Cairo, May 18, 2026  - The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Egypt Askar Zhengis held a meeting with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb. During the meeting, the parties discussed the outcomes of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Astana on September 17-18, 2025, and emphasized that the leadership of Kazakhstan attaches particular importance to further strengthening cooperation with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar noted that the results of the 8th Congress, held in Astana under the theme “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Future”, demonstrated Kazakhstan’s significant role in promoting and strengthening global interreligious dialogue. He also stated that he has always supported the holding of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and that they will continue their regular participation in its activities in order to promote interreligious dialogue and harmony.Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb particularly noted that, within the framework of the Congress, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the Egyptian delegation, and emphasized with satisfaction that this meeting had given an additional strong impetus to cooperation between Al-Azhar and Kazakhstan.Askar Zhengis spoke about the large-scale political reforms currently taking place in Kazakhstan. In particular, he noted that the new Constitution had been adopted through a nationwide republican referendum held on March 15, 2026. He also informed that, in accordance with the new constitutional reforms, elections of Kurultai deputies would be held in the country, the position of Vice President would be introduced into the state system, a People’s Council would be established, and other important political developments were underway in the country.The Sheikh of Al-Azhar noted that he holds fraternal Kazakhstan in special warmth and expressed his sincere wishes that the large-scale political reforms in the country would serve the well-being of the people and become an important step toward Kazakhstan’s further prosperity and the strengthening of its competitiveness on the global stage. He also stated his readiness to pay a working visit to Astana at a convenient time for him.On behalf of Kazakhstan’s leadership, the Ambassador congratulated Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, on his 80th anniversary and, following Kazakh tradition, draped a chapan over his shoulders.Following the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their readiness to continue jointly developing cooperation within the framework of the Congress, as well as in the field of theological education.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-cairo/press/news/details/1225311?lang=ru

Due to the introduction of the norm for the formation of zero reporting, the postponement of the TRF submission is no longer provided.In this regard, taxpayers need to plan the preparation of reports in advance and send them in a timely manner.Please note that the rules providing for the exclusion of revocation of tax reports, as well as the extension of the deadline for their submission, come into force on January 01, 2026 and apply to legal relations that arise, including before the specified date.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-vko/press/news/details/1225336?lang=ru

        On May 21, 2026, representatives of the State Institution "Management of the Specialized Security Service of the East Kazakhstan Region and the Abai Region of the Committee for Control of Security Activities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan" conducted a joint training session with the Department of State Property and Privatization of the Abai Region and the Department of State Treasury for the Abai Region for the personnel of facilities vulnerable to terrorism (VTF). The purpose of the events was to train employees in the correct interaction with law enforcement and specialized agencies in emergency situations, to convey to the personnel a clear procedure for action upon detection of suspicious objects or receipt of anonymous threats (by phone or in writing), as well as to ensure safety. During the event, a report on briefings and action algorithms in the event of a terrorist threat was heard, and a video was shown.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/gosreestr/press/news/details/1225349?lang=ru

Strasbourg, 20 May 2026 – Representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan participated in the 89th plenary meeting of the Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Cooperation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC).The Kazakh delegation provided detailed information on the international cooperation of Kazakhstan in the field of mutual legal assistance, the ongoing modernization of the national legal system, as well as the country’s constructive engagement with the Council of Europe.During the meeting, participants discussed current issues related to improving mechanisms of international cooperation in criminal justice matters, including the development of practical forms of interaction between competent authorities of states.The Kazakh side reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening cooperation with European partners in the field of criminal justice, exchanging best practices, and developing the legal and treaty framework for international cooperation.Participation in the activities of the Committee is regarded as an important element of Kazakhstan’s consistent efforts to strengthen the rule of law, further improve its legislative framework, and expand legal cooperation in line with international standards.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-strasbourg/press/news/details/1225354?lang=ru

On May 21, 2026, the East Kazakhstan Regional Scientific and Methodological Center for Informatization and Development of Education "Örken" of the Education Department of the East Kazakhstan Region held the 2nd meeting of the regional (online) community of teachers of the subject "Artistic Labor" with the aim of supporting the professional development of teachers, enhancing their creative potential, and improving the quality of teaching the subject.The meeting was attended by the chairpersons of district and city communities, as well as teachers of artistic labor.During the meeting, the results of the community's work for the academic year were reviewed, and proposals for developing a work plan for the 2026–2027 academic year were considered.According to the meeting agenda, Ayauly Baқytbekқyzy Kyzyrkhanova, an artistic labor teacher at the G. Musrepov Secondary School of the Education Department for the Tarbagatay District of the Education Department of the East Kazakhstan Region, presented on the topic "Combining Modern Tools and National Values in the Lesson." Elena Viktorovna Vasilyeva, an artistic labor teacher at the Regional Specialized Boarding School-Lyceum for Gifted Children in Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science of the Education Department of the East Kazakhstan Region, shared her experience on the topic "From Idea to Finished Product: Organizing Project Activities in Artistic Labor Lessons."Additionally, Zhanar Bauyrzhanovna Tungishbayeva, an artistic labor teacher at the BINOM SCHOOL-lyceum named after Y. Altynsarin in Astana, a Master of Pedagogical Sciences, and the author of the textbook "Artistic Labor" for the 8th grade (girls' version) published by "Almaty Kitap," presented her textbook.The speakers demonstrated substantive and practice-oriented experience relevant to the meeting's theme.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/vko-bilim/press/news/details/1225358?lang=ru

As part of the new Tax Code, the type of tax reporting "Additional upon notification" has been changed to the type "upon notification". At the same time, an initial or additional TRF may be submitted upon notification.Liquidation tax reporting is provided only in cases of termination, liquidation and reorganization of the taxpayer, as well as upon de-registration of the VAT payer.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-vko/press/news/details/1225410?lang=ru

Astana, 21 May 2026 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermukhambet Konuspayev received copies of credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Moldova to the Republic of Kazakhstan Igor Moldovan.During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the political, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres, as well as the upcoming schedule of bilateral events.In addition, they exchanged views on current issues of cooperation between the two countries within international organizations.At the conclusion of the meeting, the Ambassador of Moldova expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and noted that his readiness to make every effort to ensure the steady development of interstate relations in the spirit of friendship and partnership.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1225411?lang=ru

On May 20, 2026, Public Service Center No. 3 in Ust-Kamenogorsk hosted "Service Recipient Day," an event organized to enhance public legal literacy and inform citizens about procedures for accessing public services.The event was attended by representatives from the State Revenue Department, alongside specialists from the state bodies that provide public services in the fields of entrepreneurship and taxation.During the meeting, citizens received information on how to access public services, application submission procedures, and the use of electronic services. Additionally, updates regarding changes to tax legislation and tax reporting procedures were discussed.Participants of the event received consultations on various matters of interest, as well as practical assistance in navigating the electronic services of the state bodies.Such events contribute to improving the quality of public services, fostering public feedback, and enhancing the digital literacy of citizens.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-vko/press/news/details/1225450?lang=ru

The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan continues the "People's Accountant" campaign aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and improving the quality of accounting and tax accounting.The promotion started on January 5, 2026 and will last until June 30, 2026. As part of the initiative, individual entrepreneurs and small businesses can receive professional advice on the following issues free of charge:- accounting;- tax reporting;- work in information systems of tax authorities.In the Mangystau region, consultations are held at the Department of State Revenue for the city of Aktau at the address: Aktau, 31B-35.Schedule of face-to-face consultations (starting from March 2026): Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 13:00.Entrepreneurs also have access to:- video consultations;- telephone communication with district and city administrations during reception hours;- online consultations via official resources;- webinars (in online and offline format);- thematic consultation sessions during the reporting periods."People's Accountant" is the first step in the transition from a control model to service support for taxpayers. In the future, the Ministry of Finance plans to expand measures to prevent violations and strengthen the quality of business advisory support.We invite all entrepreneurs of Mangystau to actively use free assistance! (unofficial translation)Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-mangistau/press/news/details/1225462?lang=ru

On May 19, 2026, an extraordinary session of the Kostanay City Maslikhat was held under the chairmanship of Omarali Baigabylov.During the meeting, the deputies considered two issues on the agenda. The powers of Olga Igimbayeva, deputy for district No. 16, were terminated on the basis of a personal statement.Changes have also been made to the Kostanay City Development Plan for 2026-2030.In addition, information was announced about the existence of grounds for the early termination of the powers of the deputy in district No. 3 Dmitry Pavlenko.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanai-kalasy-akimat/press/news/details/1225480?lang=ru

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/otdel-social-karagandy/press/news/details/1225491?lang=ru

The State Revenue Department for the city of Almaty informs that HELPLINE NUMBERS are operating in the regional State Revenue Departments for Almaty:State Revenue Department for Auezov District – 338-46-64;State Revenue Department for Bostandyk District – 8-707-397-24-37;State Revenue Department for Zhetysu District – 279-43-30, 8-775-470-86-03;State Revenue Department for Almaly District – 270-07-90;State Revenue Department for Turksib District – 221-58-68;State Revenue Department for Medeu District – 8-708-848-95-51;State Revenue Department for Alatau District – 299-83-59;State Revenue Department for Nauryzbay District – 338-41-25.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-almaty/press/news/details/1225506?lang=ru

Since 2026, an innovation has been introduced regarding the submission of a VAT Declaration. Thus, in accordance with Article 505 of the Tax Code, TRF VAT 300.00 is submitted no earlier than the 15th of the month following the reporting tax period and no later than the 15th of the second month following the reporting tax period.This change is because the fact that many taxpayers, without waiting for all electronic invoices to be received, submit reports with incomplete data, and subsequently have to submit additional forms.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-vko/press/news/details/1225543?lang=ru

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl/press/news/details/1225547?lang=ru

In the East Kazakhstan Region, a convict who was under probation supervision with an electronic ankle monitor violated the imposed restrictions twice and attempted to evade probation officers.Previously, the man had already come to the attention of authorities after he unlawfully left his residence at night and moved around the city. For this violation, he received an official warning and was informed about the consequences of further non-compliance with supervision requirements.However, this proved insufficient.During another routine monitoring check, the electronic ankle monitor suddenly went offline. An alarm signal was received immediately, and probation officers from the Department of the Penal Correction System (DCIS) of the East Kazakhstan Region promptly arrived at the offender’s residence. By the time they arrived, however, the man had already fled.For two days, probation officers conducted search operations and kept watch near the offender’s home, assuming he might return.That is exactly what happened.On the second day, the man returned home to collect his personal belongings, where he was detained by probation officers.Today, materials have been submitted to the court requesting the replacement of his current sentence with a stricter punishment.According to the DCIS of the East Kazakhstan Region, an electronic ankle monitor is an opportunity for a convicted person to remain close to family and demonstrate rehabilitation without being isolated from society. However, attempts to evade supervision and ignore legal requirements inevitably lead to harsher penalties.Commented by the official representative of the Department, Saltanat Ozhikanova.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ps/press/news/details/1225581?lang=ru

The new code establishes the transition to a service-based, digital approach in tax administration.What it means in practice:🔹 Declarations are pre - filled in automatically based on the available data;🔹 When receiving and processing tax reporting, the system checks the completeness and correctness of filling in tax reporting (in other words, format-logical control), reducing the number of errors depending on the human factor.🔹One of the key points is the automatic generation of zero tax reporting in the case if a taxpayer has not submitted reports on time. At the same time, the automatic generation of this reporting will be made only if the taxpayer's dossier in the Personal office (TAIS) specifies the forms of tax reporting to be submitted in advance. If the forms in the dossier are not defined, then the system cannot generate reports for the taxpayer. Therefore, taxpayers, including newly registered ones, are obliged to specify the TRF in the IE's personal Account. This procedure must also be performed in case of a change in the type of activity.So, to date, the Taxpayer's account of the Tax Administration Information System (TAIS) has launched a functionality allowing taxpayers to specify the tax reporting forms to be submitted.Taxpayers (except for individuals) must specify the tax reporting forms to be submitted in the service "Submitted TRF".If the ordinary/initial tax reporting is not submitted, within the time limits established by the tax legislation, the information system of tax authorities will generate automatic tax reporting with zero indicators after the submission deadline.At the same time, the taxpayer, in the presence of taxable objects and (or) objects related to taxation, is obliged to submit additional tax reporting to the automatic tax reporting for the tax period.The formation of automatic tax reporting will begin from the first tax period of 2026.Instructions for working with the functionality are available in the Help – Reference section.To enter the new TAIS Taxpayer office, follow the link https://knp.kgd.gov.kz .If you have any questions, contact the email address knpsd@ecc.kz of the support service.After the formation of zero reporting, it is impossible to submit TRF for the same period, except in the following cases: submission of additional TRF and provision of TRF on paper within the prescribed period.  That is, if the taxpayer sent the TRF by mail within the prescribed period, and the document assumed the status of "Document accepted", the automatically generated zero TRF is canceled.The innovation of automatic tax reporting has allowed:🔹 exclude sending notifications for failure to submit tax reports and issuing orders to suspend spending operations on bank accounts based on these notifications;🔹 as well as to exclude bringing to administrative responsibility under Article 272 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan in relation to micro and small businesses, which will reduce punitive measures for businesses. An important change you should know!Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-vko/press/news/details/1224889?lang=ru

On May 19–20, 2026, an international symposium titled “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture, and Identity” was held in Astana with the participation of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.The event brought together more than 350 delegates, including representatives of international organizations, leading foreign and Kazakh historians, archaeologists, researchers, and scholars specializing in the history of the Great Steppe and the Golden Horde. Kazakhstan considers itself a direct successor to the state traditions of the Golden Horde and the Great Steppe. The Golden Horde was one of the largest political entities of its time, covering vast territories of Eurasia and connecting East and West.It made a significant contribution to the formation of civilizations, the development of state structures, and the historical evolution of the Great Steppe. The history of the Golden Horde remains an important part of both Kazakhstan’s national history and the general history of humankind. The power of the Golden Horde was not limited to its vast territories but was also based on effective governance and institutional stability.The empire developed advanced legal, administrative, and diplomatic systems that ensured stability across its vast and diverse territory. Key features of the state included meritocracy, discipline, justice, and the peaceful coexistence of various ethnic and religious communities. The Golden Horde maintained active diplomatic relations with major powers of Eurasia, which had a significant impact on the development of later Eurasian states. A unique model of civilization emerged in the Great Steppe, based on a nomadic lifestyle, trade, and close interaction between nomadic and sedentary peoples.The Golden Horde controlled key trade routes of Eurasia, turning the steppe into a secure transit corridor connecting East and West. The empire developed advanced monetary and trade systems, including large-scale coin minting and thriving commercial centers. The era of the Golden Horde contributed to the “Golden Age” of Turkic literature, music, and epic poetry, which continues to influence the culture of the region today. Kazakhstan considers itself a direct successor to the state traditions of the Golden Horde and the Great Steppe. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-brazil/press/news/details/1225702?lang=ru

The Kazakhstan Freestyle Wrestling Cup was held in Almaty, bringing together the country’s strongest athletes. Among the participants were seven servicemen of the sports team from military unit 6636 of the National Guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.The guardsmen demonstrated a high level of training, strong character, and determination to win, securing several prize-winning places in the individual standings.Senior Lieutenant Azamat Dauletbekov became the tournament champion in the 86-kilogram weight category, confidently winning the gold medal. Another gold medal for the team was earned by Corporal Sanzhar Doszhanov, who became the best in the 71-kilogram category.Corporal Asyl Aitakyn won the silver medal in the 61-kilogram category. Bronze medals were claimed by Corporal Akezhan Aitbekov in the 97-kilogram category and Corporal Bolat Sakayev in the 86-kilogram division.The strong performance of the servicemen at the national tournament once again confirmed the high level of sports development within the law enforcement troops and became the result of systematic training and continuous improvement of the professional and physical qualities of personnel. Press Service of the National GuardMinistry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of KazakhstanSource : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kvv/press/news/details/1225722?lang=ru

On 21 May Mr Jandos Asanov, Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development “KazAID”, met with Mr Valery Freland, Executive Director of the International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (ALIPH), during the latter’s visit to Kazakhstan. The meeting was of an introductory nature.During the conversation the parties briefed each other of the main areas of their work. KazAID representatives presented to ALIPH delegation an information on the Agency’s activities for 2026 and the interaction with partner countries as well as similiar international development agencies of other countries.J.Asanov made emphasis on the issues related to water management and food security.The parties agreed to explore opportunities for joint activities and projects.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kazaid/press/news/details/1225733?lang=ru

Astana, May 21, 2026 - First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashykbayev held a meeting with  Dmitriy Kozenkov, General Director of «Pfizer Kazakhstan» LLP and Head of Pfizer’s subcluster in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Caucasus, and Mongolia (CauCAR). Representatives of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan also took part in the meeting.During the meeting, the parties discussed current issues related to the implementation of Pfizer’s investment project in Kazakhstan.The First Deputy Minister noted that Pfizer is one of Kazakhstan’s key international partners in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. In this regard, the importance of ensuring predictable and favorable conditions for the implementation of investment projects in the medical field was emphasized.The parties confirmed their interest in continuing constructive cooperation on the development of partnership and ensuring access to modern medical solutions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1225758?lang=ru