Kazakhstan forming a new political model - Tokayev
Images | Akorda
Summing up the results of the meeting of the working group on parliamentary reform in Astana, President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev stated that nearly half a year has passed since the start of discussions on the constitutional reform, Qazinform News Agency cites the Akorda press service.
He said that during this time the society has developed a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of transforming the country’s supreme legislative body.
The Head of State emphasized that he closely follows public debates that began after his Address to the Nation delivered last September, carefully reviewing the outcomes of discussions, expert opinions, draft amendments, and numerous proposals of the citizens.
Speaking about the significance of reforming the political system, the President stressed that the country faces a deep reconstruction of institutional foundations and a systemic reformatting of the legislative branch of power.
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Aliya Adambayeva tapped to lead Dara Presidential Initiatives Foundation
Images | daraqory.kz
Aliya Adambayeva has been appointed President of the Dara Presidential Initiatives Foundation as per the decision of the Board of Trustees, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Aliya Adambayeva brings over 25 years of professional experience across the media, public, and financial sectors.
Throughout her career, she has held several high-level leadership roles, including Deputy Chairperson and Member of the Management Board of the Almaty Development Center, and Director of the Information and Communications Department within the press service of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
The newly-appointed head of the Foundation holds a degree in Journalism and a Master’s degree in Economics and Business. Her academic credentials also include an MBA and an Executive MBA.
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Bread Prices, Expanded Price Controls, and Early Harvest Procurement: Government Discusses Inflation Stabilization Measures
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The first meeting of the new year on inflation stabilization was held at the Government under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, primeminister.kz reports.
As noted by First Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Aizhan Bizhanova, the updated list of socially important food products came into force on January 4 this year and is already demonstrating initial results. Since the beginning of the year, the food price index has amounted to +0.2%, which is three times lower than the figure for the same period last year (+0.7%).
Positive dynamics have been recorded for product categories that were previously not covered by state price regulation.
Since the beginning of the year, prices for dairy products have declined: sour cream by 0.2%, milk by 0.3%, and cheese by 0.6%. In the fruit and vegetable subgroup, prices decreased for tomatoes by 1%, cucumbers by 3.7%, and apples by 1.5%. A decline in prices was also noted for other food products included in the expanded list, such as rice, tea, and certain types of meat and fish products.
The meeting emphasized that the expansion of the list of socially important food products is temporary and aimed at smoothing price fluctuations in the food market. As the situation stabilizes, the list will be gradually returned to the base 19 items.
At the same time, price increases persist for certain food products, including sunflower oil, butter, and cottage cheese. The rise in prices is mainly associated with imported products as well as external price conditions. According to FAO data, by the end of 2025 the average global vegetable oil price index amounted to 161.6 points, which is 17.1% higher than the previous year and represents the highest level over the past three years amid constrained global supply.
To restrain prices on the domestic market, the Ministry of Trade and Integration is working on a memorandum with the National Association of Oilseed Processors предусматривающий the fixation of wholesale prices for products this year. Similar arrangements are being developed with domestic producers for eggs, poultry meat, salt, and potatoes.
The situation with rising prices for socially important bread in the Turkestan region was also discussed separately. Of the three bakeries in the region, one allowed a price increase due to higher production costs and a shortage of subsidized flour. The situation has now been stabilized and the price reduced. The Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Food Contract Corporation, together with JSC NC KTZ, to conduct an operational analysis of the availability of subsidized flour in the regions and, if necessary, ensure uninterrupted supplies of discounted grain.
Prices for vegetables and apples generally remain stable. The wholesale price for potatoes in January is maintained within the range of 150-170 tenge per kilogram, which corresponds to the ceiling levels established by the memorandum between the Ministry of Trade and Integration and the Union of Potato Growers.
At the same time, exports of potatoes and carrots continue to increase, placing additional pressure on the domestic market. In this regard, to stabilize prices in the regions, the release of vegetables from stabilization funds has begun.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, of the formed reserves totaling 247 thousand tons, 35.8 thousand tons have been sold. In a number of regions, insufficient activity in selling products at affordable prices has been noted. In this connection, Serik Zhumangarin instructed akimats to ensure the sale of the main volume of last year’s harvest stocks by the end of February.
The Ministry of Trade and Integration, together with QazTrade, was instructed to ensure supplies of early harvest produce from neighboring countries starting in March. By the end of the year, around 6,000 agricultural fairs are planned to be held nationwide.
In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed to update the action plan for price stabilization, taking into account the current price dynamics.
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National Research Center for Infectious Diseases Opened in Kazakhstan
Images | primeminister.kz
The National Research Center for Infectious Diseases (NRCID) was officially opened in Almaty - a key facility established on the instruction of the Head of State to strengthen the country’s biological security system, primeminister.kz reports.
The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Alnazarova, as well as Akim of Almaty Darkhan Satybaldy.
The establishment of the Center became a systemic response to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and is aimed at strengthening healthcare preparedness, developing scientific capacity, digital solutions, and training specialized personnel. The new Center is designed for 350 beds and will make it possible to provide medical and diagnostic care to around 2,500 tuberculosis patients annually from all regions of the country.
The Center was built on the instruction of the President to strengthen the nation’s health and ensure the country’s biological security. Today, scientific research, advanced technologies, and the training of future specialists are closely interconnected here and combined into a single system. I am confident that the National Research Center for Infectious Diseases will become not just a medical institution, but a flagship of modern Kazakhstani medicine," Aida Balayeva said.
The Deputy Prime Minister also noted that, overall, in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State, not only healthcare facilities are being built in the country, but social infrastructure is also being actively developed.
Over the past two years, 695 new healthcare facilities have been built across the country, as well as 419 new schools with a total capacity of 614 thousand student places. This made it possible to eliminate 19 emergency schools, resolve the issue of triple-shift education in 58 schools, and eliminate the shortage of student places in 190 schools. In addition, 237 sports facilities have been constructed, including 69 in cities and 168 in rural areas. In 2025, construction of 61 cultural facilities was completed. Repair works are underway at 251 facilities in the regions. All the changes being implemented are aimed, first and foremost, at improving the quality of life of the population, strengthening social protection, and expanding opportunities for self-realization for every individual," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
In continuation of the opening ceremony, an экскурсия of the Center’s departments was organized for the participants, during which they familiarized themselves with the institution’s infrastructure and equipment. A meeting with the staff was also held.
It should be noted that the National Research Center for Infectious Diseases was built within a compressed timeframe and brings together clinical care, science, digital technologies, and education on a single platform. The Center is designed to provide medical care to patients, including children and pregnant women. In emergency situations, the Center’s capacity can be rapidly expanded to 500 beds.
The NRCID is a fully autonomous institution that ensures a complete cycle - from diagnostics and treatment to complex laboratory studies of infectious and parasitic diseases, including drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis. The Center will become a core element of the national system for responding to infectious threats, as well as a base for scientific development and professional training of infectious disease specialists.
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Kazakh President signs two laws
Images | Akorda
The Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, signed the Law of Kazakhstan On banks and banking activities in Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency learnt from the Akorda press service.
The Head of State also signed the Law of Kazakhstan On amendments to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan on the development and regulation of the financial market, communications and bankruptcy.
Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree approving the Concept of Development of the People's Assembly of Kazakhstan till 2030 titled as the Unity in Diversity.
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