When Erdoğan Tells Tokayev ‘Welcome to Your Second Home,’ I Feel It Too

When President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev flew into the Esenboğa international airport in Ankara, he was greeted there by President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a move full of...


Kazakhstan’s Population Surges Fivefold in Century

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s population has seen a fivefold increase over the past century, growing from 4.3 million in 1897 to 20.3 million as of June 1, 2025,...


What’s in Name of Central Asian Nations

ASTANA – “What’s in a name?” Juliet asks Romeo, suggesting that names are just labels and do not define who someone truly is. Yet, across cultures, there...


Kazakhstan Quadruples Environmental Investments in First Half of 2025

ASTANA — Kazakhstan invested 78.8 billion tenge (US$145 million) in environmental protection during the first half of 2025, a 4.6-fold increase compared to the same period last...


Kazakhstan Boosts Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Exports

ASTANA — Kazakhstan will increase oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline to 1.7 million tons in 2025 and strengthen energy cooperation with Türkiye, said Kazakh Energy...


News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Foreign Policy, Youth Power and More

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights Kazakhstan’s dynamic foreign policy, renewed cooperation with...


Transport Drives Growth, Tokayev Says at Industry Ceremony

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the strategic role of Kazakhstan’s transport sector on Aug. 1 in Astana, marking Transport Workers’ Day. Addressing industry professionals, he outlined...


Trump Signs Order Imposing 25% Tariff on Kazakh Imports

ASTANA — United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 31, imposing new tariffs on imports from nearly 70 countries, including Kazakhstan. Under the...


Kazakhstan Expands Investor Services at Astana Financial Center

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Investment Committee and Kazakh Invest national company launched a joint front office at the Astana International Financial Centre’s (AIFC) Expat Centre on July 30...


Tokayev Strengthens Kazakhstan–Türkiye Strategic Partnership

The official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye holds multidimensional and strategic significance that extends far beyond diplomatic protocol. The visit stands out as part of...


UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Visit Kazakhstan

ASTANA — The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Aug. 3 as part of his ongoing engagement in Central Asia. According to...


Kazakhstan Prosecutors Freeze 98,000 Drug Accounts Worth $4.2 Million

ASTANA – As of July 31, more than 98,000 drug accounts, valued at over 2.3 billion tenge (approximately US$4.2 million), have been blocked in Kazakhstan, according to...


EVs Make Up Less Than 1% of Kazakh Cars, But Interest is Rising

ASTANA – Electric vehicles (EVs) make up less than 1% of Kazakhstan’s car fleet. However, the number is slowly rising as more drivers show interest in eco-friendly...


Step into August with Rhythm, Art, and Chance to Break Away 

ASTANA – The first weekend of August brings a vibrant mix of live music, bold art, and outdoor getaways. Whether you are wandering city streets or heading...


Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic Agree on Additional Water Supply

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic reached an agreement on additional supply of water volumes lost due to drought and low inflow during a July 28...


Kazakhstan Reports Industrial Growth, 47 Projects Already Implemented

ASTANA – Of 190 projects worth nearly 1.5 trillion tenge (US$2.7 billion) planned for this year, Kazakhstan has implemented 47 valued at 196 billion tenge (US$360.4 million),...


Middle Corridor Declaration Time Reduced from 8 Hours to 30 Minutes

ASTANA – The time required to file declarations on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has been reduced from eight hours to 30 minutes, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Chairman...


Nation Leads Central Asia in Reducing Premature NCD Deaths

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has become the first Central Asian country to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2025 target of reducing premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)...


Kazakh National Bank Intervenes as Tenge Faces Speculative Pressure

ASTANA – The Kazakh tenge reached 550 per US dollar during trading on July 30, weakening by 5.8% since the beginning of the month or by 4.7%...


Industrial Output Grows 6.5% in First Half of 2025

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s industrial production rose by 6.5% in the first six months of 2025, driven by an 8.4% increase in the mining sector and a 5.5%...


Kazakhstan Targets 3.5-Fold Boost in Agricultural Exports by 2030

ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has outlined plans to increase Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports 3.5 times by 2030, according to his response to a parliamentary inquiry. “To...


Kazakhstan to Launch Logistics Hubs in Three Regions by 2027

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to open logistics complexes, including multimodal centers and dry ports, in Almaty, Astana, and the Kostanai Region by 2027, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov...


Kazakhstan Opens First University in Russia, Showcases Its Work

ASTANA – Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian country to open a university branch in Russia, launching a campus of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) at Omsk...


China Reaffirms Support for SCO in Meeting with Secretary General

ASTANA – Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on July 25 during a credential presentation ceremony for...


Kazakhstan, Türkiye Advance Strategic Partnership at High-Level Talks in Ankara

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met in Ankara on July 29 to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation and co-chaired the fifth...


Climate Pressures Are Redefining Macroeconomic Resilience in Asia and Pacific

In the past year, Asia and the Pacific has faced intensifying climate pressures, from extreme heat in Bangladesh and India to devastating floods in northern Thailand and...


New Deals Boost Kazakhstan-Türkiye Economic Cooperation

ASTANA – Kazakhstan signed an investment agreement worth 160 billion tenge (US$294.3 million) with Tiryaki Holding, one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of grain, oilseeds,...


Kazakhstan Secures Exemption to Continue Coal Exports to Europe

ASTANA – Kazakhstan reached an agreement with the European Union (EU) on July 29 to allow the continued transit of its coal exports to Europe, despite the...


Dimash’s Song Airs on World Famous  Radio Disney in Mexico for First Time

ASTANA – Dimash Qudaibergen’s song “Love’s Not Over Yet” has entered regular rotation on all Radio Disney stations in Mexico, one of the world’s leading music radio...


Water from China Allows Kapshagai Reservoir to Reach Full Capacity

ASTANA – Kazakhstan received 10.2 billion cubic meters of water from China in the first half of 2025, enabling the Kapshagai reservoir in the Almaty Region to...