Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan makes big bet on being in the middle; IAEA head visits Kazakhstan to expand cooperation in nuclear energy, science and cancer care

Anadolu Agency: Kazakhstan's president expects trade turnover with Russia to hit $30B in near future

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Thursday that trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia is expected to exceed $30 billion in the near future, highlighting the strength of bilateral economic ties, Anadolu Agency reports.

Speaking during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Astana, Tokayev noted that trade between the two countries has reached record levels.

“The volume of trade between Kazakhstan and Russia is reaching record levels, about 30 billion dollars,” he said.

Tokayev added that Russia remains the largest source of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, with total investments reaching $29 billion. He also noted that the two countries are implementing 177 joint projects worth around $53 billion.

Putin described cooperation between Moscow and Astana as “an example of constructive interaction in international affairs.”

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov said the two countries are discussing a gas pipeline to China through Kazakhstan with a potential capacity of up to 35 billion cubic meters annually. He noted the project could also help supply gas to northern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan.

Fox News: Putin lands $16.5B nuclear win on Russia’s doorstep in massive Kazakhstan pact

Russia and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant, with Rosatom selected to lead the project, Fox News reports.

The deal was signed during talks in Astana between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The project, estimated at $16.5 billion, will be largely financed through a Russian export loan.

The plant will be built near the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash and will include two VVER-1200 Generation III+ reactors.

“The agreement signed today on the construction of the Balkhash NPP has an important role,” Tokayev said.

Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first reactor scheduled to come online in early 2034.

The project follows Kazakhstan’s 2024 referendum approving the development of nuclear power and is aimed at strengthening the country’s long term energy security.

Bloomberg: Kazakhstan makes a big bet on being in the middle

According to Bloomberg, Kazakhstan is seeking to transform itself from a resource-based economy into a technology and logistics hub, with Astana serving as a symbol of the country's nation-building and modernization efforts.

Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has pursued a multi-vector foreign policy, balancing ties with Russia, China, Europe, the United States and regional partners. A key element of this strategy is the development of the Middle Corridor trade route linking China and Europe through Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea.

The government has also made digitalization and artificial intelligence national priorities. According to Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan aims to train 100,000 digital engineers and prepare one million citizens for AI-related roles.

The Astana Hub innovation center now hosts more than 2,000 startups, including hundreds of foreign companies, while Kazakhstan ranked 24th globally in the UN’s 2024 e-government development index.

Despite challenges including infrastructure constraints and geopolitical pressures, Kazakhstan continues efforts to diversify its economy, attract foreign investment and strengthen its position as a regional technology and transit hub.

Iaea.org: IAEA Director General visits Kazakhstan to expand cooperation in nuclear energy, science and cancer care

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Kazakhstan this week to strengthen cooperation in nuclear energy, scientific research, food security and cancer care,Iaea.org reports.

During his visit to Astana, Grossi met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to discuss Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy plans and the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. Tokayev also awarded Grossi the First Degree Dostyk (Friendship) Order in recognition of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the IAEA.

The IAEA and Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency signed a cooperation roadmap for 2026-2036 covering nuclear infrastructure, education, scientific research and technical assistance.

A separate agreement was signed with the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan to expand cooperation in nuclear science and support food security initiatives.

In the healthcare sector, the IAEA signed an arrangement with the National Research Oncology Centre to enhance collaboration in radiation oncology, nuclear medicine and cancer diagnostics.

Grossi also delivered a lecture at Nazarbayev University, highlighting the IAEA’s support for Kazakhstan in nuclear energy, healthcare and food security.

Dronedj.com: Kazakhstan is designing a city around drone deliveries and air taxis

Kazakhstan is developing a new smart city designed to integrate drones and advanced air mobility systems from the outset, as part of the ambitious Alatau City project, Dronedj.com reports.

This week, California-based A2Z Drone Delivery and Kazakhstan’s Alatau Advance Air Group launched a partnership at the opening of the UAM Test Center Eurasia in Alatau.

The project aims to create a city where low altitude aircraft, drone delivery services and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles are integrated into everyday transportation. Plans include dedicated vertiports, autonomous drone operations and digital infrastructure tailored for urban air mobility.

According to project leaders, the next two years will focus on infrastructure development and testing, with commercial operations expected to begin in 2028.

Companies from the United States, China, Italy and South Korea are participating in the initiative, which is being financed through private investment.

The project highlights Kazakhstan’s efforts to position itself as an early adopter of emerging transportation technologies and a regional hub for innovation in smart city development.

The Times of Central Asia: Kazakhstan says Aral Sea bed afforestation has reached 1.2 million hectares

Kazakhstan is continuing large-scale afforestation efforts on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea, one of the region’s most severe environmental disaster zones, The Times of Central Asia reports.

According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the dried seabed now covers about 6 million hectares, including 2.8 million hectares in Kazakhstan. As restoring the sea to its former size is no longer considered realistic, authorities are focusing on planting saxaul forests to combat desertification and reduce toxic dust storms.

Under a directive from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan aimed to establish saxaul plantations on 1.1 million hectares of the former seabed by 2025.

Between 2021 and 2025, afforestation covered 1.117 million hectares, while an additional 116,000 hectares were planted in 2026. Authorities have also sown 3,440 tons of seeds and planted more than 53 million saxaul seedlings.

Officials say the project is helping stabilize soils and restore ecosystems, with wildlife gradually returning to previously barren areas. Kazakhstan also plans to establish the 1.3 million hectare Aral Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve to protect the recovering landscape.

You can read last week’s digest here.