Foreign media on Kazakhstan:Bulgaria ranks among Kazakhstan’s most important partners in Europe; Starlink clear to launch commercial services in Kazakhstan

Trend News Agency: Bulgaria ranks among Kazakhstan’s most important partners in Europe – Tokayev

Bulgaria is one of Kazakhstan’s most important partners in Europe, with whom we share deep political and economic ties, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during talks with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Trend.az reports.

According to President Tokayev, bilateral cooperation between the two countries shows stable progress across various sectors.

“It is pleasing to note that our bilateral trade has grown, which is a very positive trend. About 60 companies with Bulgarian participation are successfully operating in our market. Currently, we are productively cooperating in industries such as mining, manufacturing, transport, and construction. We see great potential for cooperation in promising areas such as energy, transport and logistics, green transition, the nuclear sector, space, agriculture, digitalization, healthcare, and tourism,” said the President of Kazakhstan.

In turn, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev noted that he highly values the strengthening of traditionally warm and fruitful ties between our countries and peoples.

“I want to personally commend your farsighted policies and large-scale reforms that contribute to your country’s prosperity. We consider Kazakhstan a key and priority partner in Central Asia. Your achievements over these years are impressive: rapid economic growth, breakthroughs in innovation, science, education, and high technologies. Yesterday, I visited the national space center. Your accomplishments made a deep impression on me,” added the President of Bulgaria.

In 2024, mutual trade grew nearly fourfold to $375.2 million, while Bulgarian investments in Kazakhstan rose by 86.5 percent to $7.8 million. This positive trend continued into the first quarter of 2025, with trade turnover reaching $66.6 million - almost double the figure from the same period last year.

TASR: Fico highlights defence and energy cooperation with Kazakhstan

Slovak Premier Robert Fico stated that if rising global tensions require higher defence spending, Slovakia aims to direct this spending toward domestic production or mutually beneficial partnerships. He made the remarks after meeting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday, TASR reports.

Beyond defence, Fico also noted opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector.

“The president and I have defined several areas in the defence industry in which it wouldn't have to be just about sales and purchases. These are areas in which we can create joint ventures, we can proceed together and it will be beneficial, plus financially and economically efficient and useful for both countries,” he said.

Fico welcomed Kazakhstan’s move toward nuclear energy, referencing last year’s referendum on its first nuclear plant. He offered Slovak expertise in this area.

“We are a country that currently operates five reactors, soon we’ll have a sixth one, and we have a big ambition to build a new nuclear power plant with an output of 1,250 megawatts. Therefore, if respective organisations and companies in Kazakhstan show interest in such expert cooperation, we’ll be ready,” stated Fico.

He also raised the possibility of oil imports from Kazakhstan via the Druzhba pipeline. “These options are yet to be further considered by respective experts as to what extent this is technically viable and to what extent there is still capacity available to import such oil,” he explained.

“This is the first trip by a Slovak premier to Kazakhstan. I think that we've made a huge step forward, and I believe that everything we agreed on today will be translated into concrete agreements, concrete contracts and very concrete and mutually beneficial cooperation,” added Fico.

Developing Telecoms: Starlink clear to launch commercial services in Kazakhstan in Q3

According to Developing Telecoms, Starlink will officially launch services in Kazakhstan later this year after signing a regulatory agreement with the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry (MDAI), ensuring compliance with national telecom and data security laws.

Sales of Starlink terminals are set to begin in the third quarter, as technical and organizational details are being finalized.

Starlink has been legally available since late 2023 through a pilot program in rural schools, though some individuals accessed the service via illegal terminals while awaiting legal approval.

“Now we have reached an agreement, [Starlink] will operate in accordance with the requirements of national legislation in the field of information security and communications,” said MDAI minister Zhaslan Madiyev. “The necessary work will be carried out this year, and residents will be able to officially and legally connect to satellite Internet.”

The agreement supports President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s goal of narrowing the digital gap between urban and rural areas.

The Times of Central Asia: Chinese corporation to build $12 billion aluminum cluster in Kazakhstan

China’s East Hope Group plans to invest over $12 billion in a large-scale project to establish a vertically integrated aluminum production complex in Kazakhstan, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, the Times of Central Asia reports.

The initiative was announced following a meeting between Industry Minister Yersayin Nagaspayev and East Hope Group Chairman Liu Yongxing. The Chinese conglomerate, ranked among the world’s top ten aluminum producers, is also active in polysilicon, green energy, agribusiness, and advanced technology sectors.

The project envisions the development of 11 bauxite and coal deposits in the Kostanay and Aktobe regions. Key infrastructure includes a mining and processing plant with an annual capacity of 6 million tons, an electrolysis facility designed to produce 3 million tons of aluminum per year, and a coal-fired thermal power plant with an installed capacity of 4.5 GW.

The complex will operate on principles of the circular economy and integrate environmentally friendly technologies throughout its production chain. Once operational, the project is expected to create more than 10,000 permanent jobs.

Liu Yongxing emphasized that Kazakhstan’s abundant mineral resources and its ongoing industrial modernization strategy are in full alignment with East Hope Group’s global goals in sustainable aluminum production, modern agriculture, and renewable energy.

Tehran Times: Iran, Kazakhstan boost agricultural co-op for sustainable future at Central Asia expo

Speaking at the regional event, Iranian official Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh emphasized the urgency of food security amid climate and environmental challenges, Tehran Times reports.

“In today’s world, the need for food security is more pressing than ever, particularly as we face escalating climate disruptions and ecological challenges,” he said.

He highlighted Iran’s annual output of over 130 million tons of agricultural products and growing exports. “We’ve also made significant strides in developing agricultural processing and value-added industries,” he added.

Nouri called for stronger regional cooperation, especially with Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and China, noting Iran’s $1.5 billion agricultural trade with China and joint efforts with Kazakhstan.

“This creates fertile ground for long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly along key trade corridors stretching from East to West and North to South,” he said.

In a separate meeting with the IOFS, Nouri reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to cooperate on food security and share expertise, including in nuclear agriculture.

“Iran’s self-sufficiency in agricultural production and research makes it a major contributor to the organization’s mission,” said IOFS head Berik Aryn.

The Times of Central Asia: Ruins of a burned medieval city unearthed in Southern Kazakhstan

Archaeologists in Kazakhstan may have found a long-lost medieval city in the Zhetysu region, previously known only from texts. The discovery was announced by Olga Gumirova of the Petroglyph Hunters Foundation, the Times of Central Asia reports.

“It looks like we’ve found the medieval city that everyone has been looking for! First, we saw the remains of brickwork in a quarry, a miraculously preserved tower, and then a wall… Medieval bricks protruded from the ground. The city was severely burned during the Mongol invasion,” she wrote.

The site could be as significant as UNESCO-listed Talkhiz or Koylyk. Archaeological analysis is underway.

Elsewhere, 25 new sites—including burial mounds and ancient structures—were discovered in Karaganda region.

“Work is just beginning, but we can already confidently speak about the importance of the finds,” said Alexei Kukushkin of the Saryarka Archaeological Institute.

In 2018, nearly 3,000 gold artifacts from the 7th–8th centuries BCE were found in East Kazakhstan, underscoring the region’s rich history.

In the Zhambyl region, archaeologists unearthed the remains of a Buddhist temple along the Silk Road.

“The Buddhist temple and the head of Buddha could become interesting tourist attractions,” said Anna Krokosheva. The site’s remote location has helped preserve it.

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