Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Russia Vladimir Putin adopted a joint statement on May 28 outlining seven key pillars of bilateral friendship and cooperation amid growing global instability and geopolitical challenges, Akorda reported.  The leaders described the shared border between the two countries as a symbol of trust and economic…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Russia have signed an agreement outlining the main terms of cooperation and financing for the construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant, a major energy project estimated at around $16.5 billion. According to Almasadam Satkaliyev, head of Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, approximately $2 billion of the total cost will be allocated…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President Vladimir Putin signed a joint declaration titled On the Seven Principles of Friendship and Good Neighborliness Between Kazakhstan and Russia on May 28. The Presidents reaffirmed bilateral ties as the two countries moved to deepen cooperation in energy, industry, transport, education, and regional coordination. Putin’s state visit to…

ASTANA – Fans of Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen gathered in Times Square to celebrate the artist’s 32nd birthday, lighting up iconic LED screens in the heart of Manhattan and combining the tribute with a charitable initiative. For several years, Qudaibergen’s international fan community, known as Dears, has organized birthday celebrations for the artist in New…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is strengthening its position as a key energy and transit hub in Eurasia through expanded gas cooperation with Russia, focusing on infrastructure modernization, regional transit, and industrial integration. Energy cooperation between the two countries has evolved beyond political declarations to practical coordination to ensure regional energy supply security and expand export and…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to nuclear safety, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of atomic energy during talks on May 26, highlighted by the signing of a long-term cooperation roadmap through 2036. The meeting focused on expanding strategic cooperation between Kazakhstan…

ASTANA – Media accreditation is now open for the International IT Forum AI & Digital Bridge 2026, to be held on Oct. 1-3. The deadline for applications is Sept. 15. The forum, formerly known as Digital Bridge, will be held in an updated format focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and advanced technologies. AI &…

ASTANA – Kazakh cycling legend Alexander Vinokurov took part in a ceremonial ride of the opening stage course of the 2026 Vuelta a España in Monaco, joining former champions and Prince Albert II of Monaco ahead of the Grand Tour’s start. The 2026 Vuelta will begin in Monaco on Aug. 21-22, with the first two…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national railway operator is expanding rail lines, ports and cargo capacity as companies seek more reliable land routes between China and Europe amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) said instability around the Strait of Hormuz and the Iran war are increasing demand for overland…

ASTANA – Construction has officially begun on the Eurasian Integrated Green Copper Industry Plant in the Aktobe Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on May 25, a $100 million Kazakhstan-China investment project that will produce copper rod and cable products for domestic and export markets. The plant is expected to create 250 permanent jobs and strengthen Kazakhstan’s…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is strengthening its maritime emergency response and environmental safety infrastructure in the Caspian Sea as falling water levels increase pressure on regional navigation and rescue operations. During a working visit to the Atyrau Region, Emergency Situations Minister Chingis Arinov inspected the North Caspian Environmental Response Base, where he reviewed specialized vessels and…

ASTANA – Scholars from across the Turkic world gathered in Almaty on May 21-22 for a major international conference marking the 100th anniversary of the historic 1926 Baku Turkological Congress, a landmark event that helped shape modern Turkology and discussions on a common Turkic alphabet, history, and cultural identity. Organized by the International Turkic Academy…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Japan are expanding cooperation in digitalization, green technologies, and urban development following Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s visit to Astana ahead of the 10th anniversary of the countries’ expanded strategic partnership. During talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on May 22, the officials discussed collaboration in smart city development, digital technologies, finance, education,…

ASTANA — Deputies of the Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, reviewed government and audit reports on the implementation of Kazakhstan’s 2025 national budget, raising concerns over missed revenue targets, repeated budget revisions, and the growing cost of servicing public debt. Presenting the report, Deputy Finance Minister Dauren Temirbekov said national budget revenues…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the Smithsonian Institution will strengthen cooperation in museum studies, cultural heritage preservation, and professional training following talks on May 20 between Kazakh and U.S. officials. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva met with U.S. Ambassador Julie Stufft and Director of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art…

ASTANA – Kazakh singer and UN Migration Goodwill Ambassador Dimash Kudaibergen visited camps for displaced people in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on May 18 as part of a humanitarian mission organized with the UN Migration. During the visit, Kudaibergen met members of the Rohingya community, learned about humanitarian support programs, and took part in a cultural…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the Golden Horde as one of the largest political powers in Eurasian history and urged scholars to study its legacy objectively and without political bias. Addressing an international symposium on the Golden Horde in Astana on May 19, Tokayev said the empire connected East and West and influenced the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s vast coal reserves, estimated at 33.6 billion tons, are expected to support production for more than three centuries, as the country boosts output, expands exports and intensifies investment in the industry. Coal production rose by 7% in 2025 to 115 million tons, driven by stable domestic demand and growing export opportunities. Of…

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with the interior and public security ministers from China and Central Asian countries on May 18 to discuss strengthening regional cooperation to combat transnational crime, cyber threats, and other security challenges. The meeting brought together senior officials from China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as part of…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover increased to $32.9 billion in January-March, supported by rising exports, stronger non-resource shipments, and higher imports of industrial and investment goods. Total trade rose 10.5% year-on-year. Exports grew 9.4% to $18 billion, while imports increased 11.8% to $14.9 billion, driven by demand for machinery, equipment, and technologies used in…

ASTANA — Kazakhstan has delivered humanitarian assistance to Iran through the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAID) on May 16. The humanitarian initiative was implemented in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, the Emergency Situations Ministry and the Healthcare Ministry of Kazakhstan. The handover ceremony took place at the Serakhs railway station and included the transfer…

ASTANA — Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree on May 12 aimed at integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into Kazakhstan’s secondary education system, as part of broader efforts to modernize education and strengthen the country’s human capital amid the rapid global development of AI. Under the decree, the government is expected to approve by July…

ASTANA – A Russian scientific expedition in April confirmed a continued decline in the Caspian Sea level during the Novaya Delta 2026 mission, according to the researchers from the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The expedition, carried out with participation from the Astrakhan Nature Biosphere Reserve and Russia’s hydrographic…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Indonesia agreed to deepen economic cooperation in trade, logistics, agriculture and energy during high-level talks, as both countries seek to strengthen connectivity between Central and Southeast Asia and unlock new export opportunities. Trade and investment expansion Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to contribute, as a gesture of goodwill, to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue if appropriate international agreements are reached and implemented in practice, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a May 11 meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Tokayev also stressed the importance of coordinating efforts between Kazakhstan and Brazil…