Akorda hosted the ceremony to present the credentials to President of Kazakhstan by the U.S. ambassador.Speaking about Kazakh-American relations, the President underscored the importance of his visit to Washington, D.C., in November last year.“We had a friendly and at the same time substantive conversation with President Donald Trump. Recently, we had a productive telephone call on many issues related to bilateral cooperation. I am grateful for the invitation to attend the G20 Summit, which will be held in the United States at the end of this year. We will do our best to build on the momentum and enhance our strategic partnership in many areas,” the President stated.Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the ambassador on the official start of  her diplomatic mission and conveyed his best wishes to President of the United States Donald Trump.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-washington/press/news/details/1139161?lang=kk

Almaty Zoo has launched an environmental campaign to collect used natural New Year’s trees.This initiative gives greenery a “second life” and helps improve animal welfare.After the New Year holidays, city residents are encouraged not to throw away live Christmas trees, but to bring them to the Almaty Zoo. The collected trees will be placed in animal enclosures and used to enrich their living environment.The trees will be used in the enclosures of deer, roe deer, yaks, wild boars, and other animals. Animals show great interest in new objects: they sniff the trees, taste them, pull at them, jump around, rub against the branches, and play with the bark. This stimulates their physical activity, reduces stress, and adds variety to their daily routine.This campaign is not only an environmental initiative, but also an educational effort that encourages people to treat nature with care and practice conscious consumption.Tree drop-off location:Service entrance of Almaty Zoo64 Ormanov Street, AlmatyCollection period: January 8–18Only natural, live trees are acceptedContact phone: +7 (701) 676-85-85Almaty Zoo invites city residents and guests to take part in the campaign and contribute to the protection of animals and the environment.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almaty-almaly/press/news/details/1139146?lang=kk

Ljubljana, 9 January 2026 – The Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Slovenia, Altay Abibullayev, held a meeting with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia responsible for European affairs, international law, protection of interests and economic diplomacy, Neva Grašič.During the meeting, the Ambassador provided a detailed briefing on the key messages of the Head of State, as outlined in the interview with the newspaper Türkistan published on 5 January 2026, as well as on the decision to designate 2026 in Kazakhstan as the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.The parties engaged in substantive discussions on current issues of bilateral trade, economic and investment cooperation, reviewed preparations for the 5th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, and exchanged views on plans to hold the Digital Bridge Forum in Ljubljana. The Forum is envisaged as a practical platform for interaction among relevant government bodies, business communities and expert circles of both countries in the fields of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.The sides reaffirmed their mutual interest in deepening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, including engagement with leading Slovenian companies well established on the Kazakh market, such as Krka and Lek, as well as in expanding broader cooperation in healthcare and medical technologies.In discussing transit, transport and logistics cooperation, the Ambassador underscored Kazakhstan’s key potential as one of the major transit hubs of the Eurasian space and outlined the measures being undertaken by the Government of Kazakhstan to develop modern transport and logistics infrastructure, including railway and multimodal routes. In this context, particular emphasis was placed on the importance of participation in the development of the Middle Corridor, as well as on the diversification of transport routes linked to the Slovenian seaport Port of Luka Koper, which represents a critical node for enhancing supply chain resilience and expanding logistics opportunities for European countries without direct access to the open sea.The diplomats also addressed topical aspects of bilateral energy cooperation. The Slovenian side expressed interest in establishing cooperation in the aerospace sector and nanotechnologies, highlighting the importance of scientific and technological collaboration and the exchange of expertise.With a view to creating solid and long-term legal foundations for Kazakh–Slovenian partnership, the parties reached a principled understanding on further expanding the bilateral legal framework. This includes work on an Agreement on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments, a new Agreement on Visa-Free Travel for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports, as well as the organization of consular consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries.The meeting confirmed the shared commitment of Kazakhstan and Slovenia to strengthening a forward-looking, pragmatic and mutually beneficial partnership grounded in the principles of reciprocity, trust and long-term cooperation.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-ljubljana/press/news/details/1139148?lang=kk

Mons, 9 January 2026 — Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium Roman Vassilenko held a meeting with the Rector of the University of Mons (Université de Mons — UMONS), Professor Philippe Dubois. The parties discussed the expansion of cooperation in higher education, academic mobility, and applied scientific research.UMONS is one of Belgium’s leading research-oriented universities, with around 12,000 students, international academic programmes, and active scientific cooperation with partners in more than 50 countries. The university is represented in global academic rankings based on indicators of international publications and cooperation, and is recognised for the quality of its scientific citations and joint research initiatives.Ambassador Vassilenko noted that Kazakhstan is shaping an open academic environment and increasingly attracting foreign universities. Today, the country hosts around 40 foreign and joint universities, as well as double-degree programmes, creating broad opportunities for international mobility of students and researchers.“Kazakhstan is interested in practical forms of cooperation — from academic mobility to applied research and technological interaction. We see interest from Belgian students and professors, and view this dynamic as promising,” the Ambassador stressed.UMONS already cooperates with Kazakhstani universities in the field of academic mobility. Starting in February 2026, five UMONS students will spend a semester at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, studying languages, culture and participating in inter-university academic programmes. Kazakhstani students, in turn, are currently studying at UMONS at the Faculty of Languages.Professor Dubois highlighted the university’s interest in broadening cooperation: “We are interested in developing partnerships with Kazakhstani universities not only in exchanges, but also in science. UMONS has international experience in research projects, and we see potential for expanding such cooperation with Kazakhstan.”Following the talks, the Kazakh delegation visited Materia Nova, an applied research and technology transfer centre established within UMONS. The centre specialises in the development of innovative materials, coatings and polymers, as well as in transferring technologies to industry. Materia Nova brings together nearly 100 researchers and cooperates with over 300 external experts, making it one of Europe’s significant research players in the field of materials science.The parties expressed interest in expanding cooperation in academic mobility and applied research, and discussed the possibility of a visit by UMONS leadership to Kazakhstan to hold focused meetings with universities and scientific institutions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-brussels/press/news/details/1139152?lang=kk

Astana, January 6, 2026 – A meeting was held between Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev and Chairman of the Management Board of JSC NC KazMunayGas Askhat Khassenov.During the meeting, the parties discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the country’s foreign policy agency and KazMunayGas on the development of export routes for Kazakh hydrocarbons, the attraction of foreign investment and advanced technologies to the domestic energy sector, as well as the implementation of projects involving international companies.Chairman Khassenov expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan for its effective support in promoting the interests of the national oil and gas company abroad.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1139153?lang=kk