Author: Askar Ardagerov

A medical team from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center visited Kazakhstan on Thursday to assess the need for volunteer medical programs in the country. The Saudi Embassy in Kazakhstan provided coordination and follow-up for the team’s visit. During the trip, the team met the Kazakh Deputy Minister of Health Vyacheslav Dudnik to discuss strengthening medical and relief cooperation between the two countries. The KSrelief team, made up of volunteers, expressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to providing medical and humanitarian support to partner countries as part of its efforts to assist people in need worldwide. Last month, KSrelief stepped…

China defended its recent maritime law enforcement activities in waters near Ren’ai Reef and Huangyan Island on Wednesday, and decried the United States’ endorsement of the Philippines’ maritime provocation. The US Department of State issued a statement related to the South China Sea on Sunday, attacking China’s actions over the two maritime islets. “For some time, in seeking selfish geopolitical interests, the US has incited, supported and cooperated with the Philippines in the latter’s infringement and provocation at sea, and repeatedly sought to threaten China by citing the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at…

PARACEL ISLANDS, South China Sea  –  On November 25, USS Hopper  (DDG 70) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law. At the conclusion of the operation, USS Hopper (DDG 70) exited the excessive claim area and continued operations in the South China Sea. This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging restrictions on innocent passage imposed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and Vietnam.  The PRC, Vietnam, and Taiwan each claim sovereignty over the Paracel…

Kazakhstan is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by curious travelers. This vast and diverse country in Central Asia boasts a rich cultural heritage, natural wonders, and unparalleled experiences. Despite its undeniable charm, Kazakhstan still needs to make a name for itself as a top travel destination. The country holds major travel potential, but also faces policy challenges, which require solutions to unlock its appeal to the world. According to the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index, Kazakhstan ranks 66th out of 117 countries. While the country saw an increase in tourists in the past few years,…

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who arrived in Astana to participate in the 10th anniversary summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on Nov. 3, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev expressed his appreciation for Erdoğan’s personal contribution to the relations between the two nations with deep-rooted friendship, regarding Türkiye as Kazakhstan’s closest and most reliable strategic partner. He thanked the Turkish leader for his important initiatives put forward during the OTS summit, mentioning the successful implementation of the agreements, which resulted in a 54% increase in bilateral trade…

ASTANA — In November of last year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev unveiled his ambitious election program titled Just Kazakhstan – for all and for everyone, signaling a commitment to usher in a new economic era. A Nov. 22 article from the Kazakh Prime Minister’s press service provides a comprehensive overview of the significant strides made during the past year in implementing these reforms. Economic Transition and Foreign Direct Investment President Tokayev’s election program highlighted the imperative to transition to a new economic model, focusing on eliminating the unfair practices of monopolists. The goal was to demonopolize the economy and reduce the…

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan is not related to recent contacts between European countries and Astana, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. “Of course, this is a completely independent dimension. It is not associated with any other contacts (made by Kazakhstan). We will further develop our good neighborliness and cooperation with Kazakhstan,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow. The Kremlin earlier confirmed that Putin will travel to Kazakhstan on Thursday, during which he will hold talks with Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, attend the 19th Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum in the city of Kostanay…

ASTANA – A leading American venture capitalist and co-founder of Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) and Draper University Tim Draper commended Kazakhstan’s political freedom as an important step towards fostering creativity and business development, during a press briefing on the sidelines of the Digital Bridge international forum on Oct. 13. “In Kazakhstan, I’m seeing great freedom. I’m seeing smiles from everybody. This place is starting to hop. I think creativity is going to flow. I think we’re gonna see a lot of great entrepreneurs coming out of Kazakhstan. And I think this is going to be one of the hotbeds. It will take…

ASTANA – Kazakh government plans to develop a roadmap for promising joint investment projects with eastern countries and provide an effective algorithm for interaction with Chinese business executives, reported the Prime Minister’s press service on Sept. 9. Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, heads of government agencies and national companies discussed the progress of work and steps taken to intensify cooperation with countries that are opening new markets for Kazakh products and the possibility of creating modern production facilities in Kazakhstan by Afghan, Chinese and Iranian partners. The meeting participants focused on cooperation with China following Zhumangarin’s recent trip to the country, where…

ASTANA – Kazakh Invest national company published an article on Sept. 8, presenting Kazakhstan as an attractive destination for investors in the engineering industry, one of the major drivers of economic growth. Progress In recent years, Kazakhstan has boosted its engineering sector by fostering strategic partnerships with global giants such as Wabtec, Alstom, and Hyundai Motor Company, which has led to the introduction of vehicles from Kia, Hyundai, Lada, Renault, and Chevrolet. Import substitution Engineering products account for over 40% of processed goods imports, demonstrating Kazakhstan’s heavy reliance on imports. Last year, imports of engineering goods cost the country $20…