News

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy sees no reason for further weakening of the tenge, stating that an exchange rate of 500 tenge per U.S. dollar is fundamentally sound, according to Arman Kassenov, vice minister of national economy. He made the remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the Senate, the upper house of Kazakhstan’s parliament.

«In terms of fundamental factors, we see no grounds for devaluation. We believe that the current exchange rate is fundamentally sound,» Kassenov said.

However, he cautioned that this assessment applies only to present conditions, as the national currency could still...

Azat Peruashev, head of the Ak Zhol political party, revealed that Kazakhstani banks refuse to lend to domestic industrial manufacturers that export products to Russia, citing the risk of secondary sanctions. Speaking to Kursiv.media, the MP elaborated on why banks are reluctant to finance Kazakhstani enterprises.

«I raised this issue at a meeting with the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan and nearly all banks said they don’t need this. They don’t want to deal with the risks of secondary sanctions, including the possibility of being disconnected from the SWIFT international payment system. This is why almost...

Uzbekistan has adopted a regulation increasing the recycling fee for electric vehicle private importers and unauthorized dealerships. The new policy will be effective May 1. However, local manufacturers, such as the BYD Uzbekistan Factory, are exempt from this fee for the next five years. This resolution may lead to higher prices for Chinese electric cars imported by private companies.

Who will be affected by the new recycling fee?

On Jan. 31, 2025, the Uzbek government approved a recycling fee increase for imported EVs without prior discussions. The amendment primarily affects private importers, who supply affordable cars from China. Local media...

Boston-based New Balance, a prominent American footwear and apparel brand, has filed a lawsuit against an entrepreneur in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region for trademark infringement.

The plaintiff has filed a lawsuit in the specialized inter-district economic court of the Zhambyl region, seeking approximately $730 in damages from a local entrepreneur, identified only as B., for the unauthorized use of its registered trademark, according to the court’s press office.

New Balance discovered the violation while making an online purchase. A store on the platform of a major Kazakhstani bank was selling products bearing a designation identical to the American brand’s registered trademark...

MP Askhat Aimagambetov commented on a high-profile incident in which a teenager attacked a five-year-old child in an elevator in Astana. The official proposed not only punishing the perpetrator’s parents but also reforming Kazakhstan’s neuropsychiatric services. The Mazhilis, the lower chamber of parliament, is already working on a draft law to address the issue.

According to Aimagambetov, the attack on the child was not just a tragedy but a sign of deeper systemic problems. He pointed out that the assailant was a mentally ill teenager.

«Simply punishing his parents won’t solve anything. We need a comprehensive...

Islam Kurayev, a Kazakhstani political scientist specializing in the Middle East, commented on MP Irina Smirnova‘s recent proposal for Kazakhstan to adopt a controversial foreign agent law. He is confident that this «anti-national law» will not make its way to parliament due to its irritating perception among Kazakhstan’s society.

Kurayev suggests that the authorities have nothing to do with this initiative.   

«As a rule, if the government is interested in pushing a topic, officials test the waters first, then move the initiative through the ministries and finally take it to parliament. This case is not...

In 2024, 64% of mobile devices imported into Kazakhstan entered the country illegally or through gray-market schemes, causing the state to miss out on approximately $200 million in VAT payments, according to MP Ekaterina Smyshlyayeva, who cited data from device manufacturers.

Smyshlyayeva noted that Kazakhstan currently lacks a procedure for distinguishing between legal and illegal devices. Existing laws do not provide for verifying IMEI codes (the unique 15-digit identifier for every mobile phone) against customs data and fail to address the secondary market or re-export of mobile devices.

The lawmaker believes Kazakhstan should integrate the IMEI system with customs data...

Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze stated that his country will restore diplomatic relations with Russia only when Georgia’s territorial integrity is restored. He also emphasized that the country’s government must pursue a pragmatic foreign policy.

«There are no diplomatic relations with Russia and they won’t be established unless Georgia’s territorial integrity is restored. However, we believe in a pragmatic approach because our country cannot survive without pragmatism,» Kobakhidze said.

He also noted that Georgia has no political relations with Russia and that communication between the two countries remains significantly hindered.

Despite political tensions, Russia...

Almaty authorities plan to completely phase out diesel buses by 2026-2027 as part of ongoing efforts to modernize the city’s public transportation system. The city has been replacing its diesel bus fleet with more environmentally friendly alternatives for several years. However, progress has been hindered by a lack of gas fueling stations in the suburbs, as discussed at a recent meeting of Almaty’s maslikhat (city council).

The need to transition away from diesel buses in Almaty has been debated for years, but deadlines have been repeatedly postponed. According to Sagyndyk Telibayev, head of the Almaty Urban Mobility Department, the primary...

The prominent European Newspaper Award has selected Kursiv, a business weekly published by Kursiv.media in Kazakhstan, as the winner in the Cover and Cover Story Nationwide Newspaper category. The world’s 26th newspaper and online media design competition received over 3,000 applications in 20 categories from 22 countries.

For the contest, Kursiv.media has chosen a newspaper issue featuring a cover story about the criminal boss’s empire from Kyrgyzstan, titled «Criminal Kyrgyzstan: The Rise and Fall of a Notorious Central Asian Kingpin» (Original: Бандитский Кыргызстан: как криминалитет соседней республики попал в кустуризацию). The article is accompanied by infographics and an illustration...

Archaeologists have uncovered rare burial mounds dating back to the fifth century B.C. in Kazakhstan’s Atyrau region, revealing unique jewelry, weapons and ceramic vessels. These findings provide new insights into the region’s ancient history, according to the press office of the akimat (local administration) of the Atyrau region.

The artifacts, including household items, jewelry and weapons, led archaeologists to identify the tombs as «royal tents.» Researchers note that the Sarmatians, the ancient people who once inhabited the area, buried their nobility with weapons, household goods and personal belongings. Excavations uncovered three such tents, each containing 10 to 15 burials.

President of the European Council António Costa called President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to discuss prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU. During the conversation, Tokayev invited Costa to Kazakhstan for an official visit, as reported by Kazakhstan’s president’s office.

“Initiated by the European side, a phone conversation took place between President Tokayev and President of the European Council António Costa. The conversation was focused on discussing key issues and prospects of strengthening cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan,” the office said in a statement.

Tokayev noted that although EU-Kazakhstan relations are progressing, there is a...

MP Irina Smirnova has proposed that Kazakhstan adopt a foreign agent law, arguing that the country «must revise the rules of the game» with foreign donors, who, she claims, often disguise their interests under the pretense of promoting free media and protecting human rights.

Smirnova has prepared an inquiry addressed to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, proposing a foreign agent law similar to those in Israel, China, Australia, the United States and France. She believes Kazakhstan should adopt this practice and require media outlets to disclose their sources of funding to readers and viewers.

Around 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kazakhstan...

Experts from Kazakhstan’s National Bank have criticized the current implementation of minimum reserve requirements (MRR), one of the country’s key monetary policy tools, arguing that it operates too passively.

MRR mandate financial institutions to hold a certain percentage of their deposits in accounts with the central bank. In most countries, MRR serve multiple functions: regulating money market rates and liquidity, establishing liquidity buffers for financial institutions, strengthening the financial system’s resilience to systemic risks and ensuring the effectiveness of monetary policy across different economic conditions. However, the specific objectives of MRR may vary depending on a country’s economic and financial...

Nurlan Zhumagulov, an expert in oil and gas projects in the Caspian region, explained the reason behind the lack of incremental progress in the development of the Tengiz and Kashagan deposits over the past 30 years. According to him, the economy is to blame — it is more profitable for importers to deliver goods directly, bypassing import duties and VAT.  

«In order to equalize the conditions for domestic producers, the Tax Code was amended 10 years ago with a regulation stating that Kazakhstani enterprises could sell products to the Tengiz, Kashagan and Dunga projects with...

QazaqGaz, the national gas operator and a subsidiary of Samruk-Kazyna, has negotiated with PetroChina to expand gas exports to China this year, the company said in a statement.

A three-year gas purchase and sale agreement was signed by QazaqGaz CEO Sanzhar Zharkeshov and PetroChina International Executive Chair Wu Junli during a Kazakhstan-China business summit in Astana.

«The agreement will allow us to boost gas exports to China this year, proving the strategic nature of the partnership between Kazakhstan and the PRC in the energy sector. Kazakhstan’s gas industry is a reliable supplier of resources necessary for...

Kazakhstan’s birth rate has reached its lowest point in 20 years, falling back to 2004 levels.

Analysts from the DataHub Telegram channel report that in 2024, there were 18.29 live births per 1,000 people, while the total fertility rate dropped to its lowest level since 2004. Notably, the decline has continued over the past decade, with a temporary uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. However, this increase was short-lived.

Research indicates declining birth rates across Kazakhstan, with particularly low levels in the Mangystau and Atyrau regions. Among major cities, Shymkent and Astana have recorded the steepest drops.

Despite...

Kazakhstan has been ranked 88th in the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International, outperforming Russia, Thailand and Turkey, as reported by Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Agency.

«The country scored 40 points, climbing five notches among 180 nations (88th). This is a new historical high, achieved with the help of a set of comprehensive anti-corruption measures. The global average stands at 43 points, while for the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (19 nations), the average is 35 points,» the agency said in a statement. 

The Anti-Corruption Agency also highlighted that Kazakhstan has been marked...

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Education Gani Beisembayev announced that domestic technical and vocational colleges will begin training specialists in nuclear power and drone design, drawing on the experience of Hungary and China.

Starting Sept. 1, 2025, per capita financing for colleges in Kazakhstan will double, according to Beisembayev. Currently, 518 enterprises sponsor local colleges, with plans to expand this number to 4,000 over time.

«A key initiative of Kazakhstan’s Year of Working Professions will be the internationalization of 10 colleges. The primary goal is to enhance their global competitiveness and align their educational programs with international standards...

Almaty has adopted a new housing renovation program, marking the city’s third attempt in 13 years to curb the expansion of its dilapidated housing stock. The program, set to run until 2030, is expected to prioritize the interests of the city over those of developers.

This third improvement plan, adopted in late 2024, aims to sweep dilapidated and non-seismic one- and two-story residential blocks built over the period from the 1930s to the 1970s. Between 2012 and 2015, city authorities implemented a pilot house improvement project and, in 2021, launched a full-fledged renovation program. Even though the program was supposed...

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev and Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan Kuanyshbek Yessekeev have attended the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, where they have met with many prominent specialists in the sphere of AI, including representatives from OpenAI and Meta, as reported by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry.

International experts have highly rated Kazakhstani AI developments, the agency highlighted. For example, Chief AI Scientist at Meta Yann LeCun has praised the Kazakh language model KazLLM in his post on X.   

LeCun is a developer of LLaMA — Large Language Model Meta...

Kazakhstan’s proposed tax reform introduces a differentiated value-added tax (VAT) system, according to Serik Zhumangarin, minister of national economy. The standard VAT rate will be 16%, with a reduced rate of 10% under consideration for the healthcare sector. Agricultural producers will be exempt from VAT.

«We are proposing a reduced rate for the healthcare sector, but further discussions are needed to determine whether it will apply to other industries. We will gather proposals, conduct calculations and make a final decision in collaboration with experts and businesses,» Zhumangarin stated at a government briefing.

He also explained...

This year, fiscal reform should be a top priority for Kazakhstan’s government. The cabinet has proposed raising certain tax rates to boost budget revenues and reduce reliance on transfers from the National Fund. These challenging reforms are necessary because Kazakhstan has long pursued a procyclical fiscal policy, increasing government spending even during periods of high oil prices and strong economic growth. Over time, this approach has led to imbalances in public finances. Kursiv Research has analyzed how Kazakhstan established and then circumvented its budget rules, explaining why the current reforms are unlikely to fully resolve these issues.

Why exporting countries...

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan exported 4.8 million tons of new-crop grain by railway from September to January, a 47% year-on-year increase. In total, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway company, shipped 6.1 million tons of grain over the past five months, including 1.3 million tons for domestic consumption.

The largest export destination was Uzbekistan, which received 1.8 million tons, a 40% increase year-on-year, followed by Tajikistan with 724,000 tons (+50%), China with 659,000 tons (N/A) and Afghanistan with 217,000 tons (+38%). The most significant growth was seen in shipments to Iran, which surged 29-fold to...