The Astana Times

Data Center Valley Is More Than AI: It’s Kazakhstan’s Economic Diversification Bet ALMATY – Kazakhstan is advancing construction of the Data Center Valley in the Pavlodar Region, a large-scale computing infrastructure project intended to support artificial intelligence development, attract international technology companies and create a new export-oriented segment of the digital economy, as Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reviewed progress on Aug. 13. Click to see the… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118362

Kazakh Voters Increasingly Seek Concrete Policy Solutions, Experts Say ASTANA — Healthcare, education and social protection are emerging as key areas of competition in Kazakhstan’s election campaign, with experts saying voters are increasingly looking beyond broad promises to how seven political parties intend to deliver measurable improvements in quality of life. Researchers, healthcare and education specialists and human-capital experts examined how social concerns… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118352

From Grain to Value Chains: Kazakhstan Seeks to Transform Its Agricultural Export Model ALMATY – Kazakhstan has nearly doubled its agricultural exports over the past five years, reaching $7 billion in 2025 from $3.8 billion, according to an analysis published by the World Financial Review. The growth has strengthened Kazakhstan’s role as a food supplier to Central Asia and beyond. Still, it raises a broader question about… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118345

This Week’s Highlights: Astana and Almaty Events You Can’t Miss ASTANA – As the weekend approaches, it is the perfect opportunity to unwind and enjoy a variety of cultural and entertainment activities. From captivating art exhibitions to exciting live performances, there is something for everyone to explore. The Astana Times editorial team has curated a list of events for you to enjoy in the… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118333

Experts: As Inflation Falls, Kazakhstan Faces New Monetary Policy Trade-Off ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s annual inflation slowed to 10.2% in July, extending its decline for a tenth consecutive month, while lending is increasingly shifting from consumer borrowing toward business financing, according to National Bank (NBK) Governor Timur Suleimenov’s report to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Aug. 13. From L to R: Timur Suleimenov and President Kassym-Jomart… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118342

Kazakhstan’s Higher Education Drive: From Importing Universities to Producing Knowledge at Home At a July 1 government session, Science and Higher Education Minister Sayasat Nurbek laid out a reform model built around five priorities: human capital, educational quality, science, innovation and artificial intelligence. The list shows how far the policy agenda has traveled since 2022, when the former Education and Science Ministry split into two ministries.… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118229

UAE Coal Deal Highlights Why Foreign Investors Are Betting on Kazakh Coal Industry ASTANA – A United Arab Emirates company has secured a 25-year license to develop the Kenderlyk coal deposit in eastern Kazakhstan, expanding foreign investment in the country’s mining sector. Kazakhstan has awarded a 25-year license to a United Arab Emirates investor to develop the Kenderlyk coal deposit. Photo credit: gov.kz According to documents released… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118312

Tokayev’s G20 Invitation Reflects Broader U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Momentum ASTANA – Kazakhstan confirmed that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in the United States (US) in December, following a meeting on Aug. 12 between Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation. U.S. Assistant Secretary… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118305

Two Giant Tungsten Deposits Could Test Kazakhstan’s Push Beyond Raw-Material Exports ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to turn two of the world’s largest undeveloped tungsten deposits into the country’s first full-cycle tungsten operation, requiring ore to be processed domestically rather than exported as raw material as Astana seeks to capture more value from its critical mineral reserves. Upper Kairakty. Photo credit tks.kz. Click to see the… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118293

Investment Outlook for Kazakhstan Equities: Strategic Allocation to Eurasia’s Hidden Blue-Chip Market In life and on the investment journey, it is often said that it is the journey that counts, or it is the “journey” that is the reward. Rainer Michael Preiss. Kazakhstan became the first country of the former Soviet Union to receive an international investment credit rating in September 2002. According to Bloomberg data,… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118246

Kazakhstan Powers Central Asia’s Economy, But Can Its Weight Drive Regional Growth? ALMATY – Central Asia’s combined economy has surpassed half a trillion US dollars, reaching an estimated $543 billion, with Kazakhstan accounting for more than half of the region’s gross domestic product, according to figures compiled by The Times of Central Asia. Photo credit: magnific.com Kazakhstan’s economy is estimated at $306 billion, representing nearly 56%… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118284

One Sea, Five Countries, Two Futures: Caspian Sea’s Next Test ALMATY – Caspian Sea Day is being marked on Aug. 12, the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Tehran Convention, the main regional agreement on protecting the Caspian Sea’s marine environment, as environmental concerns over declining water levels and the future of the world’s largest enclosed body of water continue to… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118263

Can Science Replace Commodities? Kazakhstan Wants Universities to Drive Innovation ALMATY – Kazakhstan has more than doubled its research and development spending since 2023, expanded international university partnerships and increased support for young scientists as it seeks to build an economy driven increasingly by knowledge and technology. Photo credit: Shutterstock Science and higher education have become strategic priorities under a broader modernization agenda. The… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118266

Kazakhstan Updates Astana Master Plan to Meet Demands of a Fast-Growing Capital ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s government has approved an updated master plan for Astana through 2035, effective Aug. 8, setting out how the capital will accommodate a population projected to reach nearly 2.3 million while expanding housing, schools, transport and utilities. Astana. Photo credit: The Astana Times. The plan comes as Astana continues to expand rapidly,… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118260

Kazakhstan Economy Grows 4.1% as Non-Oil Sectors Expand ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s economy grew 4.1% in the first seven months of 2026, maintaining the pace recorded in the first half of the year despite an 8.9% decline in oil production, reported the Ministry of National Economy on Aug.11. Photo credit: Shutterstock According to preliminary data from the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS), oil… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118257

Kazakhstan Considers Baku-Supsa Oil Route Amid CPC Disruptions ASTANA — Kazakhstan is considering additional oil export routes through Azerbaijan and Georgia, including Baku-Supsa, after temporary restrictions on crude intake by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in July prompted the diversion of some volumes to alternative routes. Photo credit: Caspian Pipeline Consortiu During the restrictions, some Kazakh oil was redirected through the Aktau… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118255

Fewer Births, Better Chances: Kazakhstan Advances in Newborn Care ASTANA —Kazakhstan recorded nearly 150,000 births in the first half of 2026, down approximately 7% year on year, while neonatal mortality fell to 3.9 per 1,000 live births in 2025, the lowest rate in Central Asia, according to the Bureau of National Statistics and the Ministry of Healthcare. Photo credit: gov.kz The decline in… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118251

eGov GPT Expansion Advances Kazakhstan’s Digital Government Push ASTANA — Kazakhstan plans to expand its AI-powered eGov GPT assistant so that services available through it account for approximately 70% of citizen requests by the end of 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev said at an Aug. 11 government meeting. Photo credit: Shutterstock The assistant… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118242

What Lies Behind Kazakhstan’s External Debt ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s external debt rose 7.5% year on year to $182.8 billion as of April 1. External liabilities of the government and state-controlled institutions jumped 39%, while private-sector debt remained virtually unchanged and intercompany debt linked to foreign direct investment declined 5.5% in one year. Photo credit: Open source The National Bank defines… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118232

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan On July 22, Washington hosted an important hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, titled “Building a New Regional Security Architecture: The Next Phase of the Abraham Accords.” American lawmakers, diplomats, and experts, including Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, gathered at the Capitol to… Read full post here https://astanatimes.com/?p=118238