Experts Say Tokayev’s G20 Invitation Will Test Kazakhstan’s Balancing Act
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s participation in the G20 summit in Miami this December is set to put Kazakhstan’s carefully balanced foreign policy to a new test, as growing United States (US) interest in the country creates opportunities for deeper economic and strategic cooperation while intensifying competition among the major powers with which Astana has…
How Tropical Greenhouse in Astana Quietly Changes Way You Think About Survival
I had lived in Astana for years before I finally visited the greenhouse at the city’s Botanical Garden. Looking back, I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long. I’d walked through the park countless times, watched runners weave between its paths, admired the flower beds in summer and the endless white snow in…
Preparing for Economy That Doesn’t Yet Exist: Why Kazakhstan’s Experiment Is Worth Watching
One of the things that has surprised me most over the past year is how rarely my conversations with futurists actually stay focused on artificial intelligence. We usually begin there. We talk about generative models, autonomous agents, the next version of ChatGPT, the speed at which these systems are evolving. Yet after twenty or thirty…
AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov on How AIFC is Preparing for Next Era of Finance
ASTANA — When Renat Bekturov first joined what would become the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the institution existed only as an idea. There were no success stories to point to and no guarantee that an international financial center could take root in the heart of Eurasia. Nearly a decade later, the conversation has shifted.…
Is Kazakhstan’s Middle Class Expanding? New Survey Reveals More Than Just Income Trends
ASTANA — More than 93% of Kazakh citizens describe their household’s financial position as middle income or above, according to a survey by the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS) released on Aug. 5. The survey found that 70.1% of respondents described themselves as having an average level of material well-being, while 22.9% said they were…
EAEU Trade Nears $100 Billion as Bloc Shifts Focus to Digital Integration
ASTANA — Trade among Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states is on track to surpass $100 billion for the first time in 2026, as the five-country bloc shifts its focus from traditional market integration toward digital trade, artificial intelligence and the removal of non-tariff barriers. Speaking at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting in Cholpon-Ata on…
Kazakhstan’s Services Exports Near $13 Billion as Digital Sector Gains Momentum
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s services exports approached $13 billion in 2025, with transport remaining the backbone of the sector. But while logistics continues to generate nearly half of the country’s services export revenue, the fastest growth is increasingly coming from digital industries, pointing to a gradual shift toward higher-value exports. According to Energyprom.kz, Kazakhstan exported $12.8…
Kazakhstan’s Copper Output Places It Among World’s Top 10 Producers
ASTANA — Kazakhstan ranked among the world’s 10 largest copper producers in 2025 after mining 710,000 tons of the metal, reinforcing its position in a market where demand is expected to accelerate as countries expand clean energy and digital infrastructure. According to data from the Energy Institute (EI) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Kazakhstan…
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Join Forces to Pursue New Export Markets in Syria and Iraq
ASTANA — Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are expanding their economic partnership beyond bilateral trade by jointly targeting new export markets in Syria and Iraq, reflecting a broader strategy to position Central Asia as a supplier to rapidly growing reconstruction and import-dependent economies. Business delegations from the two countries are expected to travel to Aleppo in late…
Kazakhstan Takes First Step Toward Air Taxi Era With Passenger eVTOL Flight
ASTANA — Kazakhstan has taken its first practical step toward urban air mobility after a passenger completed the country’s first flight aboard an autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, signaling that the country’s air taxi ambitions are beginning to move beyond government plans into real-world testing. According to the Committee of Civil Aviation…
UK-Kazakhstan Partnership Enters New Phase: But What Will It Mean in Practice?
ASTANA — International agreements are often measured by the ceremony surrounding their signing. Their real value, however, is measured years later: by investments made, businesses launched and partnerships that would not have happened otherwise. The entry into force this July of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (SPCA) between the United Kingdom (UK) and Kazakhstan…
Kazakhstan Resumes CPC Oil Exports as Marine Terminal Reopens
ASTANA – Kazakhstan resumed crude oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after the consortium restarted accepting oil from shippers and resumed loading operations at its marine terminal in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, the Kazakh Energy Ministry announced on July 27. According to the ministry, tanker loading is currently underway at two…
Kazakh President Bets on Digital Logistics to Turn Geography into Opportunity at Omsk Forum
ASTANA — For President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, geography is becoming one of Kazakhstan’s greatest strategic advantages. Speaking at the XXII Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Cooperation Forum on July 25 in Omsk, he said that the world’s longest continuous land border shared by Kazakhstan and Russia positions the two countries to play a leading role in shaping Eurasia’s transport…
Tokayev and Putin Discuss Ukraine, Nuclear Energy and Strategic Partnership in Omsk
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin met ahead of the XXII Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Cooperation Forum, focused on transport, logistics and regional economic ties, in Omsk on July 25. Their talks broadened the agenda beyond the forum’s economic focus to include the war in Ukraine, strategic partnership and cooperation on Kazakhstan’s first…
Tokayev Invites Trump to Visit Kazakhstan During Leaders’ Call
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited United States President Donald Trump to visit Kazakhstan during a phone call on July 10 that focused on bilateral economic cooperation, political engagement and nuclear nonproliferation, the Akorda press service reported. Tokayev congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, noting that the country had become a powerful…
Alstom: Kazakhstan’s Early Bet on the Middle Corridor Is Paying Off
ASTANA — As geopolitical disruptions continue to reshape global trade routes, Kazakhstan is emerging as a critical link between Asia and Europe. For French rail giant Alstom, which has invested more than 200 million euros (US$228 million) in the country over the past 15 years, the growing significance of the Middle Corridor validates a long-term…
Kazakhstan, Masdar Advance Renewable Energy and AI Infrastructure Cooperation
ASTANA — Kazakhstan and United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based clean energy company Masdar have taken a step toward developing joint renewable energy and digital infrastructure projects by signing a roadmap to support the country’s growing artificial intelligence and data center ambitions. The roadmap was signed on June 29 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital…
Between Power and People: Why Strong Journalism Matters
ASTANA — Every year on June 28, Kazakhstan marks the Day of Media Workers. The date commemorates the adoption of the country’s first Law on the Press and Other Mass Media in 1991, just months before Kazakhstan declared its independence. It is a fitting coincidence. Because the story of Kazakh journalism and the story of…
EDB Expands Investment Footprint Across Eurasia as Member States Outline Growth Priorities
ALMATY – The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is expanding its role as a regional development institution, with member states highlighting its growing contribution to infrastructure, industrial modernization, energy, and regional connectivity during the plenary session Eurasia 2030+: Investments, Growth and New Opportunities at the EDB’s Annual Meeting on June 25. The discussion marked the bank’s…
From Astana to Paris: Why World is Sweating Through Early Summer Heatwave
ASTANA — Temperatures are rising across Kazakhstan as parts of Europe experience one of the most intense early-summer heatwaves in recent years, with forecasters warning that extreme heat is becoming an increasingly common feature of the global climate. In Kazakhstan, meteorologists forecast intensifying heat in several regions this week. According to Kazhydromet, temperatures in some…
Astana to Host 2027 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
ASTANA — The International Skating Union (ISU) has officially selected Astana as the host city for the 2027 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, according to Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee. The competition is scheduled to take place from Feb. 9 to 14, 2027. The event will bring together figure skaters from Asia, the Americas, Africa and…
EDB Gains Direct Access to China’s Interbank Bond Market
ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has received a license to operate in China’s interbank bond market (China Interbank Bond Market, CIBM), according to information published by the People’s Bank of China on June 22. The CIBM is one of the world’s largest bond markets. According to data from the Bank for International Settlements…
Fitch Affirms Kazakhstan’s BBB Sovereign Credit Rating With Stable Outlook
ASTANA — International credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit rating at BBB with a Stable Outlook, Kazakh National Economy Ministry reported on June 19. According to Fitch, the rating is supported by Kazakhstan’s strong external position, substantial net foreign assets and low level of government debt. The agency said that higher…
Kazakhstan Expands Air Links With Azerbaijan With Three Baku Routes
ASTANA — Kazakhstan has launched a new air route connecting Shymkent and Baku and is preparing to open additional flights from Aktobe and Atyrau to the Azerbaijani capital, according to Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry’s press service. On June 16, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) launched flights between Shymkent and Baku. The route operates three times a week. With…
Kazakhstan Delivers 319 Tons of Aid, Medical Mission to Afghanistan
ASTANA — A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin arrived in Kabul with a humanitarian and business mission on June 20, delivering 318.8 tons of humanitarian aid and deploying a team of Kazakh medical specialists to provide healthcare services in Afghanistan. According to the Prime Minister’s press…
