New Kazakh Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation appointed

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is set to pay an official visit to Japan on 18–20 December, 2025, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Aqorda press office.

During the visit, the Head of State will hold meetings with Emperor Naruhito, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, as well as representatives of Japan’s business community.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will also take part in the Central Asia - Japan Summit.

 

Aibek Smadiyarov is appointed the head of Domestic Policy Department of the Kazakh Presidential Administration, Qazinform News Agency cites the Akorda press service.

The Head of Stat decreed to appoint Aibek Smadiyarov as the head of the Domestic Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan.

On December 9, Aibek Smadiyarov resigned from his post as an official spokesperson at the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva chaired a meeting of the Government to discuss the progress of the national project Modernization of Rural Healthcare, Qazinform News Agency reports via primeminister.kz.

The project has been underway since 2023 in accordance with the directives from the Head of State. It aims at constructing primary healthcare facilities, modernizing central district hospitals, and ensuring qualified staffing.

To date, construction has been completed on 645 out of 655 planned primary healthcare facilities. Of these, 226 were built in villages that previously lacked medical infrastructure, while another 419 replaced outdated buildings.

The remaining 10 primary healthcare facilities are expected to be commissioned by the end of this year.

 

Researchers at Altyn-Emel National Park in the Zhetysu region have fitted another snow leopard with a GPS tracking collar, Qazinform News Agency reports.

The National Park plans to equip two more leopards with satellite navigation collars in the coming months.

According to park staff, the GPS devices provide real-time data on the predators’ movements, allowing specialists to study migration routes, monitor potential threats, and develop timely protection measures. The tracking equipment is fully environmentally safe and does not harm the animals.

 

Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov took part in a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in the city of Moscow (Russian Federation). In both narrow and expanded formats, the EIGC participants discussed the development of trade and economic cooperation, industrial cooperation, as well as interaction in the energy, digital, customs spheres, and others, primeminister.kz  reports.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Turchin, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz via videoconference, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Bakytzhan Sagintayev.

The heads of delegations exchanged views on joint activities in the current year and priority areas for further integration and partnership within the EAEU for 2026. Attention was paid to cooperation in the oil and gas sector, issues of improving customs control mechanisms, the development of electronic commerce, the goods labeling system, and others.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, in his speech, noted the practical results of cooperation that ensured positive dynamics in key sectors of the economy.

In the current year, the EAEU countries adopted a number of documents contributing to strengthening integration and ensuring sustainable economic growth of the states. The signing of the "IV Major" Protocol is aimed at improving the basic Treaty and further developing the activities of EAEU institutions. The expansion of external economic ties is facilitated by the conclusion of international agreements with the UAE, Mongolia, and Indonesia.

The meeting participants emphasized joint work in the field of digitalization of public procurement. According to an international study, Kazakhstan’s national public procurement system occupies a leading position in terms of accessibility and transparency. The entire public procurement cycle, from planning to payment, is carried out exclusively in electronic format. Tenders are conducted using a rating and points-based system without the involvement of a commission, and the winner is determined automatically, which eliminates subjectivity. As a result of these measures, savings of budget funds of the Republic of Kazakhstan since the beginning of this year amounted to approximately $1.5 billion (more than 766 billion tenge). Taking into account the development of advanced IT solutions and the full use of the advantages of digital tools, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted the need to update certain provisions of the EAEU contractual framework in the field of public procurement.

The existing mechanism for financing industrial cooperation was recognized as an effective tool for supporting joint business initiatives. This year, 5 projects were approved at the expense of the EAEU budget, including 3 projects in the field of mechanical engineering and the railway industry with the participation of Kazakhstani business. Given the growing interest from business representatives of EAEU countries, the Kazakh side noted the need to prioritize the provision of subsidies to enterprises using modern digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies. This will give additional impetus to the development of high-tech production and innovative areas, which in turn will contribute to increasing the capacity of existing enterprises and opening new ones, creating new jobs, and economic growth of the states.

Issues of improving conditions for doing business were also discussed, with an emphasis on preventing the emergence of excessive regulations and ensuring predictability and transparency of regulation.

Following the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, a number of documents were signed.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed today the law ratifying the Protocol on Water and Health (PWH) to the 1992 UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.

The Protocol was adopted on June 17, 1999, in London. Its goal is to protect human health and well-being through the rational management of water resources and prevention of water-related diseases. Kazakhstan’s accession to the Protocol will enable the country to adopt global best practices in water safety and public health. The country will also gain access to modern technologies and expertise in the purification and delivery of safe drinking water, the treatment and reuse of wastewater, as well as participate in the development of joint monitoring and early warning systems, and emergency response plans.