Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with NVIDIA Vice President Rev Lebaredian and Firebird co-founders Razmig Hovaghimian, Chief Executive Officer, and Alexander Yesayan. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Kazakhtelecom Bagdat Mussin, and U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Julie Stufft.U.S.-based Firebird specializes in AI infrastructure, data center development, and high-performance computing systems. The company delivers projects across multiple regions worldwide and collaborates with leading technology partners, including NVIDIA, the global leader in artificial intelligence, accelerated computing, and digital infrastructure. NVIDIA technologies power many of the world's leading supercomputers and data centers and serve as the foundation for a significant share of today's generative AI models.The meeting focused on the development of Kazakhstan’s national AI infrastructure, including the deployment of high-performance computing capacity, construction of advanced data centers, and attraction of international technology partners.Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized that artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure development are among Kazakhstan’s highest national priorities.“By the decision of the Head of State, 2026 has been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. This week, Kazakhstan adopted the National Strategy for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence Development, ‘Digital Qazaqstan’. One of the flagship projects currently being implemented is the Data Center Valley in Ekibastuz. Our goal is to create a platform capable of hosting global digital infrastructure. We highly value the agreements reached with our partners at Firebird and NVIDIA,” said Olzhas Bektenov.The Prime Minister highlighted the key advantages of the Data Center Valley project, including a large land reserve, investment incentives, and competitive electricity costs. A critical factor for investors is the project’s scalability. While 300 MW of power capacity is already available, the project is designed for phased expansion to 1 GW.Firebird Co-Founder and CEO Razmig Hovaghimian emphasized Kazakhstan’s strong potential for digital infrastructure development.“I would like to acknowledge the President’s vision in declaring 2026 the Year of AI. When we first visited Kazakhstan, it quickly became clear to us that the country’s ambition, expertise, and talent are truly world-class. Countries that invest today in advanced AI computing infrastructure, talent development, and innovation ecosystems will shape the economic opportunities of tomorrow. Firebird combines expertise in deploying cutting-edge U.S. technologies, deep partnerships across the global AI ecosystem, and the ability to deliver large-scale infrastructure projects securely and at exceptional speed. The launch planned for 2027 will place Kazakhstan among the world’s top ten countries in AI infrastructure. We have an incredible team, extraordinary opportunities ahead, and we are excited to work with the Government of Kazakhstan, NVIDIA, and our partners in the United States to help turn Kazakhstan’s vision into reality,” said Razmig Hovaghimian.NVIDIA Vice President Rev Lebaredian presented key technological approaches and solutions for the implementation of the Data Center Valley project, as well as Kazakhstan’s integration into the global AI ecosystem.“To develop artificial intelligence, we need what we call a five-layer cake. The most important layer is the application layer. This is where we take all the technologies from the lower layers and transform them into solutions for different industries and sectors, creating real value and tangible benefits. But everything begins with energy. If you do not have energy, you cannot build the rest. It is the foundation. Kazakhstan has energy. Because the country has it in abundance and can generate even more, it is an excellent place to start. In fact, Kazakhstan has the potential to participate at every level of this five-layer cake. Based on what I have seen, what I have read, and what I am witnessing during my visit here, the spirit and determination of Kazakhstan are clearly focused on moving forward and leveraging both its natural resources and its human capital to enter the new era of artificial intelligence,” said Rev Lebaredian.Participants noted that global demand for projects of this nature is growing rapidly. According to international analysts, the global AI market is expected to exceed hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming years, while demand for computing capacity required to train and operate AI models continues to grow at double-digit rates annually. As a result, countries are increasingly competing not only for technology and talent, but also for the infrastructure that forms the foundation of the next-generation digital economy.“At the instruction of the Head of State, Kazakhstan is systematically building the national infrastructure required to advance artificial intelligence. The Data Center Valley project is set to become one of the key platforms underpinning the country’s emerging AI token economy.The planned $10 billion investment will enable Kazakhstan to establish a large-scale computing cluster powered by 100,000 state-of-the-art GPU chips, including NVIDIA GB300 and Vera Rubin. According to our estimates, the project will generate at least $3 billion in annual export revenue, create new high-skilled jobs, attract leading global technology companies, and further strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as one of Eurasia’s key digital hubs,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.“Under the directive of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, we are building a world-class data center in Ekibastuz. In essence, Kazakhstan is transforming Ekibastuz coal into digital export revenue. The energy generated from coal is being converted into a high-tech, export-oriented service that will be sold globally to some of the world’s largest companies. This is a joint venture, and our partners at Firebird already have secured service agreements with major global players, which will help generate foreign currency revenues for Kazakhstan,” said Bagdat Mussin, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Kazakhtelecom.For Kazakhstan, the development of advanced data centers and computing platforms creates opportunities to attract investment, localize digital services, train engineering talent, and establish new export-oriented technology sectors. The availability of domestic high-performance infrastructure will also support scientific research, startup development, cloud services, and AI solutions within the country.Following the meeting, agreements on artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure cooperation totaling $10 billion were signed, including:A Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Firebird, establishing a framework for AI ecosystem development and the creation of Firebird Labs Kazakhstan at Alem.ai.A Binding Term Sheet between JSC Kazakhtelecom and Firebird outlining the technical and organizational parameters of cooperation within the Data Center Valley project.The agreements provide the foundation for the next phase of the Data Center Valley initiative, which aims to establish a modern technological platform for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and next-generation digital services. The signed agreements reflect growing interest from global technology companies in Kazakhstan as a destination for AI infrastructure investment and strengthen the country’s position as one of the emerging digital hubs of Central Eurasia.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/maidd/press/news/details/1240802?lang=ru

Tokyo, June 15, 2026 - Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Japan Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev held a meeting with Chairman of the Institute of Energy Economics of Japan (IEEJ) Tatsuya Terazawa.Ambassador Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev presented the main provisions of the “Environmental Solidarity of Central Asia” Declaration, adopted by the heads of Central Asian states during the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana on April 22-24, 2026. He provided the overview of the region’s consolidated efforts to combat climate change, desertification, and environmental pollution.For his part, Tatsuya Terazawa emphasized Kazakhstan’s strategic role in ensuring Japan’s energy security amid ongoing global market turbulence. He expressed Japan’s interest in expanding full-scale cooperation in key areas of the energy and climate agenda, including uranium industry development, critical minerals exploration, and renewable energy projects promotion. Noting Kazakhstan’s high economic potential, the Chairman Terazawa advocated for boosting cooperation in deep raw material processing and high-value-added production using Japanese technologies, moving beyond just the raw materials sector.The parties also discussed the implementation of the Roadmap toward Carbon Neutrality for Kazakhstan developed by the IEEJ, which serves as an important guide for Japanese businesses assessing climate investment prospects, deploying low-carbon technologies, and developing energy transition cooperation.Furthermore, Ambassador Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev shared the current status and prospects of Kazakhstan-Japanese cooperation on decarbonization, green technology development, and joint climate initiatives followed his meeting on June 12, 2026 with Kentaro Doi, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. It is worth noting that Kentaro Doi previously attended the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Astana, confirming Tokyo’s interest in strengthening its climate agenda partnership with Kazakhstan.Reference: Founded in 1966 in Tokyo, the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) is a leading global think tank specializing in research on global energy, environment, and climate policy. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-tokyo/press/news/details/1240786?lang=ru

The “Jasyl Cross – 2026” ecological plogging competition was held in Aktobe as part of the nationwide environmental program “Taza Kazakhstan”.The event aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle among young people, foster environmental awareness, and encourage a responsible attitude toward the environment.Approximately 500 people participated in the environmental campaign, including civil servants, representatives of youth organizations, volunteers, members of the “Zhasyl El” youth labor brigades, and community activists.A total of 50 teams took part in the competition. Within one hour, participants collected household waste across designated areas while running and walking.As a result, 1,317 bags of litter were collected, and more than 80 tons of waste were transported to designated disposal sites.According to the competition results:• 1st place – 73 bags of litter collected;• 2nd place – 55 bags of litter collected;• 3rd place – 52 bags of litter collected.All participants received letters of appreciation, while the winning teams were awarded special diplomas and valuable prizes.“Jasyl Cross – 2026” is an important environmental initiative aimed at protecting nature and promoting a culture of cleanliness and environmental responsibility.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/aktobe-zhastar1/press/news/details/1240793?lang=ru

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mod/press/news/details/1240781?lang=ru

Hong Kong, June 12, 2026 — The Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong SAR, PRC, the Department of Tourism of Almaty city, and Kazakh tourism operators took part in the International Travel Expo (ITE) in Hong Kong.The exhibition featured over 500 international tourism organizations and companies, with more than 30 countries showcasing their national pavilions.During the event, Kazakh tourism representatives presented the country’s tourism potential, established connections with Chinese and Hong Kong partners, and agreed to enhance collaborative efforts to attract more visitors to Kazakhstan.On June 11, 2026, as part of the expo, the “Almaty Tourism Days” roadshow was held in Hong Kong.The official opening ceremony was addressed by representatives of the Consulate General and Yerkebulan Abikhan, Head of the Tourism Promotion Department of the Department of Tourism of Almaty city. Attendees included representatives from Hong Kong government agencies, members of the diplomatic corps, cultural and artistic figures, heads of local tourism companies, and media representatives.As part of the roadshow, representatives from Kazakh tourism companies, (Sky Way, Turan Asia, Vision Travel, and others), conducted B2B meetings with Hong Kong tour operators and signed memorandums of cooperation. The parties agreed to intensify efforts to promote tourist travel from Hong Kong to Kazakhstan.The evening program offered guests a taste of Kazakh culture, featuring national cuisine, traditional dances, and musical performances accompanied by folk instruments and commemorative souvenirs were distributed.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-hongkong/press/news/details/1240783?lang=ru