Kazakhstan seeks to align border checkpoints’ operating hours with China to tackle rising cargo traffic
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin held a meeting on improving the efficiency of road border checkpoints, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Government’s press service.
The meeting highlighted that in 2022, 639,600 vehicles crossed the border with China, then in 2025 the figure reached 1.68 million, increasing by more than 2.5 times.
Rising pressure on border infrastructure is expected, as Kazakhstan and China eye raising bilateral trade to 100 billion US dollars per year.
The Finance Ministry has proposed a set of measures to increase checkpoint capacity, with the key one being the synchronization of operating hours with the Chinese side. According to preliminary estimates, increasing overlapping working hours on both sides could raise capacity by at least 20%.
Additionally, a model is being implemented to relocate related operations outside checkpoint territories. Cargo processing, brokerage, and other procedures are being transferred to trade and logistics centers and temporary storage warehouses, usually located within 1-10 km from the state border. This allows checkpoints to focus exclusively on control functions and reduces the time vehicles spend in the border and customs control zone.
To date, this model has been fully implemented on the Kazakhstan-China route at the Nur Zholy, Alakol, Bakhty, and Kalzhat checkpoints, as well as on the border with Uzbekistan at the Konysbayev, Kazygurt, and Atameken checkpoints. Phased implementation continues at other road checkpoints along the external border of the EAEU.
Currently, three transport and logistics centers operate on the border with China - in the directions of the Nur Zholy, Alakol, and Kalzhat checkpoints. A specialized temporary storage warehouse for oversized vehicles has been commissioned near the Nur Zholy checkpoint. New facilities (temporary storage warehouses and transport and logistics centers) have also been launched in the directions of the Konysbayev, Bakhty, Kazygurt, and Atameken checkpoints.
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Up to 12 million people to vote in Kazakh constitutional referendum
12,416,759 people are eligible to vote on the draft new Constitution in Kazakhstan, member of the Central Election Commission Azamat Aimanakumov said Thursday, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Aimanakumov said the Central Election Commission has drawn up eight key documents for the March 15 referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution.
A total of 10,413 polling locations will be set up nationwide during the referendum. They are 9,779 polling sites for citizens with permanent place of residence, 634 for temporary-registered citizens, including 82 in 64 countries.
According to the Commission’s voter list, 12,416,759 people are eligible to cast their ballots.
The Central Election Commission and lower-level commissions will ensure that the legality, transparency and correctness of the referendum process," he added.
The Commission’s another member Mikhail Bortnik revealed the estimated cost for the republican referendum on March 15, 2026.
According to preliminary estimates, the Kazakh constitutional referendum will cost 20.8 billion tenge, which the country will seek from the Government reserve.
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Tokayev Holds Meeting with Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders and the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Mohamed Abdelsalam
Images | akorda.kz
During the meeting, the Head of State expressed support for the important initiatives and projects being implemented in Kazakhstan under the auspices of the Muslim Council of Elders - a respected and influential institution recognized internationally, akorda.kz reports.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of promoting the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and the humanistic values of Islam. He noted that this approach is fully aligned with Kazakhstan’s political course.
The President welcomed the opening of the Council’s first representative office in Central Asia in Kazakhstan.
The Head of State highlighted that the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is regarded as one of the most prestigious international distinctions aimed at promoting the ideals of unity and shared responsibility. He also noted its contribution to advancing global dialogue and cooperation.
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Draft of new Constitution of Kazakhstan released
The Constitutional Reform Commission has published the draft of the new Constitution of Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency reports.
As it was reported, on February 11, 2026, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree to hold a nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution on March 15, 2026.
The starting point for the constitutional reform was the initiative of the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to establish a unicameral parliament in Kazakhstan. The President announced this idea on September 8, 2025, during his annual Address to the Nation, with the aim of comprehensively rebooting the political system and positively influencing the further course of Kazakhstan’s socio-economic development in the era of artificial intelligence.
On October 8, the President ordered to set up a Working Group on Parliamentary Reform, which included prominent legal scholars, experts, representatives of political party factions, and public organizations. Citizens' proposals and opinions were submitted through the e-Otinish and eGov portals.
Throughout several months, the Working Group thoroughly reviewed and consolidated more than 2,000 proposals from citizens and experts.
On January 21, the President signed a decree to establish a Constitutional Commission, consisting of 130 members from the National Kurultai, renowned legal scholars, officials of central government bodies, media leaders, chairpersons of maslikhats, representatives of regional public councils, and members of the expert and academic communities.
The Commission was headed by the Chair of the Constitutional Court, Elvira Azimova, with State Counselor Erlan Karin and Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva serving as deputies.
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Kazakhstan to hold constitutional referendum in March
Images | Akorda
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed on Wednesday a decree to hold a republican referendum on the new Constitution on March 15, 2026, Qazinform News Agency reports via Akorda.
The decree assigns the preparation for and holding of the republican referendum to the Central Election Commission, acting as the Central Referendum Commission, as well as territorial and precinct election commissions, acting as territorial and precinct referendum commissions.
According to the decree, the Kazakh government together with the Central Election Commission and other central state and local executive authorities should take necessary measures to hold the republican referendum.
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Tokayev to issue decree on republican referendum for new Constitution
Images | Akorda
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has received the Chair of the Constitutional Commission - Chair of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova, Deputy Chair of the Constitutional Commission - State Counselor Erlan Karin, and member of the Constitutional Commission - Assistant to the President for Legal Issues Yerzhan Zhiyenbayev, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
The Head of State was informed about the results of the Commission’s work on the draft of the country’s new Constitution.
Azimova reported that, based on the results of twelve meetings, the Commission had developed the final draft of the new Constitution.
The text of the new Constitution was drafted based on initiatives and propositions of citizens and an expert community, submitted through the eGov and e-Otinish portals since October 2024. The draft also takes into account the approaches developed from October through January by the Working Group on Parliamentary Reform.
Following the discussion, the Constitutional Commission proposed to submit the draft of the new Constitution to the nationwide referendum.
According to the Head of State, the provisions of the new Constitution mark the completion of the process of transforming the institutional foundations of the country and the transition to an entirely new constitutional model.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that in the near future he will sign a decree to hold a nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution.
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President Tokayev calls for tougher safeguards against cybercrime
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Government together with relevant agencies to comprehensively review approaches to ensuring cybersecurity and protecting citizens’ personal data at the Feb.10 extended session of the Government, Qazinform News Agency reports.
In his remarks, the Head of State noted that in the context of digital transformation, it is citizens who become the most vulnerable link.
Massive leaks of personal data, online fraud, and the use of artificial intelligence in criminal schemes - these are new realities both abroad and in our country," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The President emphasized that measures are already being taken in the country to counter cybercrime. In particular, the Agency for Financial Monitoring and other law enforcement bodies are working to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. As the Head of State noted, thanks to the work of the National Anti-Fraud Center, fraudulent operations against 90,000 citizens were prevented.
I instruct the Government, together with relevant agencies, to thoroughly study approaches to ensuring cybersecurity and protecting citizens’ data on a comprehensive basis," he said.
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