President informed of results of National Bank's activity in 2018
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held a session on the results of the National Bank's activity in 2018
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held a session on the results of the National Bank's activity in 2018, the press service of Akorda reports.
Participating in the session were Head of the Presidential Administration Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Assistant to President Timur Suleimenov, First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Finance Alikhan Smailov, Chairman of the National Bank Yerbolat Dossayev, Minister of National Economy Ruslan Dalenov and others.
The Head of State noted the positive impact the measures taken to lower the inflation level had had on the financial situation in the country. He also mentioned that currently the macroeconomic situation in the country was quite stable and the GDP had grown up to 4.1% in 2018.
The Chairman of the National Bank, in turn, reported to President Tokayev how his instructions had been carried out. The Head of State was briefed on the situation with tenge exchange rate, increase in the foreign investment inflow and more.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed it was necessary to assess the quality of banks' assets and continue work on the implementation of the 7-20-25 program.
In conclusion, the President of Kazakhstan approved the report of the National Bank and gave a number of specific instructions regarding the domestic financial sector.
Source: Kazinform News Agency
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Kazakhstan-Xinjiang bilateral trade hits $18.9 billion
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As part of his official visit to China, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev met with Chen Xiaojiang, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), Qazinform News Agency reports.
The talks highlighted XUAR’s pivotal role in Kazakhstan-China relations, serving as the main land bridge between the two countries. By the end of 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and XUAR reached 18.9 billion US dollars, the press service of the Kazakh ministry said.
The Chinese side presented an overview of XUAR’s socio-economic development, noting sustainable growth, expanding foreign ties, and active infrastructure modernization.
It was noted that XUAR continues to strengthen its role as a key center for cross-border cooperation and a transit hub for interaction with Kazakhstan.
Special attention was paid to the development of transport and logistics infrastructure. The parties discussed measures to increase the capacity of border checkpoints, modernize railway routes, and synchronize infrastructure projects. In particular, the sides highlighted the importance of the expansion of the Dostyk-Moyynty section, construction of the Ayagoz-Tacheng railway crossing, and development of the Khorgos and Alashankou border hubs.
The sides also discussed the issues of modernizing the Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation to expand trade and investment opportunities. Priority areas identified included logistics, energy, tourism, and cross-border trade.
Kazakhstan will participate as guest of honor at the China-Eurasia EXPO from June 25 to 29, a major platform for promoting exports and strengthening Eurasian business ties. Delegations from Kazakhstan’s border regions will also join the Second International Conference of the Greater Altai.
Minister Shakkaliyev underscored XUAR’s strategic importance.
Xinjiang is a key link in the system of cross-border and transit interaction. The main flow of goods passes through the region, making it Kazakhstan's most important partner in the development of trade, logistics, and industrial cooperation," said he.
He invited the Chinese side to Kazakhstan to attend the Forum of Interregional Cooperation and the Friendly Dialogue of Border Regions later this year.
The meeting also stressed the need to diversify trade, increase high value-added exports, expand agricultural supplies, and launch joint production facilities. Both sides confirmed readiness to deepen cooperation through joint infrastructure, investment, and industrial projects.
Shakkaliyev emphasized that partnership with XUAR is central to Kazakhstan’s strategy of building sustainable trade routes and strengthening its role as a transit and logistics hub between China, Central Asia, and Europe.
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Strategy for Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Austria in Transport and Logistics has been Defined
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The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, took part in a business lunch organized by Austrian business circles. The event focused on developing cooperation in the transport and logistics sector and the launch of the Austrian-Kazakh Connectivity Platform, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
In his remarks, Ambassador Tileuberdi emphasized that Kazakhstan places special importance on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as well as on the introduction of modern solutions in multimodal transport and green logistics. Participants were briefed on Kazakhstan’s initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of the Middle Corridor and strengthening its transit role in the Eurasian region.
The Ambassador also informed participants about the outcomes of the national referendum and the adoption of the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He highlighted that the institutional reforms carried out by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev are aimed at increasing the accountability of state institutions and creating a more transparent investment climate in the country.
The Guest of Honor at the event was the Second President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, Peter Haubner, who shared the results of his visit to Astana in November 2025 with a representative business delegation. He confirmed Austria’s interest in expanding cooperation, particularly in sustainable infrastructure, logistics, digitalization, and energy.
During the event, the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Lower Austria, Alexander Schierchuber, presented a detailed overview of the current state and prospects of Kazakhstan’s transport sector. He noted the country’s strong transit potential and its role as a key link in Eurasian transport corridors connecting Europe and Asia. According to him, the launch of the AKCP is intended to serve as a practical mechanism for developing and implementing joint infrastructure and logistics projects.
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Kazakhstan is Strengthening Geological Exploration and Creating New Infrastructure for the Development of the Industry - Bektenov
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Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov took part in the International Geological Forum Geoscience & Exploration of Central Asia, primeminister.kz reports.
The GECA 2026 Forum brought together representatives of international organizations, the diplomatic corps, as well as national and foreign companies.
Speaking at the plenary session of the geological forum, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov congratulated industry specialists on the upcoming professional holiday and emphasized the strategic importance of geological exploration for the sustainable development of the country’s economy and industry.
This year has become truly historic for the Republic of Kazakhstan - a new Constitution has been adopted, which has created the foundation for the further modernization of society and all spheres of the economy. In the nationwide referendum, the citizens of our country, through their active participation, demonstrated an example of true patriotism by expressing full support for the course of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev. We are already focused on implementing the norms of the Basic Law aimed at increasing the transparency of public administration, forming a favorable investment climate, and developing human capital. The transformations open up new opportunities for the development of the economy, where geological exploration acts as the strategic foundation of our industry," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.
On the instruction of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, systemic reforms are being implemented in Kazakhstan in the field of geology and subsoil use, aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of the industry, modernizing infrastructure, and expanding the use of modern technologies.
An important step was the launch of the Unified Subsoil Use Portal, which ensures transparent access to services. Based on the world’s best practice of "first come, first served", the processes for granting subsoil use rights have been significantly simplified. This has made it possible to attract about 280 billion tenge of private investment in geological exploration over the past three years.
International standards for reserve reporting have been introduced. For a more sustainable approach to geological research, a transition is being made to the formation of geophysical maps at a scale of 1:50,000. A modern and technological model for the development of the geological industry is being formed. Among the long-term priorities are the involvement of technogenic mineral formations in economic turnover, systematic work on the inventory of groundwater deposits, and the training of specialists of a new formation - geologists, engineers, and analysts capable of working in the conditions of digital transformation of the industry. A geological cluster is being created in Astana, which will include an analytical laboratory, a core storage facility, and a geological information storage facility. The center will unite personnel and technical resources and will contribute to the acceleration of specialized research.
Kazakhstan possesses significant mineral resource potential and is considered by investors as one of the priority regions for exploration, extraction, and processing of minerals. The country has about 10,000 deposits, with total reserves of key raw materials amounting to over 2.3 thousand tons of gold, 4.3 billion tons of oil, 3.8 trillion cubic meters of gas, 33.5 billion tons of coal, and 26.7 billion tons of iron. A significant part of the resource base is formed by rare earth metals, including the Kuiryqtykol deposit discovered in 2025 with reserves of about 800 thousand tons of cerium, neodymium, yttrium, and other elements.
As part of the execution of the instruction of the Head of State, work continues to increase the geological and geophysical study of the country’s territory to 2.2 million square kilometers. To date, the indicator has reached almost 2.04 million square kilometers. It was emphasized that funding for geological study of subsoil has been increased tenfold and will amount to about $500 million in the next 3 years.
During the forum, attention was paid to the development of international cooperation and the exchange of experience in the field of geological exploration and subsoil use with the introduction of digital technologies and AI. Comments and proposals on expanding interaction were made by the Minister of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yersaiyn Nagaspayev, Deputy Minister of Mining Industry and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan Rustam Yusupov, Head of the Main Department of Geology under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Ilkhomjon Oymukhammadzoda, and others.
As part of his participation in the forum, the Prime Minister inspected the "Zhas Geolog" stand, the mineral exposition, and the model of the geological cluster.
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Kassym-Jomart Tokayev meets with Sberbank CEO German Gref
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The Kazakh President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, today met with the Chairman of the Management Board at Sberbank, German Gref, Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.
During Thursday’s meeting, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and German Gref discussed the key challenges in the banking sector development, the impact of the current geopolitical situation on the economies of the region’s countries, as well as prospects for the application of digital solutions and artificial intelligence in the financial sector.
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Kazakhstan and Greece Expand Horizons of Industrial Cooperation
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The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Hellenic Republic, Timur Sultangozhin, paid a visit to the Region of Central Macedonia, where he held a series of meetings with business leaders and visited key industrial enterprises across the region, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
During the visit, the Ambassador was briefed on the operations of companies active in a range of sectors, including elevator manufacturing, paints and coatings, food production, cosmetics, medical equipment, and retail. Particular focus was placed on identifying opportunities to develop partnerships with Kazakh counterparts.
He also held substantive discussions with the leadership of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Association of the Industrial Zone of Thessaloniki on ways to strengthen business ties between Kazakhstan and Greece. The discussions highlighted a number of promising areas for cooperation, including manufacturing, agribusiness, logistics, and investment.
In his meetings, the Ambassador outlined Kazakhstan’s ongoing economic reforms and the range of government support measures available to foreign investors, including tax incentives, investment agreements, and project facilitation tools. Both sides expressed strong interest in expanding business contacts and agreed to support the development of concrete joint projects involving Greek companies in Kazakhstan.
As part of the program, the Ambassador also visited the International Hellenic University, where he met with the university’s leadership. The two sides agreed to advance academic cooperation through partnerships between universities, as well as student and faculty exchanges and joint educational and research initiatives.
Overall, the visit underscored the growing interest of the Greek business community in the Kazakh market and highlighted the strong potential to further expand bilateral trade, economic, and investment cooperation.
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Kazakhstan and Singapore Strengthen Trade and Economic Partnership
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The Ambassador of the Kazakhstan to the Singapore, Askar Kuttykadam, held a meeting with Jasmine Quah Zubair, Director of the Americas, Europe and Central Asia Division at the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore.During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and exchanged views on key issues of the global economic agenda, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Ambassador of Kazakhstan informed the Singaporean side about the adoption of the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, marking the beginning of a qualitatively new stage in the development of a Just and Progressive Kazakhstan.
It was noted that the establishment of a transparent and sustainable system of public administration, along with other important reforms, contributes to strengthening long-term partnerships between the state and business. The parties also discussed the current state of the global economy, including the fragmentation of global markets, increasing competition for investment, as well as the impact of geopolitical tensions and logistical risks. Ambassador Kuttykadam briefed his counterpart on Kazakhstan’s current economic performance.
It was noted that GDP growth reached 6.5% in 2025, driven by manufacturing, construction, transport, and services. Kazakhstan entered the top 50 largest economies in the world for the first time, reflecting the effectiveness of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s strategy aimed at ensuring sustainable growth and economic diversification. The interlocutors discussed priority areas of bilateral cooperation, including energy, digitalization and artificial intelligence, water technologies, the green economy, as well as critical minerals and innovation. In the context of investment cooperation, the Kazakh side presented the Alatau City multifunctional urban cluster project as a promising platform for Singaporean companies to access the markets of Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and neighboring regions.
The parties also emphasized the importance of the full implementation of the Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment between Kazakhstan and Singapore and expressed their readiness to convene the first meeting of the Joint Committee on its implementation in the near future. During the meeting, the Singaporean side was also informed about Kazakhstan’s key international initiatives with a strong economic dimension, including the Regional Environmental Summit to be held in Astana on 22-24 April 2026 and President Tokayev’s initiative to establish an International Water Organization.
Following the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in further strengthening Kazakhstan-Singapore cooperation and expanding practical engagement across a wide range of areas, including in the context of preparations for upcoming high-level and top-level visits.
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