UN Scientists Call for Reset of Global Water Agenda Amid Water Bankruptcy
ASTANA – The United Nations University (UNU) released an article on Jan. 20 about the dawn of an era of global water bankruptcy, formally defining a new post-crisis reality for billions.

Photo credit: gettyimages.com

Amid chronic groundwater depletion, water overallocation, land and soil degradation, deforestation, and pollution, all compounded by global heating, a UN…
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Experts Reflect on Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Reform
ASTANA – Kazakhstan entered 2026 with a renewed focus on political reforms and governance priorities following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the kurultai in Kyzylorda on Jan. 20.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev presented several institutional initiatives in his address at the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda on Jan. 20. Photo credit: Akorda

In his January interview,…
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Tokayev Signs Board of Peace Charter at Trump-Initiated Davos Ceremony
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the Board of Peace charter, established at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the Board of Peace charter on Jan. 22 in Davos. Photo credit: Akorda.

Along with President Tokayev, leaders and representatives of 18 countries attended…
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Grey Zone of Online Contracts
The practice of concluding online contracts is expanding across the world. Companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals located in different time zones, countries, or continents sign agreements within minutes. This has transformed the nature of business interaction. Deals that a couple of years ago required in-person meetings and physical signatures now require a simple digital click.…
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Afghanistan Sends Gold to Uzbekistan for Processing, Boosting Regional Industry
ASTANA – Afghanistan has sent 20 kilograms of raw gold, valued at $2.9 million, to Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region for processing.

Termiz Gold Production, a jewelry manufacturing company based in the Termez International Trade Center free economic zone, has begun processing the imported gold.

The project is expected to boost regional industrial capacity, advance the…
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Kazakhstan Approves $370 Million in Investments to Localize Pharmaceutical Production
ALMATY – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has signed government resolutions approving investment agreements between the Ministry of Healthcare and four pharmaceutical companies, including AltINFARM, MSP-ROMPHARM, Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm, and Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory. The total investment volume across the projects amounts to 173 billion tenge (approximately US$370 million).

The new facilities will…
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Masdar, UAE Partners to Deliver Round-the-Clock Clean Energy for Uzbekistan
ASTANA — The United Arab Emirates (UAE )’s clean energy champion Masdar signed a cooperation agreement with Emirates Utilities Development Company (EUDC) and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy to develop a large-scale clean energy project providing round-the-clock power supply in the country on Jan. 22 in Abu Dhabi.

Photo credit: Masdar

According to Masdar’s press…
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News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Political Reforms, Global Role, and Economic Development
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s digest covers the country’s growing diplomatic profile, major political reforms, investments in healthcare and industry, and Kazakhstan’s strategic importance in global trade and regional security.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Kazakhstan joins Donald Trump’s Board of Peace as one…
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From Ballet to Basketball: Your Mid-January Weekend to Enjoy
ASTANA — From classical music and ballet to immersive art exhibitions and sports events, Astana and Almaty offer a diverse cultural agenda this season. The Astana Times editorial team has curated a lineup of events worth adding to your calendar this weekend.

Almaty. Photo credit: Shutterstock

Astana

Shine of Classic concert, Jan. 25…
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National Bank Holds Base Rate at 18% as Inflation Pressures Persist
ALMATY – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has decided to keep its base interest rate at 18%, citing persistent inflationary pressures and elevated uncertainty in both domestic and external conditions, reported the bank’s press service on Jan. 23.

National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov. Photo credit: NBK.

According to the NBK’s Monetary Policy Committee,…
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Kazakhstan Attracts $150 Million Investment for Greenhouse Project in Shymkent
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov and Fabe Polska CEO Fatih Budan have signed an investment agreement to implement a large-scale greenhouse project worth 69 billion tenge (approximately US$150 million) aimed at boosting domestic vegetable production and export capacity.

Photo credit: Shutterstock Click to see the map in full size. The map…
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Weekly News Digest 📰

▪️Tokayev Signs Board of Peace Charter at Trump-Initiated Davos Ceremony. Read.

▪️Tokayev Unveils New Kazakhstan’s Political Architecture at National Kurultai  Read.

▪️Kazakhstan’s Silver Production Drops as Prices Hit Record Highs. Read.

▪️What European Investors are Watching in Kazakhstan. Read.

▪️Why Museums Became Climate Activists’ Chosen Battlegrounds? Read.

▪️Kazakhstan’s Kasteev Art Museum Reopens After Major Renovation. Read.

Stay tuned with The Astana Times ⚡️

This week in Kazakhstan:

🇰🇿 Tokayev joins Trump-initiated Board of Peace at Davos
🏛 Major political reform outlined at the National Kurultai
🔥 Tengiz oil field shutdown disrupts CPC exports

🔗Full https://youtu.be/wJw49T-2gH4?si=M4jZFY6jyOJjCphA

Kazakhstan’s National Bank Introduces Zinc Collectible Coin
ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) announced that collectible coins, Zn (Zinc), from its Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan series , are available for purchase starting Jan. 20 through its online store.

Photo credit: The National Bank of Kazakhstan

The coin is made of 925 sterling silver with a zinc insert…
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How History and DNA Trace Origins of Kazakh People
ASTANA – The ethnic history of the Kazakh people is complex, shaped by centuries of migration, cultural interaction and political change across Central Asia. Modern historical sources and DNA research now offer new insights into how the Kazakh nation emerged and how traditional genealogies, known as shezhire, can be verified scientifically.

Zhaksylyk Sabitov, the…
Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=111196

When EV Batteries Die, Story Isn’t Over
For the last decade, the global conversation around electric vehicles (EVs) has focused almost entirely on adoption. Targets, incentives, charging stations and sales figures have dominated headlines. The EV transition is happening daily, at street level, across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Yet a far less glamorous question is now becoming just as important…
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Constitutional Reform Commission Starts Work on Proposed Reforms
ASTANA — Kazakhstan held the first meeting of its Constitutional Reform Commission on Jan. 24 in Astana, launching work on proposed amendments that would reshape the country’s political system.

Constitutional reform commission starts work on proposed reforms. Photo credit: Constitutional Reform 2026 Telegram channel

The proposals include transitioning to a unicameral parliament to be…
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Vogue Names Kazakhstan Among Top Travel Destinations for 2025
ASTANA – International magazine Vogue has included Kazakhstan in its list of the world’s 14 best travel destinations for 2025, the publication reported on Dec. 18.

Aerial View of Kok-Tobe. Photo credit: Shutterstock

In its annual roundup, The 14 Best Places Vogue Editors Visited in 2025, the editors highlighted destinations that made the strongest…
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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