Articles by Ayana Birbayeva 

ALMATY – Kazakhstan is preparing to establish a national credit rating agency as part of a broader effort to develop its domestic capital market, but the institution’s success will ultimately depend on more than the creation of a new regulator-approved rating system. Its ratings will have to earn the confidence of investors and become a…

ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has made a number of senior state appointments, reappointing the heads of the National Bank, National Security Committee and Supreme Judicial Council, as well as the Commissioner for Human Rights on Aug. 24.  Timur Suleimenov was reappointed the Governor of National Bank of Kazakhstan. He first became Governor in September…

ASTANA – The Adilet party secured 71.17% of the vote in Kazakhstan’s first elections to the Kurultai, according to preliminary results announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC) on Aug. 24. A total of 9,351,539 citizens participated in the election out of 12,623,289 registered voters, bringing preliminary voter turnout to 74.08%. The Adilet party received…

ALMATY – Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s first elections to the Kurultai reached 37.05% as of noon on Aug. 23, with 4,670,816 voters having received ballots, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The Kyzylorda Region recorded the highest turnout at 47.59%, followed by the Zhetisu Region at 47.29% and the Turkistan Region at 43.14%. Turnout…

ALMATY – Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights between Almaty and Hong Kong on Jan. 9, 2027, establishing the first direct air link between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong and expanding connections between Central Asia and the carrier’s global network. The airline will operate the route three times a week using wide-body Airbus…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan has begun construction of its first Robotics & AI complex on Aug. 18. According to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the complex will support research, software and artificial intelligence development, testing and localized production of robotic systems as the country seeks to build domestic capabilities in humanoid robotics. The…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s updated Foreign Policy Concept for 2020–2030 preserves the country’s balanced and pragmatic foreign policy while adapting it to a new constitutional framework, shifting geopolitical realities and a stronger emphasis on protecting the interests of Kazakh citizens and businesses abroad, analysts say. The amendments, signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and effective from Aug.…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to commission 845 megawatts of new power generation capacity in 2027 as part of a broader effort to meet growing electricity demand and build a reserve in the national power system. The planned projects combine gas-fired generation with renewable energy, reflecting the country’s strategy to expand capacity through multiple sources rather…

ALMATY – Paris Saint-Germain’s decision to open its first football academy in Kazakhstan this September is more than another international expansion for the French club. It reflects Kazakhstan’s growing attractiveness as a destination for elite youth football development, following a series of milestones that have elevated the country’s profile.  Located in Astana, the new PSG…

ALMATY – The inaugural FIDE World University Team Chess Championship opened in Almaty on Aug. 4 with teams from Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Beijing University and 12 other leading universities. While the event crowns the world’s strongest university chess team, it also reflects Kazakhstan’s broader effort to position itself as an international center for intellectual competition.…

ALMATY – As Central Asian countries accelerate airport expansion to capture growing passenger and cargo flows between Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan is entering a new phase of competition. While Uzbekistan has launched construction of what is expected to become the region’s largest airport, Almaty is pursuing a different strategy: expanding capacity while investing in operational…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to establish another international technology hub dedicated to artificial intelligence and startup development, expanding its network of innovation platforms as the country seeks to position itself as a regional AI hub through global partnerships, talent development and private investment. The initiative was discussed during Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s July 27 meeting…

ALMATY – As oil production temporarily softens, Kazakhstan is increasingly relying on construction, manufacturing, transport, trade and agriculture to maintain economic momentum. Government officials argue that strengthening these sectors will not only offset weaker hydrocarbon output in the short term but also lay the foundation for more diversified and resilient long-term growth. The strategy was…

ALMATY – Freight volumes on Kazakhstan’s rail network continued to grow in the first half of 2026, underscoring the country’s expanding role in regional trade. But as cargo flows accelerate, the focus is shifting from record volumes to whether rail infrastructure can keep pace with demand. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) transported 157.1 million tons of…

ALMATY – For generations of Almaty residents, fountains have marked the rhythm of summer. They are meeting places, playgrounds, works of art and fragments of history hidden among the city’s trees.  Today, Almaty operates more than 120 fountains and fountain complexes, making it the undisputed fountain capital of Kazakhstan. Sixty-three belong to the municipality, while…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed regional and commercial agreements worth more than 80 billion tenge (US$146 million) on July 24 as the two countries advanced cooperation in trade, transport, industry and cross-border development during a series of meetings in Aktau. The agreements were concluded following the 23rd meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission…

ALMATY – Four of the seven political parties approved to contest Kazakhstan’s Aug. 23 Kurultai elections have officially registered their candidate lists with the Central Election Commission (CEC), while the remaining parties continue submitting documents for registration. The CEC also announced that 76 international observers have been accredited to monitor the vote. The parties that…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan could become home to Central Asia’s first electric vehicle battery plant as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed the project with Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) during a round of investment-focused meetings with China’s leading technology and infrastructure companies in Shanghai on July 16.  Meeting with Pan Jian, co-chairman of the board of CATL, the…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s zoos generated a record 2.6 billion tenge (US$5 million) in revenue in 2025 as visitor spending continued to rise despite a slight decline in attendance. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, the country’s eight zoos and sole oceanarium welcomed 2.6 million visitors last year, down modestly from the record 2.8 million…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan and NASA have agreed to develop a practical roadmap for expanding cooperation in space science, satellite technologies and research following July 13 talks at the Baikonur Cosmodrome between Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev and Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)…

ALMATY – Martial arts icon and international film star Jackie Chan arrived in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region on July 13 to begin filming “Armour of God: Ultimatum,” the latest installment in the action franchise, regional authorities announced. Mangystau Governor Nurdaulet Kilybai welcomed Chan, who is visiting the region as part of the production of the international…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s IT services market reached a historic high in 2025, with the total value of services exceeding 2.9 trillion tenge (US$5.6 billion), according to the Bureau of National Statistics. The figure represents a 70% increase compared to 2024 and marks a 4.6-fold expansion since official statistics on the sector began being published in…

ALMATY – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has established an Operational Committee to enable faster decision-making on the development of Alatau City, as the government moves to implement Kazakhstan’s new special legal regime for the country’s newest city. The announcement came during a July 10 meeting of the Alatau City council, where officials reviewed the implementation…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina has been named one of the world’s 10 highest-paid tennis players in 2026, according to the latest annual rankings compiled by the sports business publication Sportico. Rybakina ranked 10th with $16.3 million in total earnings over the 12 months from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover reached $44.9 billion in the first four months of 2026, up 7.9% from the same period last year, according to data released by the Kazakh Bureau of National Statistics on June 15.  Between January and April, the country’s exports rose by 5% to $24 billion, while imports increased by…