Kazakh President extends condolences to Indonesia and Thailand over deadly floods

12.03.2026, 20:20 3491

The Reforms Being Implemented in Kazakhstan were Supported in the State Assembly of Hungar

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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary Abzal Saparbekuly and Lajos Olah, the Vice-Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly (Parliament), Deputy Chair of the Hungary-Kazakhstan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, discussed the pressing issues on the bilateral agenda within the framework of the Kazakh-Hungarian strategic partnership, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The parties mentioned the importance of inter-parliamentary ties and highly valued the current dynamics of their development. In addition, the interlocutors exchanged views on the complex situations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, especially their negative impact on the global economy and energy supply chains.

A. Saparbekuly informed the Vice-Speaker about the Republican referendum to be held in Kazakhstan this Sunday, highlighting the key provisions of the new constitution that will determine the country's fate. In particular, on the future Parliament's name, structure, and powers, as well as theses on reforming socio-political and state power institutions, were presented.

L. Olah, in turn, shared his views on pressing issues on the international agenda and expressed his thoughts on the parliamentary elections to be held in Hungary on April 12.

He mentioned he had reviewed the project of our country's new constitution, praised the public debates held during its preparation and the suggestions made, and expressed his positive intent, calling the upcoming referendum an important and historic stage in Kazakhstan's path to renewal.

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12.03.2026, 19:44 3751

Kazakhstan and Belgium hold 6th Round of Political Consultations in Astana

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The sixth round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Belgium was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Issetov headed the Kazakh delegation, while Director General for Bilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Belgium Birgit Stevens led the Belgian delegation.

The parties held a substantive exchange of views on the current state and prospects of Kazakh-Belgian cooperation in the political, trade, economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

The parties expressed interest in further strengthening ties between Kazakhstan and the European Union, including in the context of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the EU. Views were also exchanged on key regional and global issues.

Following the meeting, the parties expressed their readiness to further enhance bilateral relations based on mutual respect and pragmatic partnership.

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12.03.2026, 18:48 2576

Kazakhstan’s Initiatives in Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation were Discussed in Mexico

Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Mexico, Almurat Turganbekov, visited the headquarters of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL), where he met with the organization’s newly elected Secretary-General, Juan Carlos Ojeda, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on current issues on the international agenda, including strengthening multilateral cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, in its capacity as Chair of the Treaty of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ), and OPANAL.

Ambassador Almurat Turganbekov noted the important role of OPANAL in promoting initiatives aimed at building a nuclear-weapon-free world and expressed appreciation to the organization’s Secretariat for its consistent support of Kazakhstan’s initiatives in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. In this context, the significance of the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between OPANAL and CANWFZ in December 2024 was emphasized.

Secretary-General Juan Carlos Ojeda, in turn, highly praised Astana’s contribution and efforts in consistently advancing the nuclear-weapon-free agenda both in Central Asia and at the global level. He informed the Kazakh side about the organization’s current activities and presented several proposals for further development of cooperation between OPANAL and CANWFZ.

The parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in further strengthening cooperation among nuclear-weapon-free zones in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament.

During the conversation, Almurat Turganbekov also drew attention to the worsening situation in the Middle East and, in this regard, emphasized the need for further consolidation of international efforts to reduce risks in the field of nuclear security.

The Kazakh diplomat also informed his counterpart about the key provisions of the constitutional and political reforms being carried out in Kazakhstan, noting that a nationwide referendum on amendments to the Constitution will be held in the country on March 15, 2026. It was emphasized that these reforms represent a continuation of the consistent political and socio-economic transformations being implemented by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In addition, Almurat Turganbekov informed about the upcoming large-scale event, the Regional Environmental Summit 2026, which aims to consolidate the efforts of the Central Asian countries, in partnership with the UN and other international organizations, to develop joint environmental solutions.

Juan Carlos Ojeda noted his awareness of the current developments in Kazakhstan and expressed interest in participating in the aforementioned event.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their mutual intention to maintain regular dialogue and continue working to further strengthen the partnership between Kazakhstan and OPANAL in the field of nuclear non-proliferation.

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12.03.2026, 18:10 4026

Kazakhstan Calls for Restoring Dialogue among Nuclear Powers at Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Session

Kazakhstan delegation is participating in the 66th session of Working Group "B" of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which is being held under the chairmanship of Erlan Batyrbekov, Director General of the National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

In his statement, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, noted that the current challenges in the international security architecture require urgent collective responses and the restoration of mutual trust among states.

In this regard, he reminded the participants of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, to resume high-level dialogue among nuclear-weapon states. The initiative aims to significantly reduce the risk of the use of nuclear weapons and strengthen the regimes of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Kazakhstan also expressed its readiness to provide a platform for such negotiations.

The Ambassador also emphasized that in 2026 Kazakhstan and the international community mark the 35th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the signing of the CTBT. The closure of the test site became an important historical milestone that contributed to the establishment of a global moratorium on nuclear testing, which ultimately led to negotiations and the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

In this regard, Kazakhstan reaffirmed that it will continue to strictly adhere to its international commitments and contribute to the CTBTO verification regime by providing real-time data from the five International Monitoring System (IMS) stations located on its territory.

The 66th session of the CTBTO Working Group "B" will continue until 19 March 2026. At the conclusion of the session, the States Signatories are expected to review and adopt the final report of the meeting.

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12.03.2026, 14:58 4306

Kazakhstan Expands Cooperation with the European Public Law Organization

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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Greece Timur Sultangozhin held talks with the Director of the European Public Law Organization, Spyridon Flogaitis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and EPLO in the fields of public law, public administration, as well as academic and expert interaction. Particular attention was given to the development of partnerships with Kazakh universities and research centers, the implementation of joint educational and research projects, academic mobility programs, and the participation of Kazakh specialists and scholars in international events and expert initiatives organized by the organization.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan informed his interlocutor about the political and institutional reforms being implemented in the country at the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, including the upcoming referendum on the adoption of a new Constitution. It was noted that the constitutional reforms are aimed at further strengthening the rule of law, developing democratic institutions, and improving the system of public administration.

In turn, Spyridon Flogaitis highly appreciated the reforms being carried out in Kazakhstan, noting their importance for strengthening the rule of law and modernizing state institutions. He also positively noted the active participation of Kazakh educational and research institutions in the activities of EPLO, including cooperation with several leading universities of the country and the involvement of Kazakh experts in the organization’s international programs and expert structures.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in further expanding cooperation and outlined promising areas for future interaction.

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12.03.2026, 13:48 2946

Regions receive more resources, maslikhats must enhance control - President

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Regions must focus on scrupulous planning of their budgets and increasing incomes. This is what President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the III Republican Forum of Maslikhat Deputies, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of Akorda.

We gradually strengthen the potential of local authorities and financial independence of regions. Last year, budgets of rural areas exceeded 442 billion tenge. Meanwhile, the average budget of rural areas reached 190 million tenge. This is a good indicator," said the President.

From 2026, budgets of rural areas will receive additional sources of income, including tax on the extraction of widespread mineral resources, the use of groundwater, and therapeutic mud.

In line with my instructions, the Government is now working on the issue of transferring part of the property tax paid by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs to fourth-level budgets. Regions may also receive funds from license fees for certain types of activities and from environmental fines," the President noted.

Revenue should contribute to the development of the territories where it is generated. In short, regions are gaining more and more resources, and the task of the maslikhats is to ensure proper oversight of their use. It is extremely important to improve the quality of budget planning and execution in the regions," the Head of State emphasized.

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12.03.2026, 10:15 4636

Kazakhstan and Egypt Discuss Intergovernmental Cooperation Agenda

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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Egypt, Askar Zhenis, held a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, Samar al-Ahdal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

In light of the large-scale restructuring of the Egyptian Cabinet in February 2026, the parties discussed new organizational mechanisms and prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Kazakhstan-Egypt Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation.

In this regard, the primary focus of the discussion was the preparation for the sixth meeting of the Commission, scheduled to take place in Astana this year. The Deputy Minister emphasized that following the government reorganization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now oversees the commission's activities.

As part of an exchange of views, the parties discussed regional security issues in the Middle East, noting the importance of the recent telephone conversation between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries on this topic. The Kazakh diplomat also briefed his counterpart on the progress of preparations for the upcoming constitutional referendum scheduled for March 15.

In conclusion, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the coordination of the IGC meeting dates and continuing an active dialogue across all areas of sustainable development.

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12.03.2026, 09:15 4931

Kazakhstan’s Experience in Consolidating Gender Equality Presented at UNESCO

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Gender equality, human rights, justice and responsibility are integral principles of national policy and ongoing reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The delegation of Kazakhstan delivered this message in a speech at a high-level event attended by the UNESCO member states and its leadership to mark the International Women’s Day and the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, taking place in New York.

In his remarks at the meeting, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany outlined the Organization’s efforts to ensure gender equality in education, science, and cultural policy.

Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, Ambassador Askar Abdrakhmanov briefed the participants on Kazakhstan’s experience in promoting gender equality and strengthening the role of women in the country’s social, political, and economic life.

Within the context of UNESCO’s mandate, Ambassador Abdrakhmanov emphasized the measures undertaken to expand participation of women in education, science, and innovation sector, taking into account the rapid development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

It was noted that women make up 52.5 % of university students in Kazakhstan. Women own over 48 % of small and medium-sized enterprises, and their share in the civil service personnel is 55.8 %. Furthermore, there are projects being implemented in the country to support women in STEM (science, technologies, engineering and mathematics) research and tackle discrimination against women in the digital environment and in judicial processes.

Kazakhstan is firmly committed to UNESCO’s global priority of gender equality. In its turn, the UN Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan, as well as the UNESCO Almaty Office’s projects serve as a useful platform for regional dialogue and cooperation in this important area," said the Kazakh diplomat.

Concluding his speech at the event, Ambassador Abdrakhmanov reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to the collective efforts of the international community to eradicate gender inequality worldwide and in all spheres of public life.

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Kazakh President extends condolences to Indonesia and Thailand over deadly floods

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Kazakhstan’s Experience in Consolidating Gender Equality Presented at UNESCO