Kazakhstan Shifts Aid From Relief to Development, Says KazAID Chairman
ASTANA — Five years after the establishment of the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAID), the country has shifted from ad hoc humanitarian assistance toward a structured system of official development assistance (ODA) aligned with international standards, said KazAID chairman Arken Arystanov in an interview with The Astana Times.

KazAID chairman Arken Arystanov. Photo…
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Kazakhstan Strengthens Trade and Economic Cooperation With Turkic States
ALMATY — Kazakhstan is stepping up trade, investment, and industrial cooperation with member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), as officials and business leaders gathered in Astana on Jan. 8 for the third General Assembly of the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Business leaders and officials gathered in Astana…
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Automotive Industry Posts Strongest Results on Record
ASTANA – Kazakhstan produced 171,144 motor vehicles of all types, including passenger cars, buses and trucks, in 2025, with total output valued at more than 2.3 trillion tenge (US$4.5 billion), according to data from Kazakhstan’s Automobile Union released on Jan. 9. The result marked the strongest performance in the history of Kazakhstan’s automotive industry.…
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Ticket Sales Open for Kairat vs. Club Brugge UEFA Champions League Match
ALMATY — Tickets are now on sale for the UEFA Champions League match between FC Kairat and Belgium’s Club Brugge, which will take place on Jan. 20 at 8:30 p.m. at Astana Arena, reported the club’s press service on Jan. 8.

Astana Arena to host Kairat vs. Club Brugge Champions League clash. Photo credit:…
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Kazakhstan, China Discuss $15 Billion Industrial Park Project
ALMATY — Kazakhstan is considering the creation of a large-scale industrial park valued at $15 billion, as First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar met on Jan. 8 with Zhao Tingyun, vice chairman of the board of China’s Xinfa Group, to discuss investment cooperation and the practical aspects of project implementation.

First Deputy Prime Minister…
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Azerbaijan Launches Largest Wind Power Plant in Caucasus
ALMATY — Azerbaijan has officially commissioned the Khizi-Absheron Wind Power Plant, the largest wind energy facility in the Caucasus region, on Jan. 8, marking a major milestone in the country’s transition toward renewable energy.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev at a Jan. 8 fornal ceremony on the Khizi-Absheron Wind Power Plant’s inauguration. Photo credit: president.az.…
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News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Modernization, Industrial Growth, Migration Policy and More
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights the country’s emergence as a regional industrial hub, new migration policies, and Kazakhstan’s EAEU chairmanship, among other key developments.

Photo credit: The Astana Times

Kazakhstan enters a decisive phase of modernisation, President Tokayev…
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This week’s news digest breaks down President Tokayev’s big interview outlining the nation’s priorities, the government’s push on AI and digitalization, and steady gains in renewable energy. We also look at what major sports events Kazakh fans can expect in 2026.

🔗 Watch full episode https://youtu.be/7IvAjX_ArZA?si=bAzTpuzCB-kTxZk0

Anar Burasheva has made history 🏔️

She is the first woman from Kazakhstan to complete the Seven Summits, reaching the highest peak on every continent.

Credits: @anar_burasheva

#mountainclimbing #climbing

City of Nomads Near Almaty to Undergo Modernization After New Access Road Opens
ASTANA — The City of Nomads tourist attraction, located on the banks of the Ili River, 90 kilometers from Almaty, is set for modernization following the completion of a new access road.

Nomad Fortress. Photo credit: Amir Khaidar. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.…
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Caspian Sea’s Decline Hits Economy, Infrastructure and Health
ASTANA – The shrinking of the Caspian Sea is no longer just an environmental issue but an economic one. While sea levels have fluctuated for over a century, recent decades have shown a steady decline, driven by climate change and human activities, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

NASA satellite images…
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President Tokayev Highlights Strategic Partnership with US, Receives New Ambassador
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the credentials of the newly appointed ambassadors of the United States and Bulgaria during a Jan. 9 ceremony at Akorda.

From L to R: Julie Stufft, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Georgi Vodenski. Photo credit: akorda.kz

Speaking about Kazakh-American relations, Tokayev underscored the importance of his visit to Washington, D.C., in…
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Historians Reassess Alleged Conflict Between Genghis Khan and His Eldest Son
ASTANA – Whether a real conflict existed between Genghis Khan and his eldest son Jochi remains one of the most debated questions in early Mongol history, historian Artem Porsin said in an interview with Kazinform.

The monument of Jochi Khan is located in the Ulytau region. Photo credit: Akimat of Ulytau region

According to…
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We Raise Generation That Can Answer But Can’t Think
Talk to any teacher in Astana and they will tell you that they started to see essays that are weirdly similar. They are tidy, fluent and well-structured but with a sense that something is lacking. Just think about a bright Kazakh student, typing on a keyboard, writing the perfect essay on the history of…
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📰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

Lunar Landscapes of Silk Road: Mangystau Draws Spotlight from The Washington Post
ALMATY — Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region is again in the international spotlight after The Washington Post published a feature on Jan. 8, describing the area’s dramatic natural scenery as “lunar landscapes of the Silk Road,” drawing the attention of global travelers to one of the country’s most striking destinations.

Photo credit: Paul Prim Click to…
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IRENA Assembly Signals Why Renewables Now Define Power, Security, and Growth
ABU DHABI — The global energy system is shifting away from a centralized, fossil-fuel-based model toward a more decentralized system built on renewable energy, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Francesco La Camera said at the 16th IRENA Assembly on Jan. 11.

The IRENA Assembly is the agency’s highest decision-making forum, where…
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At the 16th International Renewable Energy Agency Assembly in Abu Dhabi, Director-General Francesco La Camera put the numbers on the table.

Last year, 92% of newly installed power capacity worldwide was renewable. This year, the world is heading toward another record, with nearly 2.5 terawatts of new renewable capacity expected. In just one year, the world installed twice the total nuclear capacity built over the past 17 years — a comparison that should finally retire the “but baseload” argument.

Every #IRENA dataset released last year points to the same conclusion: renewables are now the most competitive way to generate electricity. Not only on cost, but on resilience, speed of deployment, and long-term price stability.

Stay tuned with The Astana Times ⚡️

Alexander Bublik Reaches ATP Top 10 After Hong Kong Open Victory
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik claimed a landmark victory at the 2026 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open on Jan. 11.

Alexander Bublik. Photo credit: olympic.kz

The 28-year-old defeated Italy’s world No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti in the final, 7:6 (7:2), 6:3, to capture his ninth ATP title in his 16th career final. The…
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From Rules to Rulers: How Personalist Power Politics Is Squeezing Middle Powers
For three decades after the Cold War, many governments behaved as if the “rules-based order” were a durable infrastructure: imperfect, selective, often hypocritical – but still an infrastructure. It set expectations about trade, borders, sanctions, alliance commitments, and the legitimacy of institutions. That baseline is eroding, and not only because revisionist powers…
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