Kazakhstan is accelerating its transition to a digital model of social protection, integrating government databases and introducing algorithmic oversight to improve the targeting of welfare payments and reduce corruption risks. In spring 2026, the merger of databases between the Ministry of Labor an
Mutual trade between Central Asian countries reached $12.3 billion in 2025, nearly doubling compared to 2020, according to analysts at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The figure underlines how Central Asia is increasingly emerging as a more interconnected regional market after years of relative
Vegetable oil producers in Kazakhstan have launched a new export route to Iran across the Caspian Sea, completing several trial shipments of rapeseed and sunflower oil in spring 2026, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture said. According to Kazakhstan’s National Association of Oilseed Processors (NAO
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection is considering several possible causes behind the explosion at a Kazzinc plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk that killed three people. The incident occurred on the morning of May 5, when a dust collection unit exploded inside one of the plant’s workshops, tr
Kazakhstan’s deepening engagement with Armenia has made TRIPP , part of the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace formula, a practical question for the Middle Corridor. The Armenia–U.S. implementation framework published in January presents the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) as a proj
Two recent achievements from Kazakhstan have drawn attention from the international scientific community, highlighting advances by young Kazakhstani researchers in water technology and education. One standout is Dana Kadyrbek, an 11th-grade student at Gymnasium No. 79 in Almaty, who has been named a
Kazakhstan is looking to deepen energy cooperation with Uzbekistan, with several joint projects already moving into the implementation stage, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on the sidelines of the RES 2026 regional environmental summit in Astana, according to BAQ.KZ. “Exchange of experience
Ruslan Kurbanov is a Kazakhstani épée fencer, a Master of Sport of International Class in Kazakhstan, a World Cup medalist, a two-time World Championships bronze medalist, and a two-time Olympian. He began his journey in a children’s fencing club in Ust-Kamenogorsk and has since risen to fourth in t
Kazakhstan has announced the launch of the QaJET (Just Energy Transition) investment platform, supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to attract international financing and accelerate the decarbonization of its economy. A corresponding memorandum was signed on Apri
At Kazakhstan Finance Day in New York, officials and executives used the panel “Investment Opportunities in Kazakhstan” to present the country as entering a new phase of market development, citing macroeconomic stability, capital-market reform, potential initial and secondary public offerings, and i
Kazakhstan’s Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Astana on April 22-24 is aiming to turn Central Asia’s environmental strain into a regional political agenda. Organized in partnership with the United Nations, the summit is built around the theme, “Shared Vision for a Resilient Future.” Its stated pur
Kazakhstan plans to build at least three nuclear power plants (NPPs) by 2050, with implementation of the first project already underway, the country’s Atomic Energy Agency has said . The nuclear energy development strategy aims to ensure energy security, support sustainable economic growth, and meet
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Kazakhstan highlighted the growing importance of the Middle Corridor in Ankara-Astana relations, while also showing how Kazakhstan is trying to deepen ties with Turkey without abandoning its multi-vector foreign policy. According to experts, the cent
Around half of all professions in Kazakhstan are expected to change under the impact of AI over the next decade, with some jobs declining and others disappearing entirely, lawmakers and government officials have said. Daniya Yespayeva, Deputy Chair of the lower house of parliament, the Mazhilis, cit
April 26 marks a date that changed the course of world history. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster , one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents, the consequences of which are still felt today. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia , Ukraine’s Ambassador E
The ongoing escalation in the Middle East, with Iran at its epicenter, appears to be accelerating economic rapprochement between countries in the region and Central Asia. Kazakhstan’s diplomacy has emerged as a key driver of this process. In recent days, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister has visited sev
Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) are holding an informal summit in the city of Turkistan, focused on artificial intelligence, digitalization, and economic integration, as Central Asia gains importance as an alternative trade corridor between Europe and China. The meeting brings tog
Singer, poet, and lyricist MEREY is among a younger group of artists bringing a different sensibility to music in Kazakhstan. Her work is rooted in Kazakh-language expression, but it also pushes beyond familiar expectations of how a female singer should sound and present herself. In an interview wit
As part of the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026) in Astana, the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty organised a session titled “The Cryosphere of Central Asia: From Scientific Assessment to Joint Climate Adaptation Action,” in cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
Last week, the Turkish resort city of Antalya hosted the fifth annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Particular attention was drawn to the speech by Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who once again raised the issue of reforming the United Nations. Held since 2021 at the initiative of Turkish
