-private partnership (PPP) model to Kazakhstan’s healthcare-sector by arranging a financing package of €365 million provided by six financial institutions for the construction and operation of a 630-bed multidisciplinary hospital in the city of Kokshetau. The financing, including the EBRD’s own
The European Union says it is launching a new four-year project to strengthen engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs) in Central Asia, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinators’ and national governments. The project, which will be coordinated by a regional project team
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sovereign-guaranteed local currency loan of up to $291.49 million equivalent to KazAvtoZhol National Company to reconstruct 208 kilometers of road in central Kazakhstan that will improve domestic and regional connectivity, road safety, and promote national and international trade. The ADB project will upgrade the existing two-lane highway
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced that its President, Odile Renaud-Basso, will visit Kazakhstan from 31 October to 1 November for meetings with senior government officials and multilateral financial institutions. During her two-day program, the EBRD President will meet with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, hold a bilateral meeting with the leadership of the Asian Development Bank
Kazakhstan’s national soccer team coach Stanislav Cherchesov, a Russian national, has been fined by the national federation for making an insensitive comment regarding the Kazakh language, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The incident occurred earlier this month, when Cherchesov responded to a reporter’s question in Kazakh with a joke comparing the language to French, sparking public outrage.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a state visit to Mongolia from October 28 to 29. Tokayev held talks with President of Mongolia Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, after which the two leaders signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between their countries. Kazakhstan and Mongolia decided to deepen their cooperation in the following five main areas: 1.
The first meeting of the Kazakhstan-Mongolian Business Council was held in Ulaanbaatar with the participation of Minister of Digital Development of Kazakhstan Zhaslan Madiyev, Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Gabidulla Ospankulov and representatives of the business community of the two countries, Kazakh Invest reported. Speaking at the meeting, Ospankulov informed the participants
On October 24, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov inspected the construction of a light rail transport (LRT) line in the capital, Astana, the government’s press service reported. Akim (Mayor) of Astana Zhenis Kasymbek reported that to date, the laying of the beams of the LRT flyover has been completed. By the end of 2024,
On October 24, a ceremony took place in Almaty to launch the production of innovative drugs by the Swiss pharmaceutical giant F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) in partnership with Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC (Nobel AFF), Kazakh Invest reported. The investment project to localize production was implemented based on an agreement between Roche, SK-Pharmacy LLP, Nobel AFF, and
A ceremony was held at the Library of Congress in Washington on October 22 where the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States, Yerzhan Ashikbayev, presented a collection of books dedicated to the culture, history, and literary heritage of Kazakhstan as a gift, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. The event was attended by President of
In October 2024, the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Fund for Digital Initiatives allocated the first tranche for a project to establish a National Digital Investment Platform in Kazakhstan. The project aligns with the digital agenda of EDB member states — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, aiming to accelerate the development of the digital
Digitalization of customs administration and cargo transportation is becoming a key priority for Kazakhstan as it seeks to strengthen its position in the international arena and become a leading player in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Effective digitalization and integration with international trade routes can provide Kazakhstan with significant economic advantages, Rosreporter writes in an
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, this year the total area of agricultural crops in Kazakhstan was 23.3 million hectares, of which 16.7 million hectares were sown with cereals. To date, field work is 99.7% complete and 26.5 million tons of grain have been threshed. At the Government session on October 23, Deputy Minister
An expert discussion titled “Kazakhstan as a Middle Power: Geopolitics, Critical Minerals, and the Middle Corridor” was held at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London last week. Organized by one of the most respected think tanks in the world, the event provided a platform to exchange views and opportunity to analyze Kazakhstan’s role
The IV International ECOJER Congress and the Transition ceremony of the PAGE (UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy) Partnership took place in the capital of Kazakhstan on October 22. The congress gathered members of the Government of Kazakhstan, representatives of state authorities, business leaders, and representatives of international organizations, UNDP Kazakhstan reported. According to
