Articles by Dana omirgazy

ASTANA – S&P Global Ratings raised Kazakhstan’s long- and short-term sovereign credit ratings on Aug. 21 to BBB/A-2 from BBB-/A-3, while maintaining a stable outlook. The agency also raised its transfer and convertibility assessment to BBB+ and affirmed Kazakhstan’s national scale rating at kzAAA. The upgrade strengthens Kazakhstan’s position among investment-grade sovereigns and could improve…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s first campaign for the new Kurultai has brought all seven registered political parties into a national political debate, with televised discussions and public meetings highlighting their policy priorities ahead of the Aug. 23 vote. A campaign built around debate The campaign has emphasized televised debates. Over four weeks, representatives of all seven…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s proposed international volunteer portal could be more than an image project, giving the country an opportunity to turn its global volunteer agenda into a practical mechanism for international cooperation, said an expert with the National Volunteer Network. “If the initiative is implemented, for our country this will be much more than an…

ASTANA – Kazakh confectionery producer LOTTE Rakhat plans to enter the markets of South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand, expanding the international reach of one of the country’s established confectionery brands. The company operates production facilities in Almaty and Shymkent, with combined annual capacity exceeding 100,000 tons. Its range includes more than 500 products, from chocolate…

ASTANA – A total of 777 foreign observers from 42 countries and 13 international organizations have been accredited to monitor Kazakhstan’s Kurultai election, Central Election Commission (CEC) Secretary Mukhtar Yerman said on Aug. 18. The figure includes 138 members of parliaments from 41 countries. International monitoring According to the CEC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s foreign trade entered a stronger phase in January-June, with exports growing faster than imports and non-resource and processed goods gaining ground in major international markets. The key question is whether this represents a temporary improvement in trade performance or a stronger shift in the structure and geography of Kazakhstan’s exports. Exports outpace…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has identified 5.2 million hectares of non-forested land within its 31-million-hectare state forest fund as having potential for carbon projects, opening new opportunities for investors in emissions reduction and carbon absorption projects, Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Yerlan Nyssanbayev said. “This opens new opportunities for investors to participate in projects to reduce…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has returned 1.154 trillion tenge (US$2.5 billion) in assets to state ownership since launching its asset-recovery program in September 2023. The central question now is how effectively these funds can be converted into long-term public benefits, particularly in regions facing infrastructure shortages. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly stressed that the asset-recovery process…

ASTANA – The Caspian Sea is home to the Caspian seal, the world’s only seal species found exclusively in the Caspian Sea. The species spends most of its life in the water and travels considerable distances in search of food, while the northern Caspian’s winter ice fields provide critical breeding grounds. The main conservation challenge…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding geological and geophysical exploration to strengthen its mineral-resource base and support a strategic shift toward deeper processing and higher-value production. By the end of this year, exploration is expected to cover 2.2 million square kilometers, with work completed at 25 sites. A key priority is the transition from regional 1:200,000-scale…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from international media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights the country’s plans to launch Central Asia’s first air taxi service, developments in energy security, transport connectivity and regional diplomacy. Speaking alongside Putin, Kazakh President calls for freeze of Ukraine war Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has taken a new step in its digital transformation agenda by signing an agreement with the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance (DEC40), an international organization promoting cooperation in smart city development and the digital economy, on July 28, to advance collaboration in smart cities, artificial intelligence and regional innovation.  The partnership between…

ASTANA – A tanker loading Kazakh oil at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal was attacked by drones on July 30, causing a fire on board and suspending loading operations. No casualties or oil spill were reported. According to CPC, the tanker Nissos Sifnos under the flag of the Marshall Islands, carrying crude oil…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan continues to operate one of the world’s most affordable toll road systems, with passenger vehicles paying an average of 207 tenge (US$0,44) per 100 kilometers on Category I highways, the country’s highest-standard roads, using prepaid accounts. According to national road operator KazAvtoZhol’s release from July 28, comparable toll roads in China, France,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is facing increasing climate-related risks as temperatures rise at around twice the global average, putting growing pressure on public health systems and communities. Experts warn that more frequent and intense heatwaves require stronger adaptation measures, including a national Heat-Health Action Plan. According to Kazhydromet, 2025 was the warmest year in Kazakhstan’s recorded…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Housing Company (KHC), a subsidiary of the Baiterek national management holding, has launched the beta version of KHC. Analytics, a platform designed to provide comprehensive data on Kazakhstan’s housing market and the shared-equity construction sector. Centralized housing market data The platform consolidates housing market information into interactive dashboards, offering data that the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is undertaking one of its largest energy infrastructure upgrades to address a key challenge: maintaining affordable electricity while ensuring a reliable supply for a growing economy. Through the National Project on Modernization of the Energy and Utilities Sectors, the country plans to expand generation capacity, upgrade aging networks and digitalize energy management.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to significantly expand repairs of its aging energy and utilities infrastructure under a 13 trillion tenge (US$27.3 billion) national modernization program, with the government aiming to double the pace of network upgrades while increasing the use of domestic manufacturers, officials said at a July 28 government meeting. Launched at the end…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court launched audio and video versions of the new Constitution in both Kazakh and Russian on July 23 to improve access to legal information. A complete video version has also been published on the court’s official social media platforms. The initiative is designed to ensure broader and more equal access to…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s decision to become a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) marks a significant step in the country’s ambition to help shape global artificial intelligence governance while strengthening its position as an emerging regional AI hub. The agreement establishing WAICO was signed on July 16 during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is intensifying efforts to raise public awareness of organ donation and improve its transplant system as 4,739 patients, including 126 children, remain on the national transplant waiting list, with transplantation representing the only chance of survival for many of them. Documentary raises public awareness A documentary film, “4739,” produced by the Khabar…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked 53rd out of 150 countries in the May 2026 Special Edition of the Global Investment Risk and Resilience Index (GIRRI), improving from 70th place in the original 2025 ranking, as the updated index reflects the impact of recent geopolitical and economic developments on global investment risk. The updated ranking was released…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has opened accreditation on July 23 for foreign journalists planning to cover the election of deputies to the Kurultai of Kazakhstan, scheduled for Aug. 23. Under Kazakhstan’s legislation, foreign journalists may carry out professional activities in the country only if they hold a valid permanent or temporary accreditation issued by…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has temporarily reduced oil production following the suspension of loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea, the Energy Ministry said on July 23. Loading operations at the CPC marine terminal have been temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of vessels, crews and the environment in…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s government has allocated 10.4 billion tenge (US$22.3 million) to begin developing the KazSat-3R communications satellite, which will replace the existing KazSat-3 spacecraft and ensure the uninterrupted operation of the country’s national satellite communications system. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed the corresponding resolution as part of the implementation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directive…