Kazakhstan considers easing visa rules with France
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Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Alibek Bakayev, commented on the possibility of easing the visa regime between Kazakhstan and France, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Senator Sergey Yershov inquired about how the previously signed readmission agreement might influence efforts to simplify the visa regime with France.
Agreements of this kind, signed on a bilateral basis, help pave the way for both visa-free and readmission agreements, facilitating their faster conclusion. France is not the first country with which we have signed such documents bilaterally, and any bilateral interaction contributes to the development of broader multilateral cooperation," Alibek Bakayev said during the Senate’s meeting.
According to him, work in this direction has already begun.
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President Tokayev Signs the Board of Peace Charter
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the Charter of the Board of Peace, initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, akorda.kz reports.
Alongside the President of Kazakhstan, leaders and high-level representatives from 18 countries also participated in the signing ceremony.
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's Political Reforms Presented to the Croatian Parliament
Images | gov.kz
Ambassador of the Kazakhstan to Croatia Daulet Batrashev presented the results of the National Kurultai, held on January 20, 2026, to the members of the Parliament of Croatia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Kazakh diplomat informed about the key political and socioeconomic guidelines outlined by the Head of State at the Kurultai, emphasizing Kazakhstan's commitment to deepening political modernization, strengthening the rule of law, developing an inclusive economy, and enhancing the role of civil dialogue. The Croatian side was briefed on plans to transition to a unicameral parliament and the upcoming referendum, the creation of a new consultative body to unite ethnic groups, regions, and public groups, and the strengthening of national unity.
Praising the foresight of the Head of State, the head of the parliamentary group for cooperation with Kazakhstan, Anđelka Salopek welcomed the political and economic reforms being carried out in the country and emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a tool for strengthening mutual trust and sustainable partnership.
The interlocutors discussed the current state and prospects of Kazakh-Croatian interparliamentary cooperation. Particular attention was paid to the further development of parliamentary interaction and the exchange of legislative experience; economic cooperation, including energy, agriculture, transport, and logistics; digital transformation, innovation, and the application of artificial intelligence technologies in public administration and business; and cooperation in education, science, and humanitarian exchanges.
Highlighting the growing role of the parliamentary dimension and successful visit of Croatian parliamentarians to Astana in February 2025, the Croatian politician invited members of the Kazakh Parliament to visit Zagreb this year at a time convenient for the Kazakh side.
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Kazakhstan’s Political Reforms Receive European Recognition
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The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a written declaration entitled "Support for Kazakhstan’s Democratic Reforms and Regional Leadership", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The document was authored by the British parliamentarian Michael German, a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. The declaration was signed by 21 parliamentarians, representing various political groups within PACE. The statement highly commends Kazakhstan’s unwavering commitment to the implementation of large-scale democratic reforms, which further consolidates the country’s status as a regional leader in the development of democratic governance, the protection of human rights and the strengthening of the rule of law.
The declaration welcomes the significant steps undertaken by Kazakhstan’s political leadership to advance democratic transformation, including constitutional and legislative reforms, as well as the abolition of the death penalty.
Particular emphasis is placed on the cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Council of Europe in key areas, including judicial reform, anti-corruption efforts, the promotion of human rights, and the strengthening of democratic institutions. This cooperation has contributed to tangible results and reinforced Kazakhstan’s role as a model of democratic development in the region.
The document calls for continued support for Kazakhstan’s ongoing democratic transformation and for further development of cooperation aimed at promoting the shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
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Kazakhstan to discuss draft law on social media ban for children
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Deputy Prime Minister - Culture and Information Minister of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva reported on the measures on the development of the tasks of the Head of State outlined at the V Ulttyq Qurultay, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Taking into account the suggestions of the Qurultay members, work will be continued to improve legislation on the mass media. In particular, the Government is considering restricting children and adolescents’ access to social networks.
She said the Culture and Information Ministry drafted amendments to laws regulating the activities of online platforms and mass media. These changes have already undergone expert review and will be submitted for public discussion.
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The President’s Initiatives Have Become a Continuation of the Previously Announced Large-Scale Political Reform - Bektenov
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During the Government session, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov issued a number of instructions following the speech of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the 5th National Kurultai, primeminister.kz reports.
Attention was focused on priority areas, including improvement of the provisions of the new Tax Code, digitalization and the introduction of artificial intelligence, development of the energy and oil and gas sectors, transport and logistics, trade, the water resources sector, as well as public safety, culture, education, and healthcare.
At yesterday’s 5th meeting of the National Kurultai, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced initiatives that became a continuation of the previously declared large-scale political reform. Proposals to strengthen the role of Parliament and public institutions testify to the irreversible process of introducing democratic principles both into the political system and into the culture of our citizens. The most important ideological pillars have been outlined, by following which Kazakhstan is capable of withstanding modern challenges. These are social consolidation, patriotism, justice, and unwavering adherence to the principle of ‘Law and Order.’ An integral part of the national ideology, ‘Taza Qazaqstan,’ also stands alongside these values. In his speech, the President also set key tasks for the further economic development of the country," the Prime Minister emphasized.
At the same time, the Head of State set strict requirements for the quality of managerial decisions and the responsibility of leaders at all levels. To successfully implement the outlined priorities, the Prime Minister issued a number of instructions to state bodies.
The Ministry of National Economy was tasked with summarizing and analyzing proposals received from businesses and the public on the draft of the new Tax Code, with mandatory involvement of the regions, representatives of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken," and the expert community. Based on the results, specific proposals will be developed.
In the field of digitalization, emphasis was placed on accelerated implementation of digital solutions and artificial intelligence, with the task of integrating the country into the ecosystem of the global digital economy. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, together with interested state bodies, was instructed to provide for optimization of government functions within the "Digital Qazaqstan" program, as well as to ensure the creation of a reliable and secure IT infrastructure. The need for prompt implementation of the project to create a data center valley in Ekibastuz was highlighted separately. The Prime Minister stressed that, in general, there should be no campaign-style approach in digitalization; state bodies are required to deliver concrete actions and results.
The Head of State noted the importance of developing coal-based power generation and implementing projects for new combined heat and power plants (CHPPs). In this regard, the Samruk-Kazyna Fund was instructed to accelerate the implementation of projects to build new CHPPs in Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk, to take under special control the expansion of GRES-2, to complete preparation of project documentation for the CHPP in Kurchatov and GRES-3 in Ekibastuz. The Ministry of Energy must develop a National Project for the development of coal-based generation within one month.
In addition, given the country’s growing demand for energy resources, tasks were set to intensify geological exploration, develop new hydrocarbon fields, and ensure timely commissioning of major gas processing plants. The Ministry of Energy, together with the Samruk-Kazyna Fund, must also develop a detailed plan for developing new promising oil and gas fields, while the Fund must maintain strict control over the implementation schedule of gas processing projects.
In the transport sector, the профильное ministry, together with the "Samruk-Kazyna" Fund, was instructed to develop specific proposals within one week on launching new international air routes and the further activities of the national cargo carrier. In addition, the Ministries of Transport and Energy, the company KazMunayGas, and other interested state bodies will ensure the implementation of a set of measures aimed at increasing the price competitiveness of aviation fuel and domestic airports in general. In the railway sector, instructions were given to complete a number of projects this year: "Kyzylzhar - Moyynty," "Darbaza - Maktaaral," "Altynkol - Zhetygen," and "Zhezkazgan - Sekseul."
In the trade sector, the Government will strengthen protection of domestic producers within the conditions of the Eurasian Economic Union. The Ministry of Trade and Integration, together with профильные agencies, was instructed within two weeks to develop systemic approaches to promoting domestic products in the internal and external markets.
Taking into account the problems of the Aral Sea noted by the President, a separate block of instructions concerned the water sector. The Ministry of Water Resources must complete preparation of the second phase of the project to preserve the North Aral Sea by June 30 of the current year and work out financing issues with the involvement of international organizations by the end of the year. Together with the Ministry of Energy, it is also required to develop a map of Kazakhstan’s water and energy resources. The need to actively promote the President’s initiative to establish an International Water Organization on the UN platform was emphasized.
The President expressed fair criticism regarding weak interaction and insufficient involvement of scientific potential in the development of various sectors of the economy. In this regard, the Government will strengthen efforts to integrate scientific developments into the economy and promptly form orders for relevant research.
Within the framework of the "Law and Order" principle, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with interested state bodies, must develop systemic measures by February 20 to identify, suppress, and uncover fraudulent schemes in the social, economic, and digital spheres. In addition, further measures will be developed to counter immigration fraud and channels for illegal legalization of foreign citizens. It was emphasized that work to ensure the rule of law and the inevitability of punishment for offenses must be carried out continuously and at all levels.
The President emphasized the need to protect traditional values, strengthen the institution of marriage and family, and counter the promotion of destructive and immoral behavior models. In this regard, the Ministry of Justice and all interested state bodies are to analyze regulatory legal acts and submit proposals for their improvement.
The Head of State also emphasized the importance of a respectful attitude toward state symbols. The Ministry of Culture was instructed to conduct a detailed analysis of existing regulatory legal acts in order to improve regulation of the use of state symbols.
The Ministries of Culture, Finance, and National Economy were instructed to ensure financing for the construction and reconstruction of theaters in a number of regions, as well as to support the inclusion of Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage sites and Abai’s "Words of Edification" in UNESCO lists.
In the field of education, the Prime Minister instructed to reform the mechanism of state financing, introduce a moratorium on placing state educational orders in newly opened private schools, and for the Ministry of Education to conduct post-licensing inspections of private educational institutions within one month.
The President also supported the Government’s initiative to transfer the Social Health Insurance Fund to the Ministry of Finance. Relevant inspections based on the results of the previously conducted analysis of medical information systems have already begun, and those responsible will be held accountable. To ensure transparency and efficiency in the use of funds, it was instructed to integrate the information system of the Social Health Insurance Fund into the system of the Ministry of Healthcare by July 1 of the current year.
All instructions of the Head of State are embedded in a single long-term strategy for large-scale modernization of the country. Their implementation depends on the clear and coordinated work of all structures. Each leader bears personal responsibility," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.
The Prime Minister retained control over the implementation of the President’s instructions.
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