Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulates Ilham Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s Independence Day
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Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has sent a telegram of congratulation to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Akorda press service.
In his message, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan on the national holiday – Independence Day.
“Over the years of sovereign development, Azerbaijan has achieved impressive success in strengthening statehood, advancing socio-economic growth, and enhancing its authority on the world stage. There is no doubt that under your strong and wise leadership, fraternal Azerbaijani people will successfully reach high goals in ensuring the further sustainable growth of the economy," the telegram reads.
The President of Kazakhstan wished Ilham Aliyev further success in his responsible state duties, and the people of Azerbaijan well-being and prosperity.
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Putin arrives in Astana for state visit
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Astana for a state visit at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Vladimir Putin at the Astana Airport.
In honor of the Russian leader’s arrival, the Guard of Honor was lined up, and the Russian President’s aircraft was escorted by Kazakhstan Air Defense fighter jets as it crossed the state border.
Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan accompanied by a large delegation of more than 30 people, including ministers and heads of major companies.
A welcome ceremony was organized for the guests: Kazakh and Russian folk songs were performed at the airport, and helicopters flew over the runway carrying the flags of Kazakhstan and Russia.
Earlier it was reported that during the talks, the two leaders will discuss the current state and prospects for strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and allied relations between Kazakhstan and Russia.
On May 28, the Eurasian Economic Forum will be held with the participation of the leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union member states.
On May 29, the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will take place.
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World leaders congratulate President Tokayev on Eid al-Adha
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has received congratulatory letters and telegrams from foreign heads of state and leaders of international organizations on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Akorda.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that this holiday inspires further strengthening of the spirit of brotherhood between the two friendly nations, united by common history, language, religion, and traditions. He expressed confidence that strategic partnership and alliance between the countries will continue to grow.
Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov described Eid al-Adha as a symbol of spiritual purification, charity, and unity, noting that the holiday will further strengthen historical friendship, brotherhood, and mutual trust between the two peoples.
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon highlighted the importance of the holiday in fostering friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and understanding between peoples. He noted that for centuries, the sacred holiday of Eid al-Adha had encouraged values of humanism, generosity, justice, and support for those in need.
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed that Eid al-Adha, symbolizing the triumph of faith and mercy, unites the entire Muslim ummah. He expressed confidence that commitment to shared spiritual values would continue to contribute to strengthening friendship and solidarity between the two nations.
Letters of congratulations were sent by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha, ICESCO Director General Salim bin Salem bin Mohammed Al-Malik, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, and others.
Akorda noted that congratulatory messages continue to arrive.
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Kazakhstan Advocates for Strengthening the Role of the UN at Security Council Debate
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First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev took part in a high-level open debate of the United Nations Security Council, held under the presidency of China, on "Upholding the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations and Strengthening the International System with the United Nations at its Centre", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
In his statement, the representative of Kazakhstan noted that the debate was taking place against the backdrop of growing uncertainty, the erosion of international law and the selective application of legal norms. In this regard, he underscored the full support of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev for the central role of the United Nations, as well as his call on world leaders to approach issues of international peace and security with a strong sense of responsibility.
The Kazakh side emphasized that the United Nations remains an indispensable mechanism for ensuring sustainable peace and development. In this context, Kazakhstan’s efforts to strengthen regional confidence-building and mutually beneficial cooperation in Central Asia, facilitate peace processes, promote nuclear disarmament and interreligious dialogue, and contribute to United Nations peacekeeping activities were highlighted.
Particular attention was paid to the need to reform the United Nations, including by adapting the Security Council to contemporary realities. Kazakhstan stands for broader representation of developing countries and middle powers, as well as for an evolutionary approach to reform aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the United Nations and its ability to meet the expectations of Member States.
In the context of global challenges, reference was made to the initiative of the Head of State to establish an International Water Organization with a view to overcoming duplication among existing mechanisms and enhancing the effectiveness of the United Nations water mandate. Kazakhstan’s initiatives to establish a Global Coalition on Primary Health Care and an International Agency for Biological Safety were also mentioned.
The First Deputy Minister reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s readiness to continue working with all Member States to advance multilateral cooperation in a qualitative manner and to further strengthen the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
Also on the sidelines of the UN Security Council meeting, the Kazakh diplomat held meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev to discuss prospects for developing bilateral cooperation and key areas of interaction on multilateral platforms.
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Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Zhao Leji discuss expansion of Kazakh-Chinese partnership
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Akorda press service.
According to Akorda, the meeting focused on the prospects for strengthening the Kazakh-Chinese permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, expanding inter-parliamentary dialogue, and enhancing cultural and people-to-people cooperation.
The friendship between our nations has a solid historical foundation and is steadily developing in the spirit of good-neighborliness and mutual trust. China has always supported Kazakhstan, and we express our sincere gratitude to its people, leadership, and, of course, Mr. President Xi Jinping. Consistently strengthening the Kazakh-Chinese permanent comprehensive strategic partnership remains an unchanging priority for us. The year 2025 was historic in the development of our bilateral relations. Mutual visits provided a powerful impetus to deepening our multifaceted cooperation. One of the most significant achievements is the growth of bilateral trade to a record $49 billion. China traditionally ranks among Kazakhstan’s largest investors. Cumulative Chinese investment has exceeded $29 billion. Recently, I have signed the Law ratifying the Agreement on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments. Undoubtedly, this document will contribute to boosting investment cooperation between the two countries," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated.
The President noted that Kazakhstan and China have established a solid political foundation for developing cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
Kazakhstan and China hold similar stances on many issues on the international agenda. Our countries interact fruitfully within the framework of the UN, the SCO, and CICA. Kazakhstan highly appreciates China's global initiatives in the fields of development, civilizational dialogue, and global governance. Our country supports the One China policy. We also fully support multilateral cooperation within the new 'Central Asia-China' format," the Head of State said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took the opportunity to convey his warm and sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The President of Kazakhstan highlighted the effectiveness of the strategic course pursued by the leader of the People's Republic of China.
I am convinced that the new 15th Five-Year Plan will further strengthen China's status as a global power and a highly developed state playing a crucial role on the international stage," the President said.
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Tokayev meets with visiting IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
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The meeting on Tuesday discussed prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as pressing issues on the international agenda in the field of nuclear security, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Akorda.
President Tokayev stressed that Kazakhstan greatly values its long-standing partnership with the IAEA and commends Rafael Grossi for leading the Agency in enhancing global nuclear safety and promoting the peaceful atom.
Your first visit to Kazakhstan in April 2023 gave an additional impetus to our cooperation. I believe that on the issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, we speak the same language. At the same time, a highly ambiguous situation has developed in the world, requiring a combination of efforts to develop common approaches to solving global problems, said the Head of State.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed the signing of the roadmap for deepening cooperation between Kazakhstan and the IAEA until 2036, as well as a series of documents in the fields of nuclear medicine and science.
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Kazakhstan: Betting on Routes, Control and Stability
Kazakhstan concluded the week in a familiar strategic mode - simultaneously opening new external directions while strengthening internal governance. For Astana, this is no longer a situational response to external risks, but an increasingly stable model of state policy: expanding the geography of trade while maintaining tight control over infrastructure, the digital environment and key sectors of the economy.
Politics: Africa as an Extension of Multi-Vector Diplomacy
The week’s main political signal came from talks between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Kenyan President William Ruto. Kazakhstan proposed launching direct flights between Astana and Nairobi, as well as expanding cooperation through the East African ports of Mombasa and Lamu. For a country traditionally embedded in Eurasian logistics, this is no longer diplomatic exoticism, but an attempt to integrate itself into a new architecture of global trade flows.
Astana is increasingly seeking to reduce dependence on a limited number of transit routes. The Middle Corridor is gradually ceasing to be viewed solely as an alternative to the northern route and is beginning to evolve into the foundation of a broader Eurasian-African strategy. The decision to open a Kazakh embassy in Nairobi only institutionalises this strategic shift.
At the same time, Kazakhstan is showing no intention of withdrawing from its traditional integration frameworks. Participation in mechanisms of the Commonwealth of Independent States demonstrates that external diversification does not yet mean abandoning the established system of regional balances. For Astana, multi-vector diplomacy remains not an ideology, but a survival technology in the context of an increasingly fragmented global economy.
Economy: Exports as the System’s Backbone
The economic picture of the week remained predictably export-oriented. Kazakhstan reported shipments of 3.7 million tonnes of wheat and more than 328,000 tonnes of barley in January-March. Exports of flour and vegetable oils also increased. Against the backdrop of volatile global markets, the agricultural sector continues to serve as the country’s primary source of currency stabilisation.
However, behind the positive statistics lies an old problem: the economy remains critically dependent on external demand and price conditions. Forecasts of a possible decline in crop yields during the 2026-2027 season serve as a reminder of how limited the real diversification of the export model still is.
At the same time, the authorities continue to support industrial production - from fuel and cement to automobile manufacturing. These industries perform two functions simultaneously: they sustain employment and create an impression of domestic economic resilience. Yet the structure of the economy remains largely unchanged: export commodities continue to form the backbone of the budget, while industry itself remains heavily dependent on state incentives and infrastructure spending.
Society: Digitalisation Under State Supervision
The week’s social agenda was closely linked to the expansion of the state’s presence in the digital sphere. The decision to transfer the IMEI verification system under the control of a state-owned company became an important signal - the government intends gradually to return strategically important digital services to direct state management.
Officially, the move is framed as a measure to protect personal data and improve transparency in communications infrastructure. In practice, however, Kazakhstan is moving towards a model in which digital modernisation is accompanied by broader state oversight of data flows and telecommunications infrastructure.
The same trend is reflected in amendments to telecommunications service regulations. The shift away from automatic repeat calls in favour of SMS notifications and restrictions on generating unauthorised traffic demonstrate that the digital market is gradually moving from a phase of rapid expansion to one of tighter regulation. The state is responding ever more actively to public demand for security and higher standards in digital services.
At the same time, the authorities continue to centralise infrastructure development. The creation of a state construction projects bank is intended to accelerate the implementation of social infrastructure projects and reduce regional spending through the unification of standardised solutions. Yet this also increases the dependence of regional infrastructure policy on centralised management.
An Open Economy Alongside a Stronger State
The week’s defining feature was the combination of external openness with internal centralisation. Kazakhstan is expanding its trade geography, seeking new logistical hubs and strengthening its diplomatic presence beyond the traditional post-Soviet space. Yet domestically, the state is simultaneously increasing its role in digital infrastructure, logistics and the regulation of service industries.
This is shaping a model in which economic liberalisation coexists with stronger administrative control. For Kazakhstan, such a structure represents a compromise between the need to integrate into the global economy and the desire to preserve control over internal processes.
Conclusion
The week demonstrated that Kazakhstan continues to build an economy centred on external routes while preserving a strong internal vertical of control. Astana is seeking to expand export opportunities and reduce transit risks, while at the same time concentrating management of strategic infrastructure and digital sectors in state hands.
For now, this model allows the country to maintain relative stability. In the longer term, however, its effectiveness will depend on whether Kazakhstan can transform external diversification into a source of genuine structural modernisation of the economy, rather than merely an expansion of the geography of its existing export-oriented course.
Kazakhstan Today
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OTS Turkistan Summit’s outcomes presented in Vienna
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At the OSCE Permanent Council meeting the delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan presented the outcomes of the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in Turkistan on May 15, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The summit devoted to "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development" focused on strengthening cooperation between the OTS Member and Observer States in the areas of digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, connectivity and sustainable economic development.
It was emphasized that given the complex geopolitical environment, growing international competition and ongoing conflicts, strengthening the unity of the Turkic States is particularly urgent. In addition, the position of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that the OTS is not a geopolitical project or a military alliance, but rather a unique platform for developing trade, economic, high-tech, digital, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between fraternal countries was pointed out.
President Tokayev's calls to consolidate efforts to adapt to new technological realities and advance a joint digital agenda was also noted. In this regard, the Head of State's initiatives to establish a Digital Monitoring Center of the OTS, a Digital Innovation Center and a Cybersecurity Council were presented.
The delegations of Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan expressed their support for Kazakhstan's statement on the results of the OTS summit.
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President Putin to pay state visit to Kazakhstan
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin will arrive in Kazakhstan on May 27-29 for a state visit on the invitation of the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Qazinform News Agency learnt from Akorda.
In Astana, the leaders are expected to debate the current state and prospects for strengthening strategic partnership and allied relations between Kazakhstan and Russia.
The Eurasian Economic Forum will be held on May 28 with the participation of the Heads of State of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.
The sitting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Forum will take place on May 29.
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