Why Kazakhstan’s Power Expansion Matters Beyond Ending Electricity Shortages
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding power generation, gasification and oil refining as Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov presented the latest measures to develop the country’s energy sector at a government press conference on Aug. 25. The measures focus on increasing generating capacity, expanding gas access and refinery output, and preparing the energy system for the…
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Tokayev to Convene First Session of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai on Aug. 28
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree convening the first session of Kazakhstan’s elected Kurultai, the country’s new unicameral legislature, for Aug. 28 at 11 a.m., according to the Akorda press service.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree convening the first session of Kazakhstan’s elected Kurultai on Aug. 28 Photo credit:…
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Experts: Kurultai Results Put Political Parties’ Ability to Deliver to Test
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election has shifted the focus from winning votes to how effectively political parties can represent voters, develop clear political agendas and deliver results in parliament, experts said following the Aug. 23 vote.

Experts at Sarap meeting on Aug.25. Photo credit: Nagima Abuova

The Central Election Commission (СEC) confirmed final…
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Tokayev Meets US Congressional Delegation in Astana: What Deeper US Engagement Means for Kazakhstan?
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is becoming increasingly important to Washington not only as a source of energy and critical minerals, but also as a key partner in developing alternative trade routes and strengthening U.S. engagement across Central Asia. A meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and a delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives on Aug.…
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Kazakhstan’s Transport Sector Is Diversifying as Growth Moderates, Experts Say
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s transport sector maintained positive growth in January-July 2026, with the physical volume of transport and warehousing services increasing 7.4% year on year, down from 22.5% a year earlier. The slower pace of expansion, alongside diverging trends across transport modes, may signal a gradual shift in the structure of the country’s logistics…
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What Will Drive Next Wave of Investment in Central Asia
TASHKENT – Investors increasingly want predictable policies, credible financial regulation, functioning capital markets, digital infrastructure, a talent pool and transparent governance, as Central Asia seeks to strengthen its position as an attractive and resilient investment destination. According to experts, Central Asia now has an opportunity to attract a larger share of global investment flows,…
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AqylSu: Turning Kazakhstan’s Shanghai AI Vision Into Working Water Platform
Kazakhstan boasts to have an AI diplomacy and a digital-government track record. What it is missing is a platform that turns both into water reaching the people who need it.

Photo credit: worldenergynews

During President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Shanghai this July, he addressed the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, describing AI as an industry…
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Experts: Kazakhstan’s Oil Export Strategy Faces Growing Need for Diversification
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s decision to cut its 2026 oil production target from 98 million tonnes to 96 million tonnes after disruptions affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has highlighted the country’s continued dependence on a major export route and the need to strengthen alternatives, experts say.

Photo credit: KazMunaiGaz

Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said…
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Central Asia Explores Islamic Finance as Path to Greater Financial Connectivity
TASHKENT – Islamic finance is emerging as a potential new channel for connecting Central Asia with global capital, as Uzbekistan works to build regulatory and market infrastructure for Sharia-compliant investment. Speaking at the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent on Aug. 26, Central Bank of Uzbekistan Governor Timur Ishmetov outlined Uzbekistan’s efforts…
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262 Foreign IT Specialists Receive Digital Nomad Status in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – A total of 262 foreign IT specialists have received residency or visa statuses in Kazakhstan under the Digital Nomad Residency and Digital Nomad Visa programs, according to updated figures from Astana Hub.

Photo credit: gov.kz

As of August 2026, 250 foreign IT specialists have obtained permanent residence permits under the Digital Nomad…
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Can Kazakhstan’s AI Strategy Deliver Both Growth and Smarter Governance?
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is moving toward a broader AI-driven transformation of the economy and public services under a government action plan that sets measurable digitalization targets through 2029, with artificial intelligence increasingly integrated into education, healthcare, transport, finance and industrial management.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov approved the action plan on Aug. 26 as part…
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Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai: New Chapter for Parliamentary Institutions
The election of August 23 should be understood as more than just the beginning of a new parliamentary term. It represents an important institutional founding moment. The transition from a bicameral Parliament to the new unicameral Kurultai under the Constitution that entered into force on July 1 creates not only a different institutional structure,…
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Resources Are Not Enough: How Energy Routes Are Becoming Geopolitical Battleground in Eurasia
ASTANA — For decades, the geopolitics of energy was largely understood through a familiar map of resource abundance: the Persian Gulf held vast oil and gas reserves, Russia was a major supplier to Europe, and countries such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan were important producers whose influence depended largely on how much they could extract…
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Kazakhstan Makes 50 Government Services Available Through eGov GPT
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has made 50 government services available through eGov GPT, allowing citizens to access them through a chat-based interface without visiting a Public Service Center (PSC), First Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Rostislav Konyashkin said on Aug. 26.

Photo credit: digitalbusiness.kz

The service was presented during the unveiling of…
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Experts: Political Trust Sets Stage for Next Phase of Kazakhstan-Singapore Partnership
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Singapore need to translate strong political ties and mutual trust into tangible economic outcomes, including more investment, joint projects and technology exchange, as cooperation expands into transport, artificial intelligence, digitalization and other strategic sectors, according to experts.

Singapore Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Photo credit: Akorda…
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Adventure Tourism and Global Events Can Put Kazakhstan at Central Asia’s Tourism Center
ALMATY – Kazakhstan is positioning tourism as more than a source of visitor spending, seeking to build a regional hub that connects adventure travel, international events and global tourism markets. Recent cooperation with international tourism organizations and the growing number of major events hosted by Astana and Almaty point to an emerging strategy: turn…
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Kazakhstan Expands Air Connectivity as New Routes, Digital Border Controls Reshape Travel
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity while investing in digital technologies designed to make border and aviation services faster, signaling a broader effort to strengthen the country’s position as a regional transport and travel hub.

From L to R: Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev and Acting President of the General…
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Key Appointments, New Government: What Comes After Kazakhstan’s Kurultai Vote
ASTANA – With Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election concluded and the new unicameral Parliament set to convene for its inaugural session tomorrow, attention now turns to the institutional changes and key appointments that will shape the next phase of the country’s political transition.

Photo credit: Serikzhan Kovlanbaev

The Kurultai, named after gatherings when Turkic and…
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Samruk Kazyna Posts Strong Financial Results, Increases Support for Domestic Producers
ASTANA – Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund reported financial results above its targets for the first seven months of 2026, while increasing procurement from domestic producers as the fund seeks to strengthen the role of local companies in its supply chains.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the Samruk Kazyna Board of…
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Kazakhstan Seeks to Expand Non-Commodity Exports to South Korea Through Direct Business Ties
ALMATY – Kazakhstan is seeking to turn growing trade with South Korea into broader opportunities for domestic producers, with more than 200 representatives of businesses and government agencies from the two countries gathering in Almaty on Aug. 27 for a Kazakhstan-Korea Business Forum and business mission organized with the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA).

The…
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