Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Offers Promising but Costly Alternative for Kazakhstan’s Oil Export, Experts Say

ASTANA – The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline is viewed by experts as a promising alternative for Kazakhstan’s oil exports, but its expansion comes with significant cost challenges, as...


Weekend Highlights: Must-Attend Activities in Astana and Almaty

ASTANA – Relax this weekend after a working week by visiting inspiring concerts and thought-provoking exhibitions to captivating spectacles. There is something for everyone to enjoy. The...


Kazakh Educator Receives Spain’s Prestigious Cultural Honor

ASTANA — Aizhan Kusainova-Oran, director of the Sin Fronteras Spanish Center, has become the second Kazakh citizen to receive Spain’s prestigious Order of Isabella the Catholic. Spanish...


Tokayev Reviews Outcomes of Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship in CSTO During Astana Session

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reviewed outcomes of the country’s chairmanship in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) during a Nov. 28 CSTO Collective Security Council...


Kazakhstan, Russia Open Al-Farabi University Branch at Interregional Cooperation Forum

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the plenary session of the 20th Forum of Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Cooperation, which was...


Kazakh & Russian Presidents Discuss Cooperation Prospects, Sign Joint Statement

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit, discussed cooperation prospects in the trade and economic,...


Dimash Qudaibergen’s New Music Video Shows Beauty of Kazakh Land

ASTANA – Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen unveiled his new music video for the song “Kieli Meken” (“Sacred Homeland” in Kazakh) on Nov. 27. “This project is a...


US Congress Considers Granting Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Status

ASTANA – The U.S. Congress is exploring ways to strengthen ties with Kazakhstan, including granting the country Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. However, progress is stalled...


Kazakh Tourism: Data Shows 50% Increase in Visitors from China

ASTANA – The number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan continues to rise; from January to October, the figure reached 550,000, exceeding the figure for 2023 with 367,000...


EDB Advances Key Projects in Central Asia: Investments, Water Management, and Energy Transition

ASTANA – Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and member of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Investors Council, shared his perspectives on Kazakhstan’s...


President Tokayev Meets with Russia’s President Ahead of High-Level Talks

ASTANA – Relations between Kazakhstan and Russia are based on a very solid foundation of strategic partnership and alliance, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a narrow-format meeting...


Kazakhstan Establishes Visa-Free Regime with Saint Kitts and Nevis

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has approved an agreement on exemption from short-term visa requirements with Saint Kitts and Nevis, following a government resolution on Nov. 20, reported Online.zakon.kz....


Four Kazakh Restaurants Enter La Liste’s Top-1000 Restaurants 2025

ASTANA – The prestigious French restaurant ranking guide La Liste has included four Kazakh establishments in its Top-1000 Restaurants 2025 list, announced on Nov. 25. Ogonyok in...


“Money Heist” Director Starts Filming Netflix Movie About Karlag

ASTANA – Miguel Ángel Vivas, the acclaimed Spanish director of “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”), has started filming “The Truce” (“La Tregua”), a Kazakh-Spanish movie about Karlag...


Astana Hub’s Revenue Surges 31-Fold to $2.3 Billion Over 5 Years

ASTANA – The Astana Hub International Technopark of IT startups demonstrates growth, with participant revenue soaring 31-fold to 1.2 trillion tenge ($2.3 billion) since its establishment in...


Kazakhstan Should Address Employment Challenges for People with Disabilities

Editor’s note: The Astana Times continues a section featuring articles by our readers. As a platform that values diverse perspectives and meaningful conversations, we believe that this...


Kazakhstan Allocates Recovered Funds to Build School in Atyrau Region

ASTANA – The Kazakh government will allocate two billion tenge (US$3.9 million) from returned illegally acquired assets to build a school for 150 students in the village...


Kazakhstan Reaffirms Support for UN Goals in Promoting Inter-civilizational Dialogue

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to continue promoting the UN goals and objectives for inter-civilizational dialogue, said Maulen Ashimbayev, the chairman of the Senate, an upper house...


Kazakhstans IT Exports Surge: On Track for $600 Million in 2024

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s IT services exports grew to $306 million in the first half of 2024. This volume is expected to exceed $600 million by year-end. Over...


Railway Upgrades to Bolster Kazakhstan’s Role in Global Logistics

ASTANA — Kazakhstan is implementing measures to enhance its transport connectivity through five main international railway corridors connecting Chinese markets with Europe and Central Asia, said Kazakh...


Kazakhstan Sets Strategic Course for Reviving and Preserving National Horse Breeds

ASTANA — Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin held a Nov. 25 meeting to outline the strategic objectives and development plans for the Institute of Horse Breeding and...


Kazakhstan Expands Network of Terminals Along TITR

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding a network of terminals along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev...


Turkistan Region Hosts Competition to Crown Fastest Tazy Dog

ASTANA — A competition showcasing the finest Tazy dogs, Kazakhstan’s iconic hunting greyhounds, concluded in the Turkistan Region on Nov. 25 with the crowning of Taimas as...


‘Energy in Transition’ Exhibition Concludes Central Asia Tour in Astana

ASTANA – The “Energy in Transition – Powering Tomorrow” traveling exhibition opened on Nov. 25 at Nazarbayev University in Astana – its final stop in Central Asia...


Dimash Qudaibergen Brings Stranger Show to Düsseldorf

ASTANA – Just two days after a sold-out performance in Prague, Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen and his team held a solo concert in Düsseldorf on Nov. 24....


Project Sapphire: 30th Anniversary of US-Kazakh Mission to Promote Safer & More Secure World

ASTANA – This year marks the 30th anniversary of Project Sapphire. This landmark operation took place in 1994 and involved removing 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium...


Almaty Hosts 17th Eurasia International Film Festival

ASTANA – The 17th Eurasia International Film Festival kicked off on Nov. 24 in Almaty, bringing together international actors, directors and producers. The opening ceremony featured a...


Trans-Caspian International Transport Route: First Container Train Leaves Baku for Xian on Return Trip

ASTANA – The first container train on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route’s (TITR) return trip from Baku (Azerbaijan) to Xian (China) via Kazakhstan was officially launched on...


Kazakh Students Tackle Gender-Based Violence at UN Case Championship

ASTANA — A citywide case championship organized by United Nations (UN) agencies and local partners at the Maqsut Narikbayev University on Nov. 25 marked the start of...


Sustainable Transport Key to Achieving Asia-Pacific Region’s Development Ambitions

Across the Asia-Pacific region, especially in urban centers, electric cars and buses are increasingly replacing gasoline-powered ones as a means of transportation. Aided by the ubiquity of...