Updating the bus fleet and improving the quality of passenger transportation is an important task for creating a comfortable urban environment. Today, Akim of Kostanay region Kumar Aksakalov inspected a new batch of buses delivered to the region.To date, there are 289 buses in the regional center, 85 of which have been in operation for more than 7 years. To upgrade the fleet, 113 new buses have been leased in recent years, and 4 more units (2 Yutong buses and 2 double–decker buses) were purchased for cash last year.The work on updating the transport continues. This year, contracts have been signed and payments have been made for the purchase of 28 new buses. Of these, 15 have already been received and were presented today, 10 more are expected on February 14, and the remaining 3 – in June this year.In addition, 18 more new buses are planned to be purchased this year with 100% subsidization. 2.1 billion tenge has been allocated from the budget for these purposes to subsidize socially significant routes.It is important to note that when updating the fleet, the wishes of the residents were taken into account – large-capacity buses were purchased. This will reduce travel intervals and make trips more comfortable.As a result of the measures taken, the share of public transport with a service life of less than 7 years will increase by 14% to 71%. This will significantly improve the quality of passenger transportation in Kostanay and its suburbs.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanay/press/news/details/933032

Today, the board of departments of construction, architecture and urban planning, passenger transport and highways, as well as energy and housing and communal services was held under the chairmanship of Akim of Kostanay region Kumar Aksakalov. During the meeting, the results of 2024 were summed up and priority areas for 2025 were outlined.Construction industry: volume growth and new approachesThe construction industry remains one of the key sectors in the region's economy. In 2024, the volume of construction work increased by 25% and amounted to 315.3 billion tenge. 500 thousand square meters of housing were commissioned, which allowed 5,000 families to get new apartments.The development of the construction industry is closely linked to the use of local materials. The production of building materials in the region amounted to 51.6 billion tenge, showing an increase of 3.6%.New architectural and design solutions are being introduced in the construction of budget housing, aimed at improving the comfort of residents at minimal cost. Special attention will be paid to the improvement of courtyard areas. Landscaping standards have already been developed, which will become mandatory for developers.Affordable housing for residents of the region• Kostanay Zhastary program – 250 young families have been provided with housing for three years, the program will continue in 2025.• Mortgage lending – the volume of loans issued increased by 17%, the number of depositors of Otbasy Bank reached 85.4 thousand people.• Rental housing – in 2024, 18 billion tenge was allocated for its purchase, which allowed the purchase of 940 apartments. In 2025, 20 billion tenge is planned for these purposes, which will provide housing for 1,000 waiting lists and will allow the sale of 250 loan apartments.Development of road infrastructureIn 2024, the budget of the road industry increased by 27% and amounted to 93.5 billion tenge. At the expense of these funds:• 1,300 km of highways and 382 streets in 103 settlements have been repaired.• Work has been completed on 80 access roads to villages for 38 billion tenge.For comparison, three years ago, only 20 access roads were repaired in the region, and today this figure has almost quadrupled.Special attention was paid to the villages:• Ashutasty village (Arkalyk) – 11 out of 13 streets were repaired (85%).• Bolshaya Churakovka village (Altynsarinsky district) – 8 out of 18 streets were renovated (44%) in two years.• Fedorovka village (Uzunkol district) – 8 out of 13 streets were put in order (47%), the rest are included in the plans.Reconstruction of republican highways• The repair of the highway from Arkalyk to the border with Ulytau region is being completed, which will shorten the route from Uzbekistan and the southern regions of Kazakhstan to Russia by 400 km.• Reconstruction of the Sarykol–SKR border road and the Uzunkol–Troebratnoye section is being completed.• In 2024, the repair of the Bestobe road – the border of the Aktobe region - will begin, which residents of the Kamystinsky district have been waiting for for a long time.Design and estimate documentation is being developed for the reconstruction of Arkalyk Airport. After the upgrade, its capacity will be 70 passengers per hour, and flights to Kostanay and Astana are scheduled to resume.Housing and communal services: modernization of networks and new projectsThe following projects are planned for 2025:• 39 projects for the modernization of utility networks for 6 billion tenge.• Applications have been submitted for 55 billion tenge for the implementation of 76 projects.• By 2029, the wear of heating systems should decrease to 40% (currently 45.4%), which has already reduced emergency situations by 20%.Water supply• In 2024, 7.7 billion tenge was allocated for 40 water supply projects.• 42 billion tenge is expected to be financed for 59 projects, which is twice the volume of the previous year.• The share of villagers with centralized water supply increased from 61.5% to 68.9%.• The state subsidizes 96% of the cost of water, due to which the tariff for residents is 55 tenge per 1 cubic meter instead of the real 1,342 tenge.Gasification• The design of the Kostanay –Borovskoye gas pipeline has begun, which will provide natural gas to 24 thousand people.• In 2024, 5 projects worth 1.2 billion tenge are being implemented, as a result, the gasification level of the region will increase to 60.4%.LightingThis year, 15,000 lamps and 4.3 thousand poles will be installed on the streets of settlements, which will provide lighting for 992 km of roads.Renewable energy5 large renewable energy projects worth 580 billion tenge with a total capacity of 1 GW are being implemented in the region. This:• 1 solar power plant• 1 gas piston station• 3 wind farmsAfter their launch, the volume of electricity production in the region will increase 10 times and will fully cover the needs of the region.In 2024, 14.7 billion tenge was allocated for the improvement of towns and villages (+34% by 2023). The funds will be used for parks, playgrounds, lighting, renovation of facades and demolition of dilapidated housing.The course towards sustainable developmentThe Head of State set the task of full self-sufficiency in electricity, infrastructure development and improving the quality of life of citizens. Kostanay region is already addressing these issues by allocating resources to modernize housing and communal services, improve the road network, build affordable housing and introduce renewable energy sources.Work in these areas will continue in 2025 with increased funding and investment.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanay/press/news/details/934034

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl/press/news/details/933656

Astana, February 6, 2025 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Bakayev held a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Ibragimov.During the meeting, the parties praised the gradual growth of bilateral political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties, and exchanged views on the international and regional agenda.In addition, the diplomats discussed issues of coordination and interaction at the multilateral platforms such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, and “Central Asia +” Dialogue Platforms.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/932956

Astana, February 6, 2025 – Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu received the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Kazakhstan Hamzeh Mahmoud Yousef Al-Omari.During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.Particular attention was given to the intensification of efforts to develop mutual trade. In this context, the results of the 5th session of the Kazakhstan-Jordan Intergovernmental Commission were noted.The diplomats also expressed their appreciation for multilateral cooperation within the framework of international organizations and exchanged views on current issues on the global agenda.At the end of the meeting, the interlocutors reviewed the schedule of mutual visits and events at the highest and high levels planned for this year.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/933037

Zagreb, February 6, 2025 – Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Croatia Daulet Batrashev presented his Letter of Credence to the President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović.Accepting the credentials, the President of Croatia stressed that “Kazakhstan is the country’s most important partner in the Central Asian region,” with relations built on a solid foundation.Following the official ceremony, the Kazakh diplomat informed the President of Croatia on the current economic and political situation in Kazakhstan, as well as on the large-scale reforms initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The two sides also exchanged views on key issues on the international agenda.Both parties highlighted the friendly nature of relations between Kazakhstan and Croatia, emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent approach to strengthening political dialogue, and stressed the need to fully utilize the economic and transit-transport potential of both countries.At the end of the meeting, held in a cordial atmosphere, President Milanović conveyed his best wishes to President Tokayev and the people of Kazakhstan, and wished Ambassador Batrashev a successful diplomatic mission.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/933315

Astana, February 7, 2025 – The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akan Rakhmetullin, met with the Regional Director of UN Women for Europe and Central Asia, Belén Sanz Luque, during her first visit to Kazakhstan.During the meeting, the parties discussed key aspects of cooperation aimed at strengthening gender equality and expanding the rights and opportunities of women in Kazakhstan.Welcoming the UN representative, Rakhmetullin emphasized that Kazakhstan considers gender equality as one of the key areas of political reform, and therefore will continue its active participation in processes dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.The parties also discussed the outcomes of the recent Beijing+30 review meeting, expert consultations on the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, as well as the regional conference of the Central Asian Alliance on the elimination of gender-based violence.Rakhmetullin expressed support for the implementation of regional gender policy projects, while stressing the importance of promoting Kazakhstan’s initiatives.UN representative noted her readiness to continue providing support and assistance to Kazakhstan in implementing the global gender agenda.As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to strengthen their partnership and develop cooperation on priority areas within the global and regional gender equality agenda.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/933449

Astana, February 7, 2025 – Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu received the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kazakhstan Monica Iwersen.The parties discussed the status and prospects of Kazakh-German cooperation in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Special attention was paid to successful joint projects and new opportunities in key sectors such as critical raw materials, transportation and energy.The interlocutors noted with satisfaction the successful dialogue at all levels between Kazakhstan and Germany, high indicators of trade and investment, as well as cultural cooperation based on historical ties.Ambassador Iwersen emphasized that Germany attaches great importance to mutually beneficial cooperation with Kazakhstan and will make every effort to implement joint projects.Separate attention was given to the discussion of transportation cooperation, which will significantly improve the efficiency of logistics processes through the use of German technologies in the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects that meet European standards.The interlocutors summarized the results of the work done over the past year and emphasized the importance of implementing the agreements reached during the visits of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to Berlin in September 2023 and Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, to Astana in September 2024.At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties expressed their shared interest in further comprehensively deepening of the mutually beneficial partnership and ties between Astana and Berlin.At the end of 2024, the volume of trade turnover between two countries increased by 5.9% year-on-year, from 3.774 to 3.997 billion US dollars. In particular, exports increased by 56.8%, from 741 million to 1.162 billion dollars. Over the period from 2005 to 2024, foreign direct investment from Germany to Kazakhstan amounted to 7.6 billion dollars.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/933772

Vatican, February 7, 2025 – Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Holy See, Timur Primbetov, presented his credential letters to His Holiness Pope Francis. The ceremony was held in the residence of Pope Fracis – Domus Santa Marta.During the diplomatic audience, the Supreme Pontiff congratulated the Kazakh diplomat on the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Vatican City, extending his best wishes for success in this pivotal role.Pope Francis expressed his commendation regarding the outcomes of the official visit by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan to the Vatican in January 2024 and reiterated his appreciation for the warm and gracious reception he received during his inaugural state (apostolic) visit to Kazakhstan in September 2022.The Head of the Roman Catholic Church particularly emphasized that equal dialogue should be the basis of world politics, especially in solving the most pressing problems, such as, for example, migration policy.In response, Ambassador Primbetov conveyed to His Holiness the distinguished regards of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and provided a succinct overview of the significant reforms currently underway in the country under the auspices of the Head of State.He articulated his gratitude for the Vatican’s steadfast support and active engagement in the operations of the Secretariat and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Furthermore, he extended a personal invitation from the President of Kazakhstan to participate in the VIII Congress, scheduled to occur in Astana this coming September.At the conclusion of their dialogue, Pope Francis imparted his wishes for peace, well-being and prosperity to the citizens of Kazakhstan. Furthermore, he noted the great potential of our country for further progressive development and strengthening of its position in the international arena.Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Holy See were established on October 17, 1992. Pope John Paul II paid his first apostolic visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan in September 2001. In September 2022, Pope Francis undertook a state (apostolic) visit to Kazakhstan to attend the opening of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. In January 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made an official visit to the Vatican.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/933984

Astana, February 7, 2025 – Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu received the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kazakhstan Cho Tae-Ick.During the conversation, the parties assessed the current state of bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres and expressed satisfaction with the pace of deepening cooperation between the governments, parliaments and business communities of the two countries.Minister Nurtleu reaffirmed Astana’s strong commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership with Seoul and noted the key aspects of cooperation in such areas as industry, energy, subsoil use, transportation, health care, etc.In addition, the Kazakh side invited Korean companies to implement joint investment projects and emphasized readiness to provide maximum assistance in this direction.For his part, the Korean diplomat stressed the importance of continuing political dialogue and organizing events at the highest and high levels.Following the meeting, the sides expressed mutual interest in building up interstate cooperation and agreed to maintain contacts on topical issues of bilateral and multilateral interaction.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/934013

Astana, February 7, 2025 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko held a meeting with the Ambassador of Romania to Kazakhstan Madalina Lupu.During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of Kazakh-Romanian cooperation, as well as key areas for further development of bilateral relations.Deputy Minister Vassilenko emphasized the importance of deepening economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, highlighting the significant potential for expanding bilateral trade and strengthening partnerships across various sectors.Special focus was placed on the operations of Kazakhstan’s largest asset in Europe, “KazMunayGas International”, which plays an important role in the Romanian economy as one of the leading investors and largest taxpayers.The parties agreed to continue active cooperation and implement joint projects aimed at strengthening all aspects of Kazakh-Romanian relations. Discussions also covered the schedule of events for 2025.Romania is one of Kazakhstan’s leading trade and investment partners in Central and Eastern Europe, ranking 5th in Europe and 12th globally. From January to December 2024, bilateral trade reached a volume of 2.9 billion US dollars, including exports from Kazakhstan at 2.79 billion and imports from Romania at 138.4 million. Over the past decade, Romania has invested 1.57 billion dollars into Kazakhstan’s economy. Currently, 37 companies with Romanian capital are registered in Kazakhstan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/934061

As a result of the introduction of the Digital Family Card (hereinafter referred to as the FDC), since the beginning of 2025, more than 60.5 thousand people have been sent SMS messages for the proactive provision of state services in the social and labor sphere. At the same time, 27.5 thousand people have used the opportunity to receive benefits or payments without applying. The Digital Family Card is formed on the basis of data from all existing information systems of state bodies. Today, it contains information on 20 million citizens of Kazakhstan or more than 6.2 million families. The main goal of the introduction of the FDC is to ensure equal access to the state support system for Kazakhstanis. In this regard, the Social Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan establishes the Digital Family Card as a tool for determining medium- and long-term objectives and directions of social policy. The OCC is also a daily "electronic notification" of citizens' entitlement to certain types of guaranteed state support depending on their social status. Currently, the OCC allows Kazakhstanis who are entitled to state support measures to register 10 types of benefits and social payments without any applications. They include social payments in case of loss of working capacity; social payment in case of loss of work, social payment or allowance for loss of breadwinner, allowance for parents (guardians) raising a child with disabilities, disability allowance, allowance for large families, allowance for mothers of many children awarded the "Altyn Alka" and "Kumis Alka" necklaces, targeted social assistance, as well as a lump sum payment for funerals. Also, automatic notifications have been implemented about the possibility of receiving pension payments through the OCC, the expiration date of the status when granting or extending the "kin" status, and employment measures for unemployed people. When the right to receive state support measures is established, an SMS message is sent to the potential recipient from the unified contact center 1414. The citizen who receives the notification must respond to it about his consent. The application and the assignment of social benefits or payments are processed automatically, after which the funds are transferred to the recipient's bank account. In order to avoid the risk of fraud, we note that it is necessary to respond to the SMS received from the unified contact center 1414. For all questions, please contact the Call Center at 1414. The call is free.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/930165

Since the beginning of 2024, more than 8.5 thousand applications from all regions of Kazakhstan have been considered as part of the implementation of a pilot project on the in-person format of conducting a medical and social examination to determine the disability group. Today, in-person certification is carried out for 30 nosological entities.In 2024, more than 96.9 thousand applications were considered in-person, which is 37.4% of the total number of people with disabilities who underwent certification.As previously reported, at the VI meeting of the National Council of Public Trust, the Head of State instructed to create the most favorable conditions for people with special needs, to avoid their movement through instances and paperwork, as well as to prevent contact between service providers and service recipients.To fulfill this task, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with the Ministries of Health and Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, is implementing a project in a pilot format for conducting a medical and social examination (hereinafter referred to as the MES) in all 20 regions of Kazakhstan.To receive a service to determine the disability group, the applicant must apply to the clinic at the place of residence and undergo the necessary examination, the remaining processes will take place without his participation due to the integration of information systems.The transition to external certification:- eliminates administrative and bureaucratic obstacles;- ensures the transparency of expert decisions of the MES;- allows you to receive services for determining disability and determining social protection measures for people with disabilities without leaving home;- eliminates direct contact between the recipient of the service and the service provider, thereby reducing the risks of corruption. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/930169

Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askarbek Yertayev participated in the second Asia-Pacific regional review of the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Sustainable Migration (hereinafter referred to as the GCM), during which he informed his colleagues about the achievements of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific, organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (hereinafter referred to as the ESCAP) in collaboration with the UN Migration Network.Representatives of 53 ESCAP member states and 9 associate members took part in its work.The main purpose of the discussion was to analyze the progress and implementation of the GCM principles in the Asia-Pacific region. The GCM is aimed at protecting the rights of migrants and ensuring the voluntariness, safety, orderliness and legality of migration processes, as well as providing measures to support and integrate migrants, promote their development, improve the processes of policy-making in the field of migration, etc. considers adopted to improve migration processes in the country.“We strive to create a more inclusive and sustainable migration system that will benefit both migrants and the host society.The Government of Kazakhstan has created reliable institutional mechanisms for collecting and analyzing migration data, integrating various information systems to improve the quality and accessibility of data. The National Bureau of Statistics collects information on the movement of citizens of Kazakhstan, foreigners and stateless persons,” he shared.A. Ertayev noted that the integration of information systems of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan with databases of other state bodies, financial and non-financial organizations will increase the efficiency of collecting information in the field of population migration.“This will ensure automation and digital accounting of the entire foreign labor force. The simultaneous introduction of mandatory formation of a personal identification number will allow for the timely registration of employment contracts and temporary residence permits for foreigners.A single platform will allow for the unification of processes, ensuring the observance of the rights of foreigners and Kazakhstanis, as well as eliminating the disparity in wages between foreign labor and Kazakhstani workers, - he said. "Real data on migration processes will help ensure the successful integration of migrants."After the main session, the Vice Minister also met with the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Armida Salsiah Alisiyahbana. During the dialogue, the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and ESCAP in addressing key migration issues and improving the quality of life of migrants.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/930630

As part of the implementation of a pilot project on the use of taxi aggregators to provide invataxi services to people with special needs initiated by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan), since the beginning of 2025, this service has been provided 29.4 thousand times in the cities of Astana and Almaty.We would like to remind you that invataxi services were provided to people with disabilities 207.2 thousand times in 2024.As previously reported, in order to increase the speed and quality of invataxi services, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with akimats, decided to make changes to the mechanism of this service. For example, citizens are required to make an appointment by phone the day before receiving the service, which forces them to plan their trips in advance, wait for an invataxi, there is a lack of vehicles to provide invataxi services, andetc. There are problems.To simplify the conditions, a pilot project was initiated to attract taxi aggregators who have received a request to participate in the provision of this service.The main condition here is the absence of interest from the fare, which is usually transferred to the benefit of aggregator platforms. Yandex has expressed its intention to participate in the pilot project on a gratuitous basis.As part of the pilot project, citizens can use the Invataxi service through the Yandex Go mobile application. This service allows the recipient to choose a vehicle faster, track the status of the order online, and monitor the trips made. The application has a special features screen for people with disabilities to notify the driver of their special needs during the trip. In turn, drivers receive special instructions on how to help a person get into and out of the vehicle.This year, the pilot project continues to be implemented in Astana and Almaty with the participation of focus groups from people with disabilities. In the future, it is planned to scale it to other regions of the country.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/931044

Astana, February 3, 2025 – Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtileu held talks with Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan - Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov, who arrived in Astana on an official visit. During the meeting, a wide range of issues of Kazakh-Turkmen cooperation were discussed, including prospects for interaction in the political, trade and economic, transit and transport, energy, and cultural and humanitarian spheres. The parties emphasized their commitment to further strengthening strategic partnership in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness and mutual respect. The heads of foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan comprehensively reviewed the progress of the practical implementation of the agreements reached as a result of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Ashgabat in October 2024. They agreed to further assist in strengthening inter-parliamentary and intergovernmental relations. Special attention was paid to the issue of further expanding trade and economic cooperation. Over the past two years, the volume of mutual trade between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan has consistently exceeded $500 million. They agreed to take coordinated measures to achieve the goal set by the heads of state to increase bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion. Significant potential was noted in the energy and transport sectors. Readiness was expressed for further development of mutually beneficial cooperation in these areas. A significant agenda of cultural and humanitarian cooperation was highlighted. In accordance with the instructions of the heads of state, last year the solemn opening ceremonies of the Makhtumkuli monument were held in Astana, the monuments to Abai and Kurmangazy in Ashgabat, and the Days of Culture of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan were organized. During the meeting, the ministers "balanced the clocks" on topical issues of the regional and international agenda, confirmed their interest in continuing close cooperation within multilateral structures, as well as in providing mutual support in promoting the initiatives of the two states. In this regard, an exchange of verbal notes in support of each other's candidacies was held within the framework of international organizations. M. Nurtileu congratulated the Turkmen side on the beginning of the International Year of Peace and Trust, declared by the decision of the United Nations General Assembly at the proposal of Turkmenistan. The Foreign Ministers emphasized the importance of developing regional cooperation within the framework of consultative meetings of the heads of Central Asian states and the International Aral Sea Saving Fund, as well as joint efforts to strengthen peace and stability in Central Asia.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/930228

Astana, February 4, 2025 – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akan Rakhmetullin met with the Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil Marcelo Fortuna Biato. During the meeting, the parties discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation in the political and trade and economic spheres, and exchanged views on issues of interaction within multilateral formats. A. Rakhmetullin noted the active role of Brazilian diplomacy on the international stage this year and wished the success of upcoming events, such as the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem and the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In conclusion, the parties agreed to continue deepening mutually beneficial dialogue at the bilateral and multilateral levels.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/931065

Tehran, February 3, 2025 – The 1st meeting of the High-Level Committee of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held under the chairmanship of Alibek Bakayev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.The meeting was attended by the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, the Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the ECO, as well as the Director General for International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.Opening the meeting, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan noted the need to adapt the Organization to the new economic reality and introduce effective mechanisms of interaction.The Kazakh diplomat outlined the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the Organization, emphasizing the importance of transport and logistics ties, trade, technological interaction and the institutional development of the ECO, as well as food security and sustainable development.The participants of the meeting also discussed the main areas of development of the ECO discussed issues, including strengthening the institutional capacity of the Organization. The parties confirmed the importance of developing a new strategic document "ECO Vision 2035", which takes into account modern economic challenges and trends. Special attention was paid to structural reforms aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the work of the ECO.A bilateral meeting between A. Bakayev and the Secretary General of the ECO, Asad M. Khan, was held within the framework of the meeting.Kazakhstan, as the Chairman of the ECO in 2025, intends to actively promote initiatives aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the Organization's activities and deepening economic integration.The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was established in 1985. The main goal of the ECO is to develop economic, technical and cultural cooperation between member states. The ECO has Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey as members. Kazakhstan's official accession to the OECD was carried out at an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in Islamabad (Pakistan) on November 28, 1992.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/931117

The expanded meeting of the Government chaired by the Head of State determined the main directions of the country's development. In accordance with this, systematic work is being carried out in the Kostanay region to ensure economic growth, modernize infrastructure and improve the quality of life of the population.Investments and industryAccording to the results of last year, the volume of investments in the regional economy increased by 11.7%. In 2024, this indicator will increase further due to state support and attracting new investors. In order to develop industrial potential, the construction of a hot briquetted iron production plant will begin, which will create 1,000 new jobs.In accordance with the President's instructions, the construction of a main gas pipeline from Aktobe region to Kostanay will begin. This will allow gasification of settlements in the region and create conditions for the launch of large industrial enterprises.Agro-industrial complexAgricultural industry remains one of the main sectors of the regional economy. In 2023, the volume of agricultural output increased by 22.1%. State support for agricultural producers has doubled, which will allow expanding the use of mineral fertilizers and increasing productivity. This year, it is planned to introduce 337 thousand tons of fertilizers in the region, of which 150 thousand tons should be purchased before spring sowing.In accordance with the instructions of the Head of State, the development of deep processing of products in the agricultural sector is one of the main priorities. In this direction, the construction of a deep processing plant for wheat will begin in the region this year. The task was also set to fully provide the domestic market with domestic products through the development of livestock farming.Infrastructure and housing constructionIn 2024, 1,300 km of roads will be repaired in the region, including highways of republican significance, access roads to villages and streets. The road from Sarykol to the border of the North Kazakhstan region and the Uzunkol-Troebratnoye section will be completely repaired. In addition, work will begin on repairing the road from the village of Bestobe to the border of Aktobe region.The issue of drinking water supply is also in the spotlight. In 2024, 7.7 billion tenge was allocated for the implementation of 40 projects, and more than 13 billion tenge is expected to be allocated for an additional 23 projects. Over the past two years, the level of water supply to the homes of the rural population has increased from 61.5% to 68.9%.Last year, 500 thousand square meters of housing were put into operation, which allowed more than 5 thousand families to get housing. Within the framework of the “Kostanai Youth” program, 250 young families were provided with housing over 3 years, and this work will continue this year.Energy and renewable energy sourcesIn order to ensure the energy independence of the region, 5 projects will be implemented in the field of renewable energy sources. The construction of 1 solar power plant, 1 gas-piston station and 3 wind power stations will begin. The total cost of these projects is 580 billion tenge, and the generated capacity will exceed 1 GW. After the implementation of these projects, the volume of electricity generation in the region will increase 10 times, fully covering domestic needs.Social sphereOver the past two years, 25 medical facilities have been put into operation in the region, which have provided quality medical services to more than 40 thousand people. This year, the maternity ward of the Arkalyk district hospital will undergo major repairs, and Arkalyk and Zhitikara district hospitals will be modernized.In the field of education, the implementation of the “Cozy School” national project continues. In 2023, 4 schools and 7 kindergartens were built, and this year it is planned to open another 7 schools and 5 kindergartens. In addition, as part of the “Year of Working Professions”, it is planned to modernize the technical and vocational education system. Taking into account the industrial and agrarian potential of the regional economy, training personnel in labor specialties is one of the priority areas.ConclusionIn the Kostanay region, large-scale work is being carried out to implement investment projects, develop agriculture and industry, modernize infrastructure, expand housing construction, and improve the social sphere. Fulfilling the instructions of the Head of State will ensure the sustainable development of the region and increase the well-being of the population.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanay/press/news/details/931095

Active work continues in the region to create jobs for the population. In the last week alone, 995 new jobs have been created, of which 420 have been filled. The largest number of vacancies has appeared in the education sector - 112 people have been hired for jobs in schools and kindergartens, including school-lyceum No. 1 in the village of Kargaly, the Youth School of Raiymbek district and the secondary school named after A. Beiseuova. 45 specialists have been hired for jobs in medical institutions, such as the Almaty City Children's Clinical Hospital and the Center for Specialized Social Services at Home. 65 people work in the transport and warehouse sector, 24 in industry, 15 in fisheries, and 10 in construction. The main employers include Zhetysu Wolframy Limited Liability Partnership, Tore Zhailau, educational and medical organizations. Of the total number of jobs created, 567 are subsidized, and 428 are advertised on the enbek.kz portal. "Creating new jobs is our main task. We work with employers on a targeted basis, selecting suitable vacancies for job seekers. "It is important for every resident of the region to have the opportunity to get a job and support their family," noted Aigul Matanovna, head of the Department of Employment and Social Programs. In general, it is planned to create 61.2 thousand jobs in the region by 2025, which will provide additional employment for the population. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl/press/news/details/929485