News

Continued success in securing new orders helped lead to a further improvement in the health of Kazakhstan’s manufacturing sector in May. While new order growth remained solid, there were slowdowns in the rates of expansion of output, employment and purchasing activity, according to Freedom Holding Corp.

On the price front, unfavorable currency fluctuations led to a sharp rise in input costs, while competitive pressures limited the pace of output price inflation. The Freedom Holding Corp. Kazakhstan Manufacturing PMI® (Purchasing Managers’ Index™) registered 51.3 in May, broadly in line with the reading of 51.2 in April.

«As...

The Freedom QJ League is set to hold its first full-fledged football tournament for girls. The total cost of organizing this inaugural women’s season is estimated at 308 million tenge ($604,619), according to the Freedom QJ League press service.

According to the organization, its top priority this year is launching the first tournament for girls. This is especially important, as the QJ League has significantly transformed the landscape of youth football for boys in Kazakhstan over the past few years, while the situation in girls’ football has largely remained unchanged.

«These include competitions using the one-round-per-month...

Kazakhstan’s Ex-President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s recent visit to Moscow was personal and informal. According to the ex-president’s press secretary Aidos Ukibay, Nazarbayev shares a longstanding and friendly relationship with Vladimir Putin that remains strong regardless of whether he holds state authority.

According to him, Nazarbayev keeps in touch with various world leaders via phone calls, private correspondence and separate meetings. This applies not only to Russia, but also to Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Belarus and other nations.

«Interactions like this are common in international relations, reflecting personal bonds built over the years. Therefore, personal...

Kazakhstani boxers made a strong statement at the 2025 Thailand Open, claiming five gold medals on the final day of competition. The prestigious international tournament, held in Bangkok from May 24 to June 1, featured 186 athletes from 17 countries and is considered one of Asia’s premier boxing events.

In the men’s division, Torekhan Sabyrkhan (70 kg) and Dias Molzhigitov (80 kg) won gold for Kazakhstan. Sabyrkhan defeated his Uzbek opponent by judges’ unanimous decision, while Molzhigitov earned a 4-1 victory over a Chinese fighter.

In the women’s division, Kazakhstan added three more gold medals courtesy of Viktoriya Grafeyeva...

Kazakhstan’s boxing sensation Angelina Lukas has successfully defended her IBO World Super Flyweight Championship title in front of a hometown crowd in Taraz.

In the main event of IBO fight week, Lukas dominated Chile’s Daniela Asenjo, securing a technical knockout victory. The bout carried extra emotional weight for Lukas, who was seeking redemption after a previous loss to Asenjo two years ago.

The early rounds saw both fighters moving cautiously, testing each other’s weaknesses. But momentum shifted decisively between the third and fourth rounds when Lukas began to apply sustained pressure.

Landing a series of clean, powerful shots from multiple...

Starting this June, Omani SalamAir is set to launch direct flights on the Almaty–Muscat route. The decision was made during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev and Oman’s Minister of Finance Sultan Salim Al Habsi, where they discussed prospects for cooperation in transport.

The leading topic of the meeting was developing a partnership involving the Omani ports of Sohar, Salalah and Duqm, alongside strengthening cooperation within the International North–South Transport Corridor. The Omani side expressed readiness to deepen interaction with Kazakhstan.

Restoring flights between the countries marks their effort toward a strategic partnership and the expansion of...

Kazakhstan’s largest oil field, Kashagan, located on the Caspian Sea shelf, is expected to reach 1 billion barrels of cumulative oil production by the end of 2025, according to the Energy Monitor Telegram channel.

The projection was shared following a May 28 meeting between Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and ExxonMobil Vice President Peter Larden. Since the field began operations, approximately 906 million barrels have been produced. Recoverable reserves are currently estimated at 15.8 billion barrels, with reserves continuing to increase.

Bektenov and Larden discussed expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector, including infrastructure development and the adoption of...

Starting June 30, Russia will put into effect new rules and terms for entering and exiting the country for foreigners and stateless individuals, announced Irina Volk, the official representative of Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

According to the new rules, Kazakhstanis who enter Russia visa-free must file an electronic application no later than 72 hours before the planned date of travel. This also applies to official representatives of children or legally incapacitated persons.

«The application may be filed no later than four hours before travel in cases of documented circumstances that require prompt entry into...

Emin Agalarov, a well-known Azerbaijani singer and entrepreneur, visited Mangystau, admiring the natural beauty of the region.

«What an amazing planet we live on! Thank you for the warm welcome, Kazakhstan,» Agalarov captioned the vivid video from the region.

The footage shows the singer visiting Bozzhyra and Aktau. Although it is unclear how long he stayed in Kazakhstan, he managed to ride a horse, shoot a bow and get acquainted with local traditions. The artist was also captured wearing a traditional Kazakh garment — a chapan — against the backdrop of a yurt, the traditional...

Danone will invest €6 million in its plant in the Almaty region in 2025 and 2026 to increase annual production to 40,000 tons, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture.

Once the plant’s modernization is complete, it will be able to expand its range of products. Moreover, the upgrade will enable the company to double export volumes to Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia, as well as enter the markets of China and the Middle East by 2027.

The plant currently produces 18,000 tons of dairy products annually, with a third of these exports destined for countries in Central Asia, the...

On the evening of May 31, a team of rescuers under Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations successfully evacuated three men who found themselves in trouble on Mount Shymbulak in the Talgar district of the Almaty region. At an altitude of 3,450 meters, the young men aged 24 to 25 reported being unable to continue their descent on their own after experiencing physical exhaustion and cramps. They promptly called 112 — the rescue service number — and reported their location.

After receiving the urgent call, a team of rescuers based at a post on Medeu was dispatched to respond. Upon reaching...

On June 1, QalamBalam, a new educational media project for children and teenagers aged 7 to 16, was launched in Kazakhstan. This is a digital media outlet that helps children better understand history, science, culture and society through short and engaging videos. The content is designed to complement the school curriculum and help children expand their knowledge beyond standard requirements.

The project was developed by the Qalam team, a well-known educational resource dedicated to the history and culture of Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Turkic world. QalamBalam is available on popular platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, where children often...

Russia is experiencing difficulties with financing the delivery of equipment for three combined heat and power plants (CHP) it has committed to build in Kazakhstan. According to the Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, citing Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, if the Russian side fails to settle the issue, Astana will have no other choice but to look for another investor.

«All three CHP projects are underway. There are issues related to the subsidized interest rate for the equipment, so we are negotiating to resolve this matter. … Of course, another [investor] may be appointed if Russia doesn’t allocate...

Kazakhstani banks earned approximately $1.7 billion in net profit during the first four months of 2025, according to data released by the National Bank. April alone accounted for nearly $470 million, a record monthly figure so far this year.

Top 5 banks by net profit (January-April 2025):

Halyk Bank – $170 million in April; $653 million total.

Kaspi Bank – $89 million in April; $340 million total.

Bank CenterCredit – $38 million in April; $192 million total.

Jusan Bank – $33 million in April; $110 million total.

ForteBank – $32 million in April; $114 million total.

Following the top five...

Kazakhstan plans to significantly increase cargo traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, bypassing Russia. Marat Karabayev, Kazakhstan’s minister of transport, announced during the Astana International Forum (AIF) that freight volumes on the route are projected to surpass 10 million tons by 2027.

«Cargo turnover was 800,000 tons, and now it has reached 4.5 million tons, a sevenfold increase over the past three years,» Karabayev said. «I’m confident we’ll exceed 10 million tons by 2027. All the data supports this projection.»

He noted that Kazakhstan has already signed...

For the first time, Kazakhstan’s net international reserves exceeded $50 billion, according to statistics from the National Bank. In April, the value increased by 4.76% or $2.28 billion and by 15.51% or $6.75 billion, since the beginning of the year.

Gross international reserves — composed of monetary gold and assets denominated in convertible foreign currency (CFC) — totaled $52.3 billion.

Gold reserves reached $30.7 billion, marking a 5.59% increase over the month and a 29.06% rise since the beginning of the year. Assets in CFC totaled $21.6 billion, showing a 3.33% monthly increase but a 1.61% decrease year-to-date.

At...

The award ceremony for the winner of the fourth season of the Mecenat.kz literary competition was held at the National Academic Library in Astana. The competition was organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan and Freedom Holding Corp.

This year, 21 applications were submitted to the competition: 9 in Kazakh and 12 in Russian. The winner was selected through online voting.

Six authors made it to the finals:

Kazakhstan’s new city of Alatau in the Almaty region is set to play a major role in the country’s future, according to the Minister of Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev. Speaking at a plenary session of the Astana International Forum (AIF), Madiyev laid out a bold vision for what he described as Kazakhstan’s flagship urban project.

He said the city could develop along several paths: either through state budget funding, as was the case with Astana and Turkestan, or through private and foreign investment. For Alatau, he stressed, the second model is the goal.

«There are certain...

During the Astana International Forum, a large international event in Kazakhstan’s capital, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Google’s Vice President for Central Eastern Europe Patrick Warnking.

Speaking on the country’s digital transformation, Tokayev emphasized Google’s important role in this process. He also shared Kazakhstan’s plans to become the largest digital hub in Eurasia and the leader in the use of artificial intelligence. In pursuit of these objectives, the country is actively developing its digital infrastructure and enhancing its computing capabilities.

In turn, the guest shared his opinion on Kazakhstan’s digital transformation efforts.

«Patrick Warnking highly praised...

On May 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Kazakhstan’s Ex-President Nursultan Nazarbayev, as reported by Kremlin.ru.    

The website provided no details about the meeting apart from a few photographs.

The last meeting of Nazarbayev and Putin took place at the Russian president’s Novo-Ogaryovo residence in the Moscow region on Dec. 13, 2024. At the time, MP Samat Nurtaza expressed his concerns, commenting that such meetings make him «anxious.»

That meeting was also addressed by MPs Ermurat Bapi and Aidos Sarym, who stated it had nothing to do with a possible repetition of the January 2022 events.

Among other...

Foreign shareholders of Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) are reportedly unwilling to invest in the construction of a gas processing plant (GPP) with an annual capacity of 4 billion cubic meters at the Karachaganak field in the West Kazakhstan region.

The news was reported via the Energy Monitor Telegram channel, run by oil and gas expert Nurlan Zhumagulov. He cited sources familiar with the matter, whom he met on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum, currently underway in the capital.

«Unfortunately, several shareholders are not prepared to meet Kazakhstan’s request to increase commercial gas output...

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has explained why Kazakhstan hasn’t joined BRICS. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he claimed that he is highly pragmatic and that what he can see is no fixed structures within BRICS, no charter, no secretariat, no programs, and so on.

According to the president, the country has become an observer state in BRICS, and this is quite enough for now.

The Al Jazeera interviewer asked Tokayev whether he is worried that BRICS is not an effective organization, or whether he is worried that Kazakhstan might be seen as too close to some powers like...

According to Alexey Lee, the founder of the Kazakhstani online supermarket Arbuz.kz and CEO of Freedom Lifestyle Group, Freedom is testing drones designed to deliver various goods. On social media, he recently posted a video of an operator controlling a drone as it picked up cargo and flew it from one point to another.

Lee believes that the gap in delivery options between cities and villages is drastic. For instance, medicine delivery within the city is a matter of 20 minutes, whereas a villager must often travel tens of kilometers to the nearest pharmacy, frequently through challenging weather conditions and...

British pop icon Robbie Williams will headline the Park Live festival in Almaty on Sept. 4, organizers announced.

Park Live, the largest music festival in Central Asia, has confirmed Williams as the fourth headliner. He is set to perform on the opening day of the event, bringing his global hits to a Kazakhstani audience.

Williams is best known for chart-topping songs such as «Angels,» «Feel» and «Rock DJ.» In...