Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Oman, Kazakhstan launch $150M joint fund in push for deeper Central Asia-Gulf ties; Kazakhstan nuclear emergency center opens with U.S. support
Based on recent developments, including the establishment of a $150 million joint investment fund between Kazakhstan and Oman, the opening of Kazakhstan’s nuclear emergency response center with U.S. support, and the inclusion of five rock-hewn mosques and associated sacred sites in the Mangystau region on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Qazinform News Agency presents its weekly review of Kazakhstan coverage in foreign media.
The Energy Year: Oman and Kazakhstan launch $150 million joint fund in push for deeper Central Asia-Gulf ties
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik made his first state visit to Kazakhstan, where the two countries agreed to establish a $150 million joint investment fund targeting industry, healthcare, renewable energy, food production and logistics, The Energy Year reports.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded the Sultan the Order of the Golden Eagle, Kazakhstan’s highest state honour.
Oman’s OQ Exploration and Production signed a strategic cooperation agreement with KazMunayGas, while O-Green and Samruk Energy agreed to pursue solar and wind projects totaling 2 GW, including battery storage.
Additional agreements covered investment protection, air services and the establishment of a Kazakhstan-Oman Business Council. Oman also agreed to become the Eurasian Development Bank’s eighth shareholder and its first from the Gulf region.
Both countries emphasized stronger transport links connecting Central Asia with the Gulf, Middle East and Africa.
International Chess Federation: President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev receives FIDE President Timur Turlov
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met newly elected FIDE President Timur Turlov, congratulating him on his appointment and discussing further cooperation in chess development, FIDE reports.
Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s growing presence in international chess, including the women’s national team’s silver medal at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. More than 278,000 people currently play chess across the country.
The meeting focused on expanding chess education, improving training for coaches and arbiters, and hosting major international tournaments.
Turlov, who also heads the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, emphasized the country’s progress in developing young talent, integrating chess into schools and strengthening institutional support.
He expressed his intention to share Kazakhstan’s experience with other national federations while advancing FIDE’s global educational and youth development initiatives.
The Times of Central Asia: Kazakhstan nuclear emergency center opens with U.S. support
Kazakhstan opened a new center on October 2 to monitor radiation and coordinate responses to nuclear and radiological emergencies, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, The Times of Central Asia reports.
Operating under Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, the center will collect and analyze radiation data, coordinate government responses and train emergency specialists.
The initiative comes as Kazakhstan, the world’s largest uranium producer, expands its nuclear energy ambitions. The country is preparing to build its first nuclear power plant near Lake Balkhash, with additional facilities planned.
Kazakhstan also cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency on emergency information exchange and nuclear safety.
Tether: Tether signs MoU with the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the Alatau City authority to explore stablecoin use cases and asset tokenization
Tether has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) and the Alatau City Authority to explore stablecoin development, asset tokenization and decentralized finance, Tether reports.
The partnership will examine international stablecoin models and develop a proposal for a pilot stablecoin pegged to Kazakhstan’s national currency, the tenge.
The agreement also covers creating a framework for tokenizing real-world assets, potentially using Tether’s Hadron platform, with a pilot project planned in Alatau City.
The parties will organize workshops and training programs to strengthen expertise in digital finance and blockchain technologies.
“Kazakhstan is taking a deliberate, forward-looking approach by exploring asset tokenization and a strategic reserve framework,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino.
NBK Deputy Governor Binur Zhalenov emphasized that financial stability, transaction transparency and investor protection would remain central priorities as Kazakhstan explores new digital financial infrastructure.
The Jerusalem Post: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, UAE back railway linking Central Asia to Pakistan’s seaports
According to The Jerusalem Post, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a railway corridor connecting Central Asia with Pakistan through Afghanistan.
The proposed Central Asia-South Asia railway would provide Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries with access to Pakistan’s seaports on the Arabian Sea, opening new opportunities for international trade and logistics.
Under the agreement, the three countries will conduct technical and economic feasibility studies, assess infrastructure requirements and explore investment opportunities.
The project could also strengthen Afghanistan’s role as a regional transit hub, generating revenue from freight transportation, logistics and related services.
However, the railway remains at an early planning stage, with its implementation dependent on financing, infrastructure development, cross-border coordination and the results of feasibility studies.
Euronews: Inside Kazakhstan’s historic rock-hewn mosques now recognised by UNESCO
Five rock-hewn mosques and associated sacred sites in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognizing centuries of Sufi spiritual and architectural traditions, Euronews reports.
The decision, adopted at the World Heritage Committee’s 48th session in South Korea on July 25, covers the Beket-Ata, Shopan-Ata, Karaman-Ata, Shakpak-Ata and Sultan-Epe complexes, dating from the 12th to 18th centuries.
Carved into caves and limestone cliffs, the sanctuaries reflect the blending of Islamic Sufi practices with older local spiritual traditions.
“The inscription of the sacred monuments of Mangystau on the World Heritage List was not only a recognition of their significance for humanity as a whole, but also a tribute to the rich history, spiritual heritage and cultural identity of the Kazakh people,” said Erlan Karin, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s National Commission to UNESCO and ICESCO.
Kazakhstan plans a five-year development program beginning in 2027 to improve visitor infrastructure and preserve the sites.
You can read last week’s digest here.
