Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan partners with global institute to boost green hydrogen projects and seeks Korean partnership in smart city drive

Bioenergy Times: Kazakhstan partners with global institute to boost green hydrogen projects

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to promote clean hydrogen development under the Hydrogen to Green Growth (H2G) initiative, Bioenergy reports.

The agreement aims to advance eco-friendly technologies, foster international cooperation, and reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector.

The signing took place during the “Alatau Rise with Kazakhstan” event on October 15–16 in Seoul, which showcased the national Alatau City project and sought to attract South Korean investment. The Kazakh delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.

Vice Minister of Energy Ilyas Bakytzhan said the ministry plans to build a modern energy system for Alatau City, powered by renewables and Smart Grid technologies, with an expected demand of up to 2,000 MW. He noted that hydrogen will be “a key part of Kazakhstan’s clean energy transition,” serving as fuel for transport, supporting power grids, and aiding fertilizer production.

Two energy models are under review — one combining gas turbines with renewables, and another connected directly to the national grid. The city’s heating will use solar collectors, heat pumps, and hydrogen-based systems.

Millingmea.com: Kazakhstan eyes exclusive durum wheat supply deal with Türkiye, plans grain hub in Baku

Kazakhstan and Türkiye are strengthening agricultural cooperation through a proposed “grain hub” at the Baku terminal to streamline trade routes and logistics between Central Asia and Türkiye, Millingmea.com reports.

The initiative was discussed by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov and Turkish Minister Ibrahim Yumakli at a food cooperation conference under China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative in Shanghai.

Saparov said agricultural trade between the two nations “continues to grow steadily,” noting that “the heads of our states have repeatedly emphasized the strategic importance of deepening cooperation, especially in the agro-industrial complex.” In the first eight months of 2025, trade turnover rose by 2.9% to reach US$186.7 million.

Kazakhstan aims to become Türkiye’s exclusive supplier of high-quality durum and hi-pro wheat, while expanding exports beyond vegetables, legumes, cotton fiber, bran, and flax seeds. The state-run JSC “NC Food Corporation” plans joint projects with Turkish partners to cultivate legume crops in Kazakhstan under forward financing programs, giving farmers access to better seeds and modern technologies.

Minister Yumakli praised Kazakhstan as a “reliable agricultural partner” and reaffirmed Turkey’s readiness to deepen cooperation. The next stage of talks will take place at the International AgroFood Summit 2025 in Mersin on November 19–21, focusing on expanding trade in grains, legumes, and oil and fat products.

The Korea Times: Kazakhstan seeks Korean partnership in smart city, innovation drive

According to The Korea Times, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a Central Asian hub for innovation and digital finance through the ambitious Alatau City Project, with Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev calling for deeper cooperation with Korea in smart city development, renewable energy, and healthcare.

Speaking at the “Alatau Rise with Kazakhstan” investment roadshow in Seoul, Bozumbayev said the government is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the country’s urban and economic landscape through advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, and digital finance.

“The new framework aims to protect investment capital and ensure transparent capital flow,” he said, noting that a special fiscal regime will simplify regulations and boost investor confidence.

He added that the project “has already turned the city into a powerful platform for technological companies and exporters,” and invited Korean investors to join Kazakhstan’s innovation drive.

Rep. Park Hong-keun, head of the Korea-Kazakhstan Interparliamentary Friendship Group, praised the initiative as “a bold national declaration for Kazakhstan to shift from a resource-dependent economy to one driven by innovation and technology.” He also commended ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan as “the cornerstone of the country’s economic progress” and a “strong bridge between our two nations.”

Park affirmed Korea’s commitment to be “a strong partner in ensuring Alatau City becomes a key player in Kazakhstan’s future economy,” pledging continued parliamentary support.

The roadshow, themed “The New Eurasian Haven: Alatau City,” featured sessions on hydrogen energy, mobility, smart city technologies, and digital governance, with participation from Kazakh and Korean ministries, the Astana International Financial Centre, and major firms including Doosan Enerbility and Hyundai Engineering.

Anews: Kazakhstan and Armenia formalise visa-free travel

According to Anews, Kazakhstan has finalized the ratification of a migration cooperation agreement with Armenia, marking a new stage in easing cross-border travel between the two countries.

Signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the agreement allows citizens of both nations to stay visa-free for up to 90 days and introduces travel using only national ID cards instead of international passports.

Previously, such arrangements were limited to Russia and Kyrgyzstan, making Armenia the third country to enjoy this simplified regime. The deal, part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) framework, also formalizes information sharing on residents and migration law violations.

According to Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov, while the 90-day visa-free rule remains, visitors must now register with local authorities after 30 days — a move aimed at improving migration oversight.

Armenia ratified the agreement on September 11, 2025, completing all legislative procedures on both sides. The measure “makes travel conditions more transparent and predictable,” reinforcing Kazakhstan’s broader policy of facilitating regional mobility.

BBC: The alien lands once hidden beneath the ocean

As the BBC video report begins, 27-year-old local guide Gaukhar Yessirkepova takes us on a 700-kilometre journey across the otherworldly Kazakh steppe — to the layered slopes of Bokty Mountain and the multicoloured trails of Kyzylkup Canyon, affectionately nicknamed after a tiramisu cake for its distinctive striped patterns.

“On the trip, we also admire the alien-looking gorge of Ybykty Sai Canyon and the castle-like rocks of Bozzhyra Canyon. These landscapes trace a million-year-old geological history that goes back to when these lands were buried beneath the Tethys Ocean,” the article states.

The Guardian: Next Generation 2025: 60 of the best young talents in world football

From PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye to Brazil’s next big hope, we select some of the most talented players born in 2008. Check the progress of our classes of 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 … and go even further back. Here’s our Premier League class of 2025, The Guardian reports.

Dastan Satpayev

Club: FC Kairat

Position: Forward

Born: 12 August 2008

Satpayev is the brightest star at Kairat, the Kazakh club that qualified for the league stage of this season’s Champions League. Expectations have been high since he made his top-flight debut in May 2024, three months before his 16th birthday — and he has delivered when it mattered most.

He scored against Olimpija Ljubljana in the first qualifying round, found the net again in the comeback win over KuPS Kuopio, and coolly converted a last-minute penalty against Slovan Bratislava in a 1-0 victory. Suspended for the second leg of the triumph at Celtic, Satpayev has still become one of the youngest players in the tournament.

Chelsea will be delighted to have secured him in January for €4 million, with his value expected to soar. Combining pace and refined technical ability with decision-making far beyond his years, Satpayev hopes to make his mark in the Premier League when he joins Stamford Bridge in August 2026.

You can read last week’s weekly digest here.