From Commodities to Production Chains: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Deepen Economic Ties
ALMATY – Trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reached $2.8 billion in the first half of 2026, making Kazakhstan Uzbekistan’s third-largest trading partner and highlighting a relationship that is moving beyond traditional commodity exchanges toward manufacturing, agricultural trade and integrated production chains.

The 7th Meeting of the Uzbekistan–Kazakhstan Business Council was held in Tashkent on…
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Two Amur Tiger Cubs Planned for Release in Kazakhstan in May 2027
ASTANA – Two young Amur tigers brought from Russia as part of Kazakhstan’s tiger reintroduction program are planned to be released into the wild in May 2027, marking the next stage of efforts to restore the species in the Ili-Balkhash ecosystem.

Photo credit: wwfcentralasia.org Click to see the map in full size. The map…
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Pundit: In Emerging ‘Wolf World,’ Smaller States Need New Flexible Partnerships
ASTANA – Smaller states will need flexible, issue-based partnerships to preserve their room for maneuver as the U.S.-led international order gives way to a more fragmented system shaped by power rivalry, German political analyst and writer Marc Saxer said at the launch of his new book in Astana on Aug. 31 titled “Geopolitical Conflict…
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Kazakhstan Positions Itself as Key China-Europe Land Corridor as Ties With Beijing Expand: Key Take-Outs from Tokayev’s Interview with Хinhua
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a key land corridor between China, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe while seeking to deepen cooperation with Beijing in trade, technology and investment, Kazakh political scientist and historian Daniyar Ashimbayev wrote in his Telegram channel, commenting on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s Sept.1 interview with Xinhua.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev…
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Kazakhstan Wins First Gold Medals at World Nomad Games in Kyrgyz Republic
ASTANA – Kazakhstan claimed its first two gold medals at the sixth World Nomad Games in the Kyrgyz Republic, with Nurtalap Kerim and Sailau Mukhamedzhan winning titles in audaryspak, a traditional Kazakh horseback wrestling sport.

Photo credit: gov.kz

In the up to 60-kilogram category, Kerim defeated a Kyrgyz representative in the final to become…
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IFIMES Expert: Kazakhstan’s ‘Strategic Redundancy’ Is Reshaping Its Role in Eurasia
ASTANA – Central Asia and the Western Balkans may be geographically distant, but they are not economically or strategically disconnected. Their positions between major European and Eurasian markets create opportunities that have yet to be fully developed, according to Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović, director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies…
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Kazakhstan’s Inflation Falls Below 10% as Sustainability Becomes Key Test
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s annual inflation fell below 10% in August, marking a further slowdown in price growth. Still, the latest figures do not yet show that inflationary pressures have been fully contained, highly respected Kazakh economist Ruslan Sultanov told The Astana Times. Seasonal declines in food prices largely supported the improvement, while non-food goods…
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What to Expect from Laos President’s Visit to Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Lao President and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Thongloun Sisoulith is visiting Kazakhstan on Sept. 3-4. This marks the first presidential-level visit between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations in 1997.

The SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev and Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane. Photo…
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How SCO Can Drive Transition to Renewable Energy in Central Asia
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) may soon become a central regional platform promoting clean energy in Central Asia. It is currently building momentum in renewable energy by ramping up investment in energy generation, upgrading power grids, creating battery storage networks, and developing the renewable energy workforce in the region. Central Asia needs to be…
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Kazakhstan’s 40 Million-Ton Refining Goal Hinges on Domestic Market Incentives, Expert Says
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s ambition to increase oil refining capacity to 40 million tons a year will require more than expanding existing plants and building a new refinery. The country will also need to address the economic incentives that currently make crude exports more attractive than supplying some oil to domestic refineries, Executive Director of…
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Kazakhstan Marks First Kazakh Tazy Day
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is celebrating Kazakh Tazy Day for the first time on Sept. 3, commemorating the anniversary of the breed’s preliminary recognition by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 2024, reported the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

Photo credit: tazy.kz

The FCI made the decision in Amsterdam on Sept. 3, 2024, granting…
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Kazakhstan Expands Mineral Exploration, But Experts Say Discovery – Only First Step
ALMATY – Kazakhstan is expanding geological exploration, increasing geological knowledge and identifying new mineral resources, but experts say the key challenge is no longer simply discovering what lies beneath the country’s vast territory. It is turning geological potential into economically viable projects, investment, production and higher-value exports.

Photo credit: depositphotos.com

The government is increasing…
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Kazakhstan Set to Join Digital Cooperation Organization as Membership Expands to 24 Countries
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is set to join the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a new Member State, opening opportunities for greater cooperation in digital technologies, AI, innovation and digital trade.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

The DCO, the world’s first standalone international organization dedicated to accelerating the inclusive and sustainable growth of the digital economy, announced…
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Experts: Productivity, Not GDP Rankings, Will Define Kazakhstan as GDP Nears $469 Billion
ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s nominal gross domestic product could reach $468.8 billion by 2030, potentially placing the country among the world’s 45 largest economies. But economists say the more important question is whether the expansion reflects stronger productivity, diversification and investment rather than simply larger nominal output.

Double exposure image of coin stacks on technology…
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Kazakhstan Forms New Government With Majority Of Ministers Retaining Posts
ALMATY – Kazakhstan has formed a new government, with most ministers retaining their positions while several key ministries received new heads, according to presidential decrees and orders.

Mukhtar Tileuberdi was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, returning to the position he held from 2019 to 2023. Before the appointment, he served as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to…
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Kazakhstan Signs Contract For Construction Of First Nuclear Power Plant
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has signed a contract to design, supply and build its first nuclear power plant, moving the long-planned project into a new practical phase as the country seeks to strengthen energy security and prepare for growing electricity demand.

The contract was signed between Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants and Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of…
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Kazakhstan, Laos Seek New Routes for Trade and Cooperation
ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Laos are seeking to expand trade, investment and transport cooperation as the two countries look to deepen bilateral ties, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during talks with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith in Astana on Sept. 3, reported Akorda.

Tokayev described Sisoulith’s visit as historic, as it marks the first…
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Kazakhstan Wins 18 Medals At World Nomad Games In Kyrgyz Republic
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s national team has won 18 medals at the sixth World Nomad Games currently underway in the Kyrgyz Republic, including six gold, one silver and 11 bronze medals, reported the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Kazakh athletes have reached the podium across several traditional sports, including horse-based competitions, traditional wrestling, strength disciplines…
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Kazakhstan Eases Stock Market Access, But Liquidity Remains Key Challenge, Expert Says
ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to shorten the preparation of initial public offerings by up to five months and reduce the full cycle of bond issuance to as little as one to two months, but market participants say faster procedures alone may not attract more companies to the stock market. The deeper challenge, they note,…
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Kazakh Elections: Another Stage in Long-Term Political Modernization
It would be a mistake to assess the significance of Kazakhstan’s parliamentary elections, held on Aug. 23, solely through the distribution of mandates or the results achieved by individual parties. What is far more important is the broader political and institutional process of which these elections are both a consequence and another stage. In…
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