New favourable home loan programme to begin in second half 2018

ASTANA – The National Bank’s  7-20-25 mortgage programme to provide favourable loans for Kazakh citizens to buy homes will begin in the second half of this year,...


Bollywood to shoot movie about Mangistau region

ASTANA – A Bollywood film company will shoot a movie about the Mangistau region famous for its historical sights, Akim (Governor) of the Mangistau region Yeraly Tugzhanov...


Astana to build waste recycling plant using French technology

ASTANA – Astana plans to build a garbage recycling plant using French technology by September 2019 that will use wet and dry fractions technology to process up...


Astana, Paris agree to send 100 Kazakh graduate students to France

ASTANA – Ninety second-year master students and 10 doctoral students from Kazakhstan will be sent to French higher education institutions under the new joint Abai-Verne Programme. The...


Sergek has helped solve more than 500 crimes in Astana

ASTANA – Sergek video surveillance system has helped capital police solve more than 500 criminal offenses, including four murders. The system has contributed to reducing the number...


Kazakh clothing manufacturers fail to meet national demand, says report

ASTANA – Kazakhstan needs to increase its domestic clothing production to meet national demand, reports Energyprom.kz. In January, domestic manufacturers matched 19.3 percent of national demand for...


Belt and Road Initiative: One Vision of Justice

In 2017, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan celebrated 25 years of friendship and diplomacy. The UAE is Kazakhstan’s largest Arab trade partner, with close to $643...


Hungarians, Kazakhs are almost relatives, says Hungarian cultural centre head

ASTANA – The people of Hungary and Kazakhstan, who share a nomadic past, are almost like relatives, said Hungarian Cultural Centre Head Aleksandr Papp. In a recent...


New report reviews religion and secularism in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan can offer the world a completely different model of state secularism and may serve as an example for other Muslim-majority states, according to a...


Young social entrepreneurs call for celebrating diversity through education, inclusion

ASTANA – The School for All is planning to expand by opening a new office in the capital to welcome more children of all abilities. Set up...


New Muslim identity must be shaped based on modernised Kazakh national culture, says Kazakh Naib Mufti

ASTANA – Kazakhstan, which has always promoted peace and dialogue between different nations and religions, is preparing for the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions...


Israeli – Kazakh cooperation has considerable unfulfilled potential, says Israeli envoy

ASTANA – Israeli and Kazakh diplomatic relations, celebrating their 26th anniversary this year, have significant potential yet to be explored, according to Israeli Ambassador to Kazakhstan Michael...


Kazakh hospitals to do away with paper records, switch to electronic health passports

ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of Health plans to do away with paper records beginning January 2019 by completely turning to electronic health passports. Half of Kostanai...


Kazakh communication ministry to pursue 83 percent nationwide digital literacy by 2022

ASTANA – The Ministry of Information and Communication has developed a plan to increase Kazakhstan’s digital literacy rate to 83 percent by 2022. The goal to better...


National campaign legalises more than 600,000 informal jobs

ASTANA – Labour and Social Protection Minister Madina Abylkassymova reported that 607,000 out of 2.7 million people had formalised their employment status since the beginning of the...


Hiring US forensic experts in Tokmadi case was Yerkin Tatishev’s idea

ASTANA – Yerkin Tatishev, the brother of late BTA Bank chair Yerzhan Tatishev, who was killed during a winter hunt in 2004, told Forbes.kz he was the...


Kazakhstan to build university hospitals in Almaty and Karaganda

ASTANA – The Kazakh government plans to build two university hospitals using public-private partnerships, Minister of the Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov announced during a recent government meeting. The...


Kazakh engineering capabilities, Dutch expertise support major developments in Kazakhstan

Witteveen+Bos is an engineering and consulting company based in the Netherlands whose affiliated company, Witteveen+Bos Caspian LLP, is currently serving as the main designer to complete the...


Reconstructed Astana park will reflect Almaty region

ASTANA – Almaty region and BI Group are reconstructing the capital’s Arai Park in conjunction with the city’s 20th anniversary. The project will present the region’s remarkable...


Eighty percent of Kazakhs with HIV to receive antiretroviral therapy

ASTANA – Eighty percent of Kazakhs who test HIV positive will receive antiretroviral therapy by the end of the year, reported BNews.kz. Only 54 percent of patients...


Three nature reserves to open as part of Sacred Kazakhstan initiative

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to open three new nature reserves, Sacred Kazakhstan Science and Research Centre Head Berik Abdygaliuly announced at a recent exhibit dedicated to the...


Kazakhstan announces support for inter-Korean summit

ASTANA – Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov expressed support for the upcoming summit between the Republic of Korea and North Korea at an...


Akmola region reproductive dairy farm to provide jobs

ASTANA – A specialised reproductive farm to be established in Burabai area, Akmola region, will provide jobs for local residents and develop the Kazakh dairy industry. The...


Traditional Kazakh belt wrestling tournament to be held in Almaty

ASTANA – Khalyk Barysy, the first national traditional Kazakh belt wrestling tournament, will be held May 7 as part of the Rukhani Zhangyru programme at the Sunkar...


Boxer Sharipova to fight for WBC champion belt of Finland’s Eva Wahlstrom

ASTANA – Boxer Firuza Sharipova of Kazakhstan will face off against World Boxing Council (WBC) Champion Eva Wahlstrom of Finland in Monaco Oct. 24. Sharipova’s manager Sergei...


Kazakhstan Fashion Week gathers best designers

ASTANA – Some of the world’s best fashion designers showcased latest offerings April 10-13 at the Abai State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and Dostyk Plaza in...


Intensive cultivation, gardening trends discussed in Almaty

ASTANA – AgroCredit will provide more support to develop intensive gardening nationwide, according to an announcement at the Apple Day: How to Transform Apples into Profits and...


Asian Development Bank forecasts 3.2 percent Kazakh GDP growth

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts growth of Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) at 3.2 percent in 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2019. It is...


Shymkent oil refinery reconstruction to end in May

ASTANA – The Shymkent oil processing plant (SOPP) reconstruction will last for one additional month and the interim shutdown will not affect the Kazakh fuel supply, said...


Kazakh officials briefed on Estonia’s IT success

ASTANA – Kazakh officials were briefed during a meeting in Tallinn at the end of March on Estonia’s digitisation successes. Estonia is considered a leader in IT-based...