International Year of Volunteers Unites 200,000 Kazakhstanis
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The International Year of Volunteers has brought together 200,000 Kazakhstanis since the beginning of 2026, the agency's correspondent reports.
In particular, compared to last year, a positive trend has been observed in the number of active volunteers participating in various initiatives and events. Their total number has reached 200,000 people.
As previously reported, 2026 was declared the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development by the United Nations at the initiative of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The initiative has provided a significant boost to the development of the volunteer movement in Kazakhstan.
One of the key events dedicated to the Year was the session titled "Volunteering and Environmental Action," held on April 23 in Astana as part of a regional environmental summit. The event was attended by United Nations Under-Secretary-General Haoliang Xu and around 200 participants from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Japan and Afghanistan.
In addition, the volunteer community took part in a number of large-scale campaigns, including "Let Us Preserve Cultural Heritage Together," aimed at improving historical and cultural sites, the spring stage of the national Marathon of Good Deeds project, and the international Clean Shores Day of Unified Action campaign.
Since the beginning of the year, approximately 120,000 volunteers have also participated in the nationwide environmental campaign Taza Kazakhstan.
Today, under the instructions of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, a Concept for the Development of the Volunteer Movement through 2030 is being drafted. As part of this effort, focus-group meetings have been held in major cities across the country with the participation of more than 250 active volunteers. Around 120 proposals and recommendations have been collected. A separate environmental volunteering development program is also being prepared.
In addition, Kazakhstan plans to introduce a National Volunteering Development Index and a Digital Volunteer Passport later this year.
At present, volunteer activities in Kazakhstan are coordinated by the National Front Office. The country also operates 20 regional front offices, a unified call center and the online platform Qazvolunteer.kz, which has brought together more than 1,200 projects and 3,884 organizations. Currently, 56 volunteer projects and 60 small grant initiatives worth 1 million tenge each are being implemented.
In cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers programme, Kazakhstan is also considering the establishment of an Asian Volunteer Training Center at the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
Furthermore, under a fully funded international programme, five Kazakh volunteers have been deployed on overseas missions with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Argentina and China.
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Kazakh Foreign Ministry Names Countries Not Recommended for Travel
Kazakhstan's First Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev has provided updated information on countries that are not recommended for travel, an agency correspondent reports.
The epidemiological situation in a number of African countries remains difficult. The conflict in the Middle East is well known. Iran is currently not recommended for travel. We also advise against visiting several African countries," the deputy minister said.
Ashikbayev noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continuously monitors political, economic, and environmental developments around the world. Based on this information, government agencies issue travel advisories and recommendations for citizens.
The deputy minister also encouraged Kazakh citizens to consider travelling within Kazakhstan, emphasizing that domestic tourism not only offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the country's natural landscapes and cultural heritage, but also supports the development of the tourism sector.
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Kazakh Foreign Ministry: Around 45-46% of Kazakhstanis' U.S. Visa Applications Are Rejected
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Approximately 45–46% of visa applications submitted by Kazakh citizens for entry to the United States are denied, Kazakhstan's First Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev said during a briefing in the Senate, an agency correspondent reports.
Regarding visa refusals, this is a sovereign right of our partners. In many cases, such decisions are governed by issues related to access to private information and are not disclosed, including to us. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the exact number of such refusals. Some countries publish this type of data in the form of refusal rates," he said.
According to Ashikbayev, the global situation remains dynamic, and many countries regularly update their entry requirements for foreign nationals.
The deputy foreign minister also reminded Kazakh citizens of the importance of complying with the laws of the countries they visit or reside in.
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Lyazzat Kaltayeva elected to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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The 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) opened today at the United Nations Headquarters, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations reports.
In his opening remarks, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the importance of further advancing the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities, ensuring their full participation in all aspects of public life, and promoting the principles of inclusion and equal opportunity worldwide.
During the Conference, elections were held for nine new members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Following the vote, Kazakhstan's candidate Ms. Lyazzat Kaltayeva received the highest number of votes, securing the support of 157 States, and was elected to serve on the Committee for the term 2027-2030. Along with her, representatives of Armenia, Benin, China, Ethiopia, Jordan, Lithuania, Palau and Samoa were also elected to the Committee.
Ms. Kaltayeva is a distinguished expert in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities with more than 30 years of professional experience. Throughout her career she has been actively engaged in promoting inclusion, accessibility and equal opportunities, with particular attention to the rights of women and girls with disabilities.
Ms. Kaltayeva's election to the Committee marks a historic achievement for Kazakhstan and the entire Central Asia, whose representative will serve on this UN treaty body for the first time.
This outcome reflects Kazakhstan's strong international standing, recognition of the country's consistent efforts to advance the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the international community's high regard for Kazakhstan's expertise and contributions in this field.
The Republic of Kazakhstan remains committed to further promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and strengthening international cooperation in this area within the framework of the United Nations.
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Kazakhstan Between Energy Choices and Industrial Expansion
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Kazakhstan has reaffirmed two key priorities of its state policy — strengthening energy security and accelerating industrial development. Major international agreements and new investment projects demonstrate the country's determination to create a long-term foundation for economic growth and technological modernisation.
Politics
The most significant political event of the period was the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan. Following talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the two sides signed a package of documents, including agreements on the construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant, cooperation in the oil and gas sector, and a joint statement outlining seven principles of friendship and good-neighbourly relations.
Of particular importance is the transition to the practical implementation stage of the Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant project, valued at approximately $16.5 billion. At the same time, Kazakhstan continued to expand cooperation with China, Central Asian countries and the European Union, reaffirming its commitment to a multi-vector foreign policy.
Further evidence of Astana’s efforts to diversify its foreign policy and economic ties was provided by the official visit of Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides from June 2 to 4. The first visit by a Cypriot head of state in the history of bilateral relations included high-level talks and a Kazakhstan–Cyprus Business Forum attended by more than 70 business representatives from the two countries. The visit resulted in the signing of a package of agreements covering digitalisation, artificial intelligence, education, science, culture, sport and business cooperation.
Economy
The key economic development of the period was progress on the industrial park project in Kazakhstan’s Pavlodar Region, involving Chinese company Xinfa Group. Total investment in the project is estimated at around $15 billion.
The industrial park will focus on bauxite processing and the production of aluminium, electrolytic copper, soda ash, carbon materials, fluorochemical products and environmentally friendly construction materials.
The project reflects Kazakhstan’s ambition to expand its manufacturing sector and reduce dependence on raw material exports. At the same time, the development of new industries is directly linked to addressing the country’s energy needs. Authorities view nuclear power as a future cornerstone for meeting the growing electricity demand of industry.
Society
The social agenda during the period centred on issues of digitalisation, technology and energy security.
Public discussion surrounding the construction of the nuclear power plant continued, highlighting the importance of ensuring transparency and environmental safety throughout the project.
At the same time, the government remains committed to digital transformation. The declared Year of Digitalisation has intensified attention on the development of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies as tools for improving economic efficiency and public administration.
Analysis
The defining trend of the period has been the integration of energy and industrial policy into a single development strategy.
The $16.5 billion nuclear power plant project and the approximately $15 billion Xinfa Group industrial park are, in effect, interconnected components of the same growth model.
Kazakhstan is betting on the creation of new industrial centres, the expansion of domestic raw-material processing and the strengthening of the economy’s energy base. At the same time, international cooperation is increasingly focused not on political declarations but on the implementation of concrete infrastructure and industrial projects.
Conclusion
Kazakhstan is demonstrating a transition from discussing large-scale strategic initiatives to putting them into practice. The construction of a nuclear power plant, the development of a major industrial park and the advancement of digitalisation point to the emergence of a growth model based on the combination of energy resilience, industrialisation and technological modernisation.
The main challenge remains the ability to ensure the effective implementation of these projects and transform large-scale investments into sustainable economic results.
Kazakhstan Today
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Another Group of Przewalski’s Horses Brought to Kazakhstan
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A new group of Przewalski’s horses has arrived in Kazakhstan from the Czech Republic as part of an international project aimed at restoring the population of the world’s only remaining species of wild horse, the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources reported.
The animals were transported to Kostanay on a special flight and will subsequently be transferred to the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve. At the reintroduction center, the horses will undergo an adaptation period under the supervision of specialists before being prepared for release into their natural habitat.
Under a cooperation memorandum between Kazakhstan and the Prague Zoo, a total of 40 Przewalski’s horses are scheduled to be brought to the country by 2029.
The first two groups of animals were delivered to the Altyn Dala reserve in 2024 and 2025. In May this year, some of the horses previously brought to Kazakhstan were released into the wild for the first time.
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