Kazakhstan Achieves a Significant Diplomatic Breakthrough in the IAEA
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At the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, it was officially announced that Kazakhstan has joined the IAEA Far East Regional Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
This decision marks a significant diplomatic milestone, ensuring the restoration of Kazakhstan’s full and equal participation in all of the Agency’s governance processes.
Kazakhstan became the eighth member of the "Far East" regional group, joining China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Cambodia. Negotiations on accession had been underway since 2009 in Astana, Vienna, Geneva, New York, and in the capitals of the group’s member states. For many years, Kazakhstan remained one of 17 IAEA Member States not affiliated with any regional group, which significantly limited the country’s ability to participate in key governing structures.
Under established IAEA practice, states outside regional groups cannot compete on equal footing in elections to the Board of Governors, nominate candidates for leadership positions in the General Conference and the Board of Governors, participate fully in key committees, or take part in regional consultations that shape fundamental Agency decisions.
Since 2021, Kazakhstan has consistently advanced the initiative to restore sovereign equality among all IAEA Member States in multilateral forums, regularly placing this issue on the agendas of the Board of Governors and the General Conference. The adoption of a General Conference resolution in 2023 and the creation of the "Group of Friends" provided strong momentum to efforts aimed at eliminating imbalance and inequality within the Agency. As a result, the number of states not belonging to any regional group decreased from 17 to 12.
Despite its exemplary record in nuclear disarmament and the peaceful use of atomic energy, Kazakhstan had long faced limitations in representation within the IAEA’s governing bodies. Therefore, Kazakhstan’s accession to the Far East Regional Group constitutes a historic step toward restoring the principle of sovereign equality, fully aligned with the Agency’s Statute and the General Conference Resolution GC(67)/RES/15 of 29 September 2023, initiated by Kazakhstan.
Membership in the regional group paves the way for Kazakhstan to participate fully and on an equal basis in the IAEA’s decision-making processes. This carries particular importance for the development of the national nuclear energy sector and for strengthening international cooperation in the peaceful use of atomic energy.
Kazakhstan intends to continue its efforts to ensure the full and equal participation of all Member States in the activities of the IAEA.
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Kazakhstan, S. Korea partner to develop Alatau Smart City project
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Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev on Thursday met with Kim Bok-hwan, President and CEO of the Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation (KIND), Qazinform News Agency reports via the Kazakh Government.
The meeting in Kazakh capital Astana was a follow-up to the October negotiations at the Alatau Rise with Kazakhstan roadshow in Seoul, where Kazakhstan represented its smart city Alatau as one of its strategic projects.
Many Korean companies showed their support for our promising project Alatau Smart City, which is encouraging. KIND could participate in infrastructure construction projects, including in energy, water supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment and disposal, waste recycling – based on both an EPC contract or the format of development, said Bozumbayev.
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Chinese Company Explores Participation in Kazakhstan’s Power Infrastructure Modernization Program
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Alibek Kuantyrov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Madiyar Sultanbek, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of NC "Kazakh Invest" JSC, held a meeting with Li Jianjiang, General Manager of Zhongyoung Power (Yunxi) Group Co., Ltd. The company expressed interest in participating as an investor in the modernization of Kazakhstan’s power infrastructure, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Chinese side voiced interest in participating in the National Project "Modernization of the Energy and Utilities Sectors," which identifies a broad range of facilities requiring renovation, upgrades, and modernization. Li Jianjiang emphasized that Zhongyoung Power is ready to consider various investment participation formats, including public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms and tariff-based investment recovery models, in line with international infrastructure financing practices. He also noted the company’s intention to utilize locally produced equipment and transformers manufactured in Kazakhstan in implementing its projects.
The parties discussed potential involvement of the company in modernizing substations, replacing outdated equipment, constructing new transformer capacities, and introducing advanced solutions for medium- and high-voltage networks.
During the meeting, Alibek Kuantyrov underlined that modernization of the energy sector is a strategic priority for Kazakhstan and requires engagement of reliable technology partners with global expertise. He noted that PPP and tariff-based mechanisms can be applied under the current legal framework, provided they meet sectoral standards. The Deputy Minister also proposed that the company localize part of its equipment production in Kazakhstan, emphasizing opportunities for cooperation with local enterprises in implementing long-term energy projects.
In turn, Madiyar Sultanbek briefed the partners on state support instruments and opportunities for participation in national and regional power grid modernization programs. He highlighted Kazakhstan’s readiness to consider proposals aimed at improving energy reliability, efficiency, and the adoption of modern technologies.
The parties agreed to continue in-depth discussions on potential cooperation formats, including localization assessments and project technical parameters. As part of the follow-up work, a separate meeting was organized for the Chinese delegation with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to discuss sectoral requirements, infrastructure needs, and potential areas of partnership in the energy sector.
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Zhanassova named Deputy Head of the President’s Executive Office
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Assel Zhanassova has been appointed Deputy Head of the President’s Executive Office, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
By the President’s decree, Assel Zhanassova has been appointed Deputy Head of the President’s Executive Office. She has been relieved of her previous position," a statement reads.
Assel Zhanassova was born on July 8, 1987, in Almaty. In 2010, she graduated from the University of Cambridge under the international scholarship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Bolashak" in the field of computer science, and in 2014 she completed her master’s studies at the University of Cambridge and Lomonosov Moscow State University under the "Executive Management" program. Since June 8, 2025 - Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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Kazakhstan to suspend creation of new info systems by government agencies outside QazTech platform
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Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday issued an order regarding some digitalization matters in Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency reports via Akorda.
The order introduces a moratorium on creation of new information systems by government agencies and quasi-sector subjects outside the QazTech information-communication platform of e-government starting January 1, 2026.
In case the creation of information system on the QazTech platform faces technical faults, the Government must ensure every individual case is submitted for review by the President’s Commission on digitalization implementation, reads the order.
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Volume of transit cargo reached 29.4 million tons - Ministry of Transport
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Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Sauranbayev reported at the Government session on the ongoing work to develop the country’s transport and logistics potential, primeminister.kz reports.
He noted that as of today, the transport sector has become one of the drivers of economic growth. Over the first 10 months of the current year, there has been positive dynamics in key indicators. The volume of transport services increased by 20.7%. Investments in fixed capital rose by 18.4%. The volume of transit cargo reached 29.4 million tons, with a growth rate of 5%.
It was noted that construction and repair works this year covered 13,000 km of highways. 93% of national roads are in standard technical condition.
Work is underway to modernize checkpoints on the internal border. By the end of 2027, it is planned to complete 37 checkpoints.
The main factor ensuring the efficiency of highways is digital solutions. Following the instruction of the Head of State, digital road passports are being developed within the e-Joldar framework. This will allow the future implementation of unmanned vehicles," Nurlan Sauranbayev emphasized.
The Minister added that annual road diagnostics are carried out using artificial intelligence technologies.
The installation of automated measurement stations (up to 220 units) continues to preserve road quality. To reduce the burden on the budget, toll sections are being gradually introduced on national roads. On toll roads, the KazToll system has enabled collections amounting to 79 billion tenge.
According to the ministry, the volume of freight transport by road reached 288 million tons, an increase of 1.7% compared to the previous reporting period.
Automated measurement stations increased the detection of violations and budget revenues tenfold.
As a result of integration with the General Prosecutor’s Office, more than 10,000 orders for mandatory fine payments were issued in the first five months of this year.
Cargo transportation by road is carried out with 42 countries. Last year, with China and Uzbekistan, foreign paper permit forms were converted into electronic format.
Also, based on the results of the first 10 months of this year, 13.1 million passengers were transported by air, which is 6.5% more than in the same period last year. The main digital tool for transporting air freight is the e-Freight system. Today, all airports and airlines in the country use the system. This complies with the international IATA standard.
Currently, government agencies are working on integration for import and export customs declarations, phytosanitary and veterinary control. This work enables full automation of business processes.
The Minister of Transport also reported that freight transportation by rail continues to grow. The volume of rail freight over the first 10 months of this year amounted to 380.3 million tons, with a growth rate of 7.9% compared to the same period last year.
Digitalization initiatives in the sector, such as the Digital Trade Corridor, are aimed at increasing transit cargo flows. Electronic declaration and the provision of services through the "Single Window" help eliminate barriers and enhance the confidence of international carriers.
At the moment, there are more than 250 information systems in the railway sector. An important aspect for the sector is the implementation of digital transformation and the formation of a target IT architecture considering international experience," Nurlan Sauranbayev emphasized.
In accordance with the instruction of the Head of State, the Smart Cargo platform was launched in October of this year. The platform integrates services of government agencies. Integration with 30 government services has been completed. As part of the platform’s development, integration with 47 additional services from the public and private sectors is planned.
Today, it is possible to track the location of cargo, and AI-based assistants have been created. Additional state services can be obtained. Work continues on implementing the "Green Corridor," which will provide automatic issuance of a transit declaration for crossing the border.
The results of digital transformation in the sector are expected to increase highway capacity by 20%. Processing times at road checkpoints will be around 10 minutes. The introduction of artificial intelligence technology will reduce the time required to create and plan trains sixfold, and reduce cargo processing times at airports to one hour.
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