Aida Balayeva named Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
Images | primeminister.kz
By a presidential decree, Aida Balayeva has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
Born in 1974, Aida Balayeva is a native of Almaty region. She is a graduate of the Abai Almaty State University and the Kazakh National Agrarian University.
Throughout her professional career, Aida Balayeva held many posts, including the head of the Internal Policy Department of Astana city in 2008-2010. She served as the deputy mayor of Astana city in 2010-2014. In 2014, she took the post of the head of the Internal Policy Department at the President's Executive Office. In 2020 - January 2022, Aida Balayeva was the Minister of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan. From 2022 to September 2023, she was the Deputy Head of the President's Executive Office.
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Tokayev Holds Talks with President of the European Council António Costa
Images | akorda.kz
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with President of the European Council António Costa at the Akorda residence, marking his first official visit to Kazakhstan, akorda.kz reports.
The Head of State emphasized the symbolic significance of the visit, which is taking place in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). Kazakhstan became the first country in the region to conclude this historic agreement with the European Union.
We place particular emphasis to your visit. It stands as yet another indication of our mutual readiness to expand the all-round Kazakhstan - EU cooperation even further. Kazakhstan and the EU enjoy robust and meaningful partnership based on mutual respect and understanding. Our political dialogue is dynamic and developing across many areas of mutual interest. In this context, I commend the outcomes of the EU - Kazakhstan Cooperation Council held few days ago in Brussels," - noted Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The EU remains Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner. Last year, bilateral trade reached almost 50 billion US dollars, while total investment since 2005 has amounted to nearly 200 billion dollars. Kazakhstan accounts for 80 percent of the EU’s trade with Central Asia.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended the strong presence of more than 4,000 European companies operating in Kazakhstan across the energy, transport, digitalization, and industrial sectors. He also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to maintaining a stable and transparent investment climate for European businesses.
The Head of State paid special attention to humanitarian cooperation. He expressed gratitude for the EU’s educational programmes, through which more than 5,000 Kazakh students and academics have had the opportunity to study and undertake training in EU member states.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed the agreements reached to launch preparations for a Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements.
President Tokayev highlighted the importance Kazakhstan places on the EU’s active engagement with Central Asia through the C5+EU format, which contributes to advancing shared interests in sustainable growth and connectivity. He noted that the C5+ dialogue has become an effective platform for addressing regional development priorities.
For his part, António Costa thanked Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the warm welcome. He commended the strong momentum in Kazakhstan - EU cooperation and affirmed the European Union’s readiness to further deepen comprehensive collaboration.
Over the past ten years, the European Union has become Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner and foreign investor. At the same time, Kazakhstan has emerged as a key element of our economic security as the third-largest supplier of oil and uranium. It is clear that we are entering a new stage in strengthening our relationship and expanding our economic ties," - said the President of the European Council.
António Costa underlined that the European Union and Kazakhstan share a common vision of the world grounded in a commitment to multilateralism and an international rules-based order founded on the values enshrined in the UN Charter. According to him, these principles form the basis of efforts to promote security, stability, and prosperity across the globe.
He went on to emphasize that cooperation with the Central Asian countries is an important element in advancing and practically strengthening relations in today’s multilateral world. In this context, he commended President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s personal efforts to help consolidate peace in the Caucasus. In his view, ensuring security in the region opens new opportunities for the development of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, which will connect Europe via the Caucasus and the Black Sea.
During the talks, the two sides reviewed a wide range of cooperation issues, placing particular emphasis on partnership in transport and logistics, digitalization, energy, critical minerals, agriculture, and other promising areas.
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President inks law amendments on culture, education, and family
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The Head of State signed the Law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan Concerning Сulture, Education, Family and State Control," Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.
Codes "On Marriage and Family" and "On Public Health and the Healthcare System." Amendments were also made to the laws "On Languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan," "On the Rights of the Child," "On Culture," "On Education," and "On the Status of the Educator."
The first block of amendments enhances legal mechanisms to protect orphans and children left without parental care.
Priority for adoption, guardianship, or custodianship is now given to the child’s relatives. If no relatives are available, preference is given to couples in a registered marriage.
The second block of amendments shifts the state control procedures in sanitary and epidemiological well-being and in the protection of children's rights with respect to government-funded entities (including for food, accommodation, medical care, education, upbringing, and the rehabilitation of children) to the regulatory scope of the Code "On Public Health and the Healthcare System" and the Law "On the Rights of the Child in the Republic of Kazakhstan." The corresponding provisions are removed from the Entrepreneurial Code.
The third block of amendments addresses specific issues related to education.
The amendments introduce a ranking system for technical, vocational, and post-secondary education institutions based on a methodology for assessing performance indicators and ranking rules approved by the Ministry of Enlightenment. A similar ranking system is introduced for higher and/or postgraduate education institutions, based on methodologies and regulations approved by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
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Balayeva briefs President Tokayev on key areas of social policy implementation
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has received Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
Aida Balayeva reported to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the key areas of implementing the state social policy. She highlighted the measures aimed at enhancing interdepartmental collaboration, improving quality of services, developing human capital, and advancing digitalization of the sector.
The President was briefed on progress in the fields of culture and information, religion and interethnic relations, civil society, as well as family and youth policies.
At the end of the meeting, the Head of State set a number of instructions to the minister regarding further improvement of these areas.
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Developing aircraft fleet is vital in building stable transit air flows - Tokayev
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Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Government to develop a concrete package of support measures for domestic cargo carriers over the next 3-5 years, Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.
Speaking at a meeting on the development of regional air-cargo hubs, the President highlighted that Kazakhstan is preparing to launch its first National Cargo Airline and must ensure conditions for its effective long-term operation.
It is necessary to develop a concrete package of measures for the next 3-5 years to support domestic cargo companies. The main goal is to expand multimodal logistics by encouraging businesses to create added value. A key factor in building stable transit air flows is the development of the aircraft fleet," the Head of State emphasized.
The President also drew attention to the deficit of cargo aircraft in Kazakhstan and called for a more flexible regulatory approach.
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Tokayev Receives Palestine’s Supreme Sharia Judge and Adviser to the Palestinian President for Religious Affairs Mahmoud al-Habbash
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Welcoming his guest, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation between Kazakhstan and Palestine has been developing in the spirit of friendship, mutual support, and respect, akorda.kz reports.
President Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan consistently supports international initiatives aimed at recognizing Palestine as a full-fledged member of the international community. He reiterated Kazakhstan’s firm commitment to a diplomatic settlement in the Middle East and to the creation of the State of Palestine based on the "two-State solution", in line with the UN Charter and international law.
For his part, Mahmoud al-Habbash conveyed to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev a personal message from President Mahmoud Abbas and expressed gratitude for Kazakhstan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people and their aspirations for a peaceful and brighter future.
He noted that Kazakhstan is rightly regarded as a brotherly nation to Palestine - a sentiment reflected both in bilateral contacts and in multilateral cooperation, particularly within the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
At the conclusion of the meeting, President Tokayev conveyed his warm regards to Mahmoud Abbas and extended an invitation for the President of Palestine to pay an official visit to Kazakhstan.
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