Kazakhstan and NASA Discuss New Joint Space Projects
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Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev, met with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the ministry's press service said.
During the talks, the two sides discussed joint projects in space science, astrophysics, satellite technologies and Earth remote sensing.
They also explored opportunities to expand cooperation between research institutions and universities in Kazakhstan and the United States, including the training of specialists and the development of commercial space projects.
Following the meeting, Kazakhstan and NASA reaffirmed their commitment to continuing bilateral dialogue and agreed to develop a practical roadmap for future cooperation.
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Kazakhstan Plans Major Water Infrastructure Upgrade in Eastern Regions
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Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is preparing a large-scale project to modernise water infrastructure in the Abai and East Kazakhstan regions.
The project includes 24 schemes to reconstruct reservoirs and canals, the ministry’s press service said.
The project has received a positive assessment as a state investment project. It is expected to be financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Construction and installation work is scheduled for 2027-2029. The project forms part of Kazakhstan’s Water Resources Management System Development Concept through 2030.
"The large-scale project is aimed at modernising water infrastructure in Kazakhstan’s eastern regions. It will help ensure effective management of water resources, including transboundary waters, strengthen the protection of communities during floods, and support the development of industry and agriculture in the East Kazakhstan and Abai regions," said Sagi Utelov, Director of the Department for the Development of Water Management Facilities at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.
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Kazakhstan Expands Powers of Labour Ministry
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The Kazakh government has expanded the powers of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed the relevant government resolution, No. 704, on August 10, 2026.
A number of amendments have been made to the regulations governing the ministry. In particular, it will now be responsible for certifying the accessibility of construction projects for people with limited mobility.
The ministry has also been given additional responsibilities in the areas of civil protection and mobilisation preparedness. It will develop civil defence plans, take part in preventing emergencies and fires at organisations under its jurisdiction, maintain stocks of civil defence equipment and supplies, and prepare response plans for major emergencies.
In addition, the ministry will oversee issues related to mobilisation reserves in the labour and social welfare sector. Its responsibilities will include placing orders for the supply of material resources, arranging their storage and replacement, and signing contracts with organisations to fulfil mobilisation orders.
Another new responsibility will be monitoring compliance with labour legislation by government institutions and quasi-public sector entities through a digital human resources system. The ministry will also approve standards governing the network of organisations providing specialised social services.
Most provisions of the resolution took effect on the date it was signed. Different effective dates have been set for certain provisions - August 13, 2026, and January 1, 2027. Some provisions will remain in force until January 1, 2027.
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Kazakhstan Energy Ministry Explains Cause of Major Power Outage in Almaty Region
Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry has explained the cause of widespread power outages in Almaty, the surrounding Almaty region and other parts of the country, a correspondent for the agency reports.
"A sudden power surge occurred in the energy system, caused by an abrupt change in electricity flows from the Central Asian power grid. As a result, emergency protection systems were activated, cutting off power to a number of consumers in several regions of Kazakhstan," the ministry said.
The Energy Ministry said Kazakhstan’s national grid operator, KEGOC, was carrying out the necessary restoration work. Electricity supplies have already been restored in several regions.
"The situation is being closely monitored by the Ministry of Energy," the ministry’s press service added.
KEGOC said it was working to restore electricity supplies following a technical disruption in Kazakhstan’s Unified Power System.
"KEGOC is currently continuing work to restore electricity supplies to consumers," the company said.
Earlier, residents of several districts of Almaty and the surrounding Almaty region were left without electricity after an emergency shutdown of power transmission lines operated by KEGOC, Kazakhstan’s national electricity grid operator. The blackout also caused traffic congestion in Almaty.
Meanwhile, media reports said power supply problems were also being experienced in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
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Astana Proposes Restrictions on High-Rise Housing Construction on Outskirts Until 2035
Astana authorities are proposing restrictions until 2035 on the construction of apartment buildings in outlying areas of the city that lack the necessary infrastructure. Altynbek Akhmetov, head of the capital’s Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Land Relations, announced the proposal during a meeting of the city maslikhat, or local council.
The amendments are expected to be introduced to Astana’s existing rules governing architectural development and urban planning, which were approved by the maslikhat on August 27, 2024.
"It is proposed to amend the rules by adding a provision introducing a temporary restriction, until 2035, on the allocation of land plots and the construction of apartment buildings in peripheral areas of the city that are not served by main utility networks and social infrastructure," Akhmetov said.
The proposed restriction would therefore not apply to all areas on the outskirts of Astana, but only to those that lack main utility networks and the necessary social infrastructure.
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Pakistan’s Prime Minister to Pay State Visit to Kazakhstan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to pay a state visit to Astana, according to a message from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev marking Pakistan’s Independence Day.
The President of Kazakhstan said the upcoming visit would give fresh impetus to cooperation between the two countries.
Tokayev also congratulated Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the national holiday. He praised Pakistan’s achievements in sustainable development and reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s readiness to further strengthen cooperation on bilateral and international issues.
The Kazakh leader wished Pakistan’s leadership every success and its people well-being and prosperity.
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Kazakhstan Sets August 16 Accreditation Deadline for Foreign Media Covering Kurultai Elections
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reminded representatives of foreign media outlets that the deadline is approaching for applications for accreditation to cover the elections to the Kurultai.
The deadline for applications is August 16, 2026. The elections will be held on August 23.
To obtain accreditation, foreign journalists must submit a letter from their editor-in-chief, a copy of a valid passport, a completed accreditation form, a digital 3×4 cm photograph, and background information about their media outlet.
Applications should be sent by email to accreditation@mfa.kz with the subject line "Kurultai Elections 2026".
The Foreign Ministry also reiterated that foreign journalists may carry out professional activities in Kazakhstan only if they hold permanent or temporary accreditation issued by the ministry.
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Kazakhstan to Launch First 50 MW Data Center Valley Facility in June 2027
The first 50 MW facility at Kazakhstan’s Data Center Valley in the Pavlodar Region is scheduled to begin operations in June 2027. The progress of the project was reviewed at a government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
Construction is currently in an active phase. Excavation work for the energy centre and AI factory buildings is 90% complete, while foundation work has begun.
By the end of December 2026, the project is expected to see the completion of the main data centre and power unit buildings, an administrative and support complex, security checkpoints and part of the external utility infrastructure. Commissioning work is due to be completed in May 2027.
A 215 MW substation has been acquired to supply power to the project. Plans for water supply networks have also been developed, while the telecommunications infrastructure is currently being designed. In the longer term, the total capacity of Data Center Valley is expected to be expanded in stages to 1 GW.
An ecosystem for the development of artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and digital services is being created at Data Center Valley in partnership with Firebird AI and NVIDIA. Talks are also under way with foreign companies on developing additional IT capacity, attracting investors and anchor customers, deploying high-performance computing clusters and expanding cloud services.
"Our immediate priority is to complete construction of the first facility in June 2027. At the same time, we are creating the engineering infrastructure that will allow us to gradually expand the campus’s capacity in line with confirmed customer demand," said Bagdat Musin, Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhtelecom.
The meeting also reviewed preparations for the Cloud First Policy (Data Embassy) project. The initiative would allow foreign governments to host their data in Kazakhstan while retaining full legal sovereignty over it.
Bektenov said Data Center Valley should provide the infrastructure foundation for the development of artificial intelligence and cloud services, while strengthening Kazakhstan’s position as a regional AI hub in Central Asia.
Following the meeting, the prime minister instructed officials to ensure that construction work is completed on schedule and to expand cooperation with foreign technology companies in order to attract new partners.
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