Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan advances water sector reform at high-level coordination meeting; Kazakhstan, a reliable partner of Europe in an uncertain world

The Times of Central Asia: Kazakhstan advances water sector reform at high-level coordination meeting

On April 10, Kazakhstan’s Coordination Council for Water Sector Development held its second meeting in Astana, co-chaired by Water Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and UNDP Resident Representative Katarzyna Wawiernia, the Times of Central Asia reports. The Council, launched in September 2024, brings together over 30 international partners, including UNDP and global financial institutions.

The session reviewed progress since its launch and focused on the 2024–2030 Partnership Water Initiative, aimed at strengthening sustainability and innovation in water management. Minister Nurzhigitov highlighted new international collaborations, with three agreements and 16 memorandums already signed with partners from the EU, US, China, and key development banks.

Five new deals were signed during the meeting:

• Groundwater mapping in western Kazakhstan with Spain’s Xcalibur
• A digitalization-focused partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and UNDP
• A grant with the Eurasian Development Bank for a national water data system by 2026
• A training and cooperation deal between Kazvodkhoz and PowerChina
• A hydropower development memorandum with Primus Capital Almaty

The initiatives come amid growing pressure from water scarcity, floods, and climate change—underscoring the need for global cooperation and innovation.

Eureporter: Kazakhstan, a reliable partner of Europe in an uncertain world

According to Eureporter, following the EU–Central Asia Summit, Europe has clearly turned its focus toward the region—especially Kazakhstan, which plays a central role in transport, energy, and critical minerals. Its Caspian Sea access and vast natural resources make it a vital link between East and West. Bordering China, Russia, and Iran, Central Asia holds growing geopolitical weight. Kazakhstan stands out with its energy wealth and vast reserves of gold, rare earths, and industrial metals—crucial for the EU’s supply diversification. The country has also signed major green energy deals and discovered a significant rare earth deposit in Karaganda.

Under President Tokayev, Kazakhstan has launched democratic reforms, moving from a super-presidential to a presidential-parliamentary system. Electoral laws were revamped, the Constitutional Court was restored, and local governor elections were introduced. These changes are earning praise from the EU and U.S. Kazakhstan balances relations with the EU, U.S., Russia, and China. It positions itself as a neutral mediator, having hosted peace talks on Syria, Armenia-Azerbaijan, and even offered to host Russia–Ukraine negotiations. The country also advocates for nuclear disarmament.

Kazakhstan’s GDP rose from $181.7B in 2019 to $288.1B in 2024, with strong public spending and ambitious plans to double GDP by 2029. It holds massive oil, gas, and uranium reserves, including the giant Kashagan field in the Caspian. Kazakhstan offers the EU energy security, mineral access, and political stability. For Kazakhstan, the EU provides trade, investment, and a model of prosperity and governance. The partnership is mutually strategic—and growing stronger.

Travel and Tour World: Kazakhstan expands event tourism plans hosting five major international events in 2025

Kazakhstan is stepping up efforts to position itself as a key player in global event and business tourism, Travel and Tour World reports. In 2025, the country will host five major international events to boost foreign arrivals and drive economic growth, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. This follows a successful run of 21 international events from 2021 to 2024, including 14 in 2024 alone, which brought in over 5,000 foreign delegates and generated $20.7 million in revenue. At an April 10 briefing, officials emphasized the creation of a national events calendar and the push to expand events beyond Astana and Almaty into the regions.

Key events in 2025 include:

• 10th World Congress of Neurosurgical Societies (June 27–28, Astana)
• International Expert Society Congress (July 21–25)
• IFLA World Library and Information Congress (August 18–22), expected to draw over 4,000 delegates from 130+ countries and generate €2 million.

To better guide tourism strategy, Kazakhstan is collecting data on visitor flows through mobile and banking insights. In 2024, the country welcomed 15.3 million foreign visitors and saw a rise in domestic travel to 10.5 million. With growing infrastructure and strategic planning, Kazakhstan is emerging as a competitive destination for major global events.

Ceenergy News: ČEZ will buy uranium from Kazakhstan

According to Ceenergy News, ČEZ and the Kazakh company Kazatomprom signed a contract for uranium supplies, the Czech company announced. Natural uranium supplies from Kazakhstan will cover approximately one-third of the needs for fuel assemblies produced by Westinghouse for the Temelín nuclear power plant over the next seven years. The agreement strengthens the diversification of suppliers for nuclear power plants and thus contributes to the energy security of the Czech Republic.

‘With this new contract, Kazatomprom continues to expand its presence in the European market and its strategy of diversifying its sales portfolio,’ said Vladislav Baiguzhin, Kazatomprom’s Chief Commercial Officer. “This is another important milestone in our mission to become the preferred partner for the global nuclear industry. We are building on our previous contracts, partnerships such as this one with ČEZ. In doing so, we are promoting energy security in the region and supporting common energy goals in the areas of decarbonisation and sustainability.”

Tourism International: Air Astana to introduce direct Western Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan flights next month

Air Astana will commence a new direct route between Atyrau in western Kazakhstan to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan on 31st May, Tourism International reports. The new service operates thrice weekly utilising Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. The new route from Atyrau to Baku will complement the airline’s existing flights from Almaty to Baku, which operate three times a week during the summer season. The network expansion will open up more opportunities for leisure and business trips between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Flight KC277 will depart from Atyrau on Mondays and Saturdays at 18:30, arriving in Baku at 18:55, and on Wednesdays at 21:35, arriving at 22:00. The return flight KC278 from Baku to Atyrau will operate on Mondays and Saturdays, departing at 19:55 and arriving at 22:30, and on Wednesdays, departing at 23:00 and arriving at 01:35 the next day. Flight time runs for one hour and 25 minutes, while the return flight goes for one hour and 35 minutes.

The Times of Central Asia: Ice cream flavored with kurt, tara, and balkaymak presented in Almaty

Almaty-based company UMAMI has unveiled a unique ice cream collection based on traditional Kazakh flavors: kurt, tary and balkaymak, the Times of Central Asia reports. The goal is to blend heritage with innovation and create a modern symbol of Kazakh culture. Kurt ice cream is made from fermented milk and offers a layered taste experience—salty, sour, then sweet. It's best served in a baursak bun, UMAMI’s take on the Italian maritozzo. Tary & Talkan combines milk tea and roasted millet, originally created for the Nauryz holiday and now a staple flavor. Balkaymak & Irimshik is a rich mix of creamy caramel and curd bits, inspired by diverse interpretations of the traditional dessert. UMAMI plans to release souvenir boxes featuring all three flavors, promoting Kazakh culinary identity in a modern and globally relevant form.

Zawya: Kuwait, Kazakhstan to strengthen trade ties with focus on livestock and cargo

The Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have highlighted the need to enhance cargo transport with Kazakhstan, especially in the livestock sector, to support food security, Zawya reports. The remarks came after a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtileu, who emphasized Kazakhstan’s role as a strategic trade link between the GCC, Russia, and China. He noted that 85% of East Asia–Africa/Europe trade passes through Kazakhstan. The KCCI praised Kazakhstan’s economic growth and natural resources, expressing interest in renewing cooperation agreements and facilitating business exchanges. Nurtileu invited Kuwaiti businesses to invest in sectors like tourism, food processing, digital tech, and telecom, noting Kazakhstan’s investor-friendly policies, modern infrastructure, and visa-free access for Kuwaitis.

You can read last week’s weekly digest here.