An international symposium, titled “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture, and Identity,” took place in Astana last week, bringing together leading Kazakh and international scholars and experts to comprehensively understand the historical legacy of the Golden Horde (the Ulus of Jochi) and its role in shaping civilizational processes in
In Central Asia, much of the conversation still revolves around oil, logistics, borders, and geopolitical influence. Yet the most decisive resource of the region’s future is neither hydrocarbons nor transit corridors. It is water. Stripped of diplomatic language, the reality is stark: the region is entering a phase where the Soviet-era water management system –
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the 22nd meeting of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Ethnic Germans in the Republic of Kazakhstan on May 19 in Astana. As of today, there are 226,000 ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan and around one million German resettlers from Kazakhstan in Germany. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Arman
In the first quarter of 2026, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade reached $32.9 billion, an increase of 10.5% compared to $29.8 billion in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration. The growth confirms the increasing role of high value-added products in the country’s exports, which grew by 9.4% to $18 billion
A capsule-laying ceremony for the Yasawi Research Institute was recently held at the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University in the Kazakh city of Turkistan. Turkistan is recognized as the spiritual capital of the Turkic World, playing a symbolic role in fostering common identity, cultural heritage and unity among Turkic nations. The city is home
Kazakhstan is taking steps to support products labeled “Made in Kazakhstan” not only in retail chains but also online platforms. The Ministry of Trade and Integration has prepared legislative amendments strengthening the rules for promoting domestic goods both in offline retail trade and e-commerce. According to the proposed legislation, online marketplaces will be required to
Kazakhstan has begun exporting its oilseed products to Iran through the Caspian Sea in a move capable to increase supplies and diversify export routes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The first shipment of rapeseed oil was sent from the Kazakh port of Aktau, marking an important step in strengthening Kazakhstan’s position in oilseed
Kazakhstani artist Asel Kadyrkhanova’s installation “Machine,” dedicated to the Red Terror and Stalinist repressions, was removed from the Kazakhstan pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale. The Kazakhstan National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale opened on May 6. The Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information removed the installation from the exhibition one day before the opening.
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