Kazakh Guide Becomes Licensed Cultural Ambassador in France
ASTANA – Janara Sayasat has turned her life in the French capital into both a profession and a cultural mission. A Kazakh licensed by France’s Ministry of Culture to work as an official tour guide in Paris, she introduces visitors to the country’s historic landmarks while building a bridge between French and Kazakh cultures.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112251
ASTANA – Janara Sayasat has turned her life in the French capital into both a profession and a cultural mission. A Kazakh licensed by France’s Ministry of Culture to work as an official tour guide in Paris, she introduces visitors to the country’s historic landmarks while building a bridge between French and Kazakh cultures.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112251
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Audio
📰Weekly News Digest
Welcome to your weekly digest from The Astana Times. We bring you key stories of the week - all in one quick listen
Welcome to your weekly digest from The Astana Times. We bring you key stories of the week - all in one quick listen
World Bank Country Manager on New Partnership Framework, Kambarata-1 and Economic Resilience
ASTANA — The World Bank Group is preparing to launch its 2026-2031 partnership strategy with Kazakhstan as the country completes a previous phase of cooperation that delivered 14 projects worth $4.2 billion. The new framework aims to support Kazakhstan’s transition beyond a state-dominated, resource-driven growth model, said World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan and…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112579
ASTANA — The World Bank Group is preparing to launch its 2026-2031 partnership strategy with Kazakhstan as the country completes a previous phase of cooperation that delivered 14 projects worth $4.2 billion. The new framework aims to support Kazakhstan’s transition beyond a state-dominated, resource-driven growth model, said World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan and…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112579
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Investment Climate Council Discusses Implementation of C5+1 Agreements
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the council aimed at improving the investment climate to advance agreements reached under the C5+1 format, emphasizing constitutional reform, economic modernization and deeper cooperation with U.S. investors.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The meeting brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, includingnewly appointed U.S.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112609
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the council aimed at improving the investment climate to advance agreements reached under the C5+1 format, emphasizing constitutional reform, economic modernization and deeper cooperation with U.S. investors.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The meeting brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, includingnewly appointed U.S.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112609
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World Bank to Invest in Rail Connectivity, Logistics in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved on Feb. 19 an $846 million IBRD guarantee to mobilize $1.41 billion in long-term commercial financing for a major rail connectivity project along Kazakhstan’s section of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor, a strategic trade route linking Asia and Europe.
Photo…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112622
ASTANA – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved on Feb. 19 an $846 million IBRD guarantee to mobilize $1.41 billion in long-term commercial financing for a major rail connectivity project along Kazakhstan’s section of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor, a strategic trade route linking Asia and Europe.
Photo…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112622
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Kazakhstan Wraps Up 2026 Winter Olympics with Historic Gold and Strong Top-10 Results
ASTANA — Kazakhstan finished the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy with one gold medal, marking the country’s second-best performance in its history at the Winter Games. The historic victory came in figure skating, while several other athletes achieved top-10 finishes.
Photo credit: National Olympic Committee
The only medal for Kazakhstan was won by…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112624
ASTANA — Kazakhstan finished the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy with one gold medal, marking the country’s second-best performance in its history at the Winter Games. The historic victory came in figure skating, while several other athletes achieved top-10 finishes.
Photo credit: National Olympic Committee
The only medal for Kazakhstan was won by…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112624
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Kazakhstan Reviews Peacekeepers’ Readiness for UN Mission
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Dauren Kosanov met with members of the third national peacekeeping contingent during a working visit to Almaty as they prepare for deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force mission in the Golan Heights.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The visit also included a presentation of a new defense…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112629
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Dauren Kosanov met with members of the third national peacekeeping contingent during a working visit to Almaty as they prepare for deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force mission in the Golan Heights.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The visit also included a presentation of a new defense…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112629
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Kazakhstan Accelerates Petrochemical Shift Toward Deep Processing and New Polymer Plants
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving beyond a traditional feedstock-based petrochemical model, accelerating investment in deep processing and large-scale polymer production projects aimed at reducing imports and building a full-fledged petrochemical cluster by 2030.
The construction of Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries, the polypropylene plant.
Kazakhstan has intensified development of its petrochemical industry, prioritizing higher value-added production…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112633
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving beyond a traditional feedstock-based petrochemical model, accelerating investment in deep processing and large-scale polymer production projects aimed at reducing imports and building a full-fledged petrochemical cluster by 2030.
The construction of Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries, the polypropylene plant.
Kazakhstan has intensified development of its petrochemical industry, prioritizing higher value-added production…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112633
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The Telegraph Includes Bozzhyra Tract in Mangystau Region Among World’s 10 Must-Visit Deserts
ASTANA — The British newspaper The Telegraph has included the Bozzhyra Tract in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region in its list of “The 10 deserts you must visit in your lifetime” on Feb. 18, highlighting the site’s dramatic landscapes and growing tourism potential.
The journey to Bozzhyra is as much an adventure as the destination itself.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112632
ASTANA — The British newspaper The Telegraph has included the Bozzhyra Tract in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region in its list of “The 10 deserts you must visit in your lifetime” on Feb. 18, highlighting the site’s dramatic landscapes and growing tourism potential.
The journey to Bozzhyra is as much an adventure as the destination itself.…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112632
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AIFC to Host Astana Finance Days 2026 in September
ASTANA — The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has announced the ninth Astana Finance Days (AFD) 2026: Delivering Impact. Capital in Action forum will take place on Sept. 9-10 in Astana.
The event will bring together professional market participants — bankers, brokers and investors — alongside representatives of the financial and technology sectors, government…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112640
ASTANA — The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has announced the ninth Astana Finance Days (AFD) 2026: Delivering Impact. Capital in Action forum will take place on Sept. 9-10 in Astana.
The event will bring together professional market participants — bankers, brokers and investors — alongside representatives of the financial and technology sectors, government…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112640
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Asian Investors Pour $68 Billion Into Central Asia as Energy Overtakes Extractives
ASTANA — Foreign direct investment (FDI) stock from Asian countries into Central Asian economies grew 2.3 times between 2016 and the first half of 2025, rising from $29.9 billion to $68 billion, according to data from the Eurasian Development Bank.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
According to the bank’s Monitoring of Mutual Investments report released in…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112639
ASTANA — Foreign direct investment (FDI) stock from Asian countries into Central Asian economies grew 2.3 times between 2016 and the first half of 2025, rising from $29.9 billion to $68 billion, according to data from the Eurasian Development Bank.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
According to the bank’s Monitoring of Mutual Investments report released in…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112639
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Kazakhstan-UK Economic Cooperation Gains Strategic Importance, Says Foreign Minister
ALMATY – The partnership between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom is increasingly grounded in trade, investment, production, skills and shared standards, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev wrote in an article published in Intellinews on Feb. 19.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. Photo credit: MFA.
According to him, more than three decades after the establishment…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112651
ALMATY – The partnership between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom is increasingly grounded in trade, investment, production, skills and shared standards, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev wrote in an article published in Intellinews on Feb. 19.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. Photo credit: MFA.
According to him, more than three decades after the establishment…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112651
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Kazakhstan Outlines Voting and Counting Procedures for Constitutional Referendum
ALMATY – The procedures for voting and tabulating results in Kazakhstan’s upcoming national referendum, scheduled for March 15, were presented during a Feb. 23 meeting of the Central Election Commission as part of ongoing preparations for the nationwide vote.
The Central Election Commission presented the procedures for voting and tabulating results in Kazakhstan’s upcoming…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112661
ALMATY – The procedures for voting and tabulating results in Kazakhstan’s upcoming national referendum, scheduled for March 15, were presented during a Feb. 23 meeting of the Central Election Commission as part of ongoing preparations for the nationwide vote.
The Central Election Commission presented the procedures for voting and tabulating results in Kazakhstan’s upcoming…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112661
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Kazakhstan, France Move to Active Phase of 1 GW Wind Power Project
ALMATY – Kazakhstan and France are entering the active implementation phase of a major 1 gigawatt wind power project, following a Feb. 23 meeting between Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov and senior executives of French energy company TotalEnergies.
Kazakhstan and France are entering the active implementation phase of a major 1 gigawatt wind power…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112669
ALMATY – Kazakhstan and France are entering the active implementation phase of a major 1 gigawatt wind power project, following a Feb. 23 meeting between Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov and senior executives of French energy company TotalEnergies.
Kazakhstan and France are entering the active implementation phase of a major 1 gigawatt wind power…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112669
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Kazakhstan’s Auto Boom: Output, Jobs and Sales All Climb in 2026
ALMATY – Vehicle production in Kazakhstan is expected to surpass 200,000 units in 2026, marking a 22% increase compared to 2025, according to President of the Kazakhstan Automobile Union (KAO) Anar Makasheva.
According to KAO data, Kazakhstan produced 171,400 vehicles in 2025. In 2026, output is projected to rise to 209,000 units. Photo credit:…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112672
ALMATY – Vehicle production in Kazakhstan is expected to surpass 200,000 units in 2026, marking a 22% increase compared to 2025, according to President of the Kazakhstan Automobile Union (KAO) Anar Makasheva.
According to KAO data, Kazakhstan produced 171,400 vehicles in 2025. In 2026, output is projected to rise to 209,000 units. Photo credit:…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112672
Astana Team Wins Youth Hockey Tournament in Canada
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Astana Team claimed victory at the 2026 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in Canada, winning the AA Elite division, the second-highest tier of the competition, reported the Kazakhstan Hockey Federation’s press service on Feb. 23.
Astana Team. Photo credit: Kazakhstan Hockey Federation.
According to Presidential Press Secretary Aibek Smadiyarov, President Kassym-Jomart…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112678
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Astana Team claimed victory at the 2026 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in Canada, winning the AA Elite division, the second-highest tier of the competition, reported the Kazakhstan Hockey Federation’s press service on Feb. 23.
Astana Team. Photo credit: Kazakhstan Hockey Federation.
According to Presidential Press Secretary Aibek Smadiyarov, President Kassym-Jomart…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112678
Addiction to Games: Silent Mental Health Crisis
Gambling looks harmless enough. A spin of the wheel or a quick bet on a football game appear to be harmless entertainment. However in Kazakhstan, this game is becoming a silent threat. Ludomania, or gambling addiction, is on the rise as online casinos and betting apps become more popular. Families are falling apart, bank…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112655
Gambling looks harmless enough. A spin of the wheel or a quick bet on a football game appear to be harmless entertainment. However in Kazakhstan, this game is becoming a silent threat. Ludomania, or gambling addiction, is on the rise as online casinos and betting apps become more popular. Families are falling apart, bank…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112655
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RES 2026 to Shape Next Phase of North Aral Sea Restoration
ASTANA — The next chapter of the North Aral Sea’s recovery will be defined not only by engineering works on the ground, but by high-level negotiations in Astana. The Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026, scheduled for April 22–24, is set to elevate the restoration agenda to an international platform, gathering more than 1,500 participants,…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112682
ASTANA — The next chapter of the North Aral Sea’s recovery will be defined not only by engineering works on the ground, but by high-level negotiations in Astana. The Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026, scheduled for April 22–24, is set to elevate the restoration agenda to an international platform, gathering more than 1,500 participants,…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112682
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Lufthansa Resumes Kazakhstan Flights in March
ALMATY – Germany’s carrier Lufthansa will resume regular flights to Kazakhstan starting March 29, restoring connections to Almaty and Astana from Frankfurt am Main, reported the company’s press service.
Photo credit: Lufthansa Group.
The airline will operate five weekly flights to Almaty and four weekly flights to Astana. According to the airline, flights will…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112688
ALMATY – Germany’s carrier Lufthansa will resume regular flights to Kazakhstan starting March 29, restoring connections to Almaty and Astana from Frankfurt am Main, reported the company’s press service.
Photo credit: Lufthansa Group.
The airline will operate five weekly flights to Almaty and four weekly flights to Astana. According to the airline, flights will…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112688
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Four Kazakh Tennis Players Break into World Top 10 Rankings
ALMATY – For the first time in the history of Kazakh tennis, four representatives of the country have simultaneously entered the top 10 of the world rankings, highlighting the steady progress of Kazakhstan’s tennis school and the systematic development of the sport, reported the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation on Feb. 23.
From L to R:…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112681
ALMATY – For the first time in the history of Kazakh tennis, four representatives of the country have simultaneously entered the top 10 of the world rankings, highlighting the steady progress of Kazakhstan’s tennis school and the systematic development of the sport, reported the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation on Feb. 23.
From L to R:…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=112681
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