Foreign media on Kazakhstan: wildfires in Abai region, Syrian talks, German president Steinmeier’s visit
Reuters:Kazakhstan unexpectedly proposes ending Syria talks in Astana
Reuters published an article on June 21, discussing Kazakhstan's unexpected proposal to end the Syria talks in Astana. Kazakhstan, which has been hosting peace talks on Syria since 2017, has put forward the idea of concluding the negotiations. The proposal comes as a surprise to many, as the Astana talks have played a significant role in attempting to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict.
The article highlights the background of the Astana talks and their contribution to the peace process in Syria. It mentions that previous rounds of negotiations in Astana have helped broker ceasefires, facilitate prisoner exchanges, and establish de-escalation zones.
Reuters quotes Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Kanat Tumysh, who said that «Syria's gradual emergence from isolation in the region could be regarded as a sign that the Astana process has completed its task.»
«Taking into account Syria's return into the Arab [nations] family, we propose officially declaring the 20th meeting under the Astana process the final one,» said the deputy minister, as quoted by Reuters.
The Diplomat:Who Is Responsible for the Fires in Kazakhstan
The Diplomat, an American media outlet providing quality analysis and commentary on events occurring in Asia and around the world, published an article on June 23 about the recent wildfires in the Abai region.
The article delves into the wildfires in Kazakhstan and seeks to identify those responsible for the destructive blazes. It highlights the escalating number of fires across the country and explores the challenges faced by authorities in combating them.
The article discusses various factors contributing to the fires, including climate change, human activities, and inadequate firefighting resources. Additionally, it examines the impact of the fires on Kazakhstan's environment, wildlife, and local communities.
«The regional governors are responsible to the extent that the fires happened within their jurisdictions, but oversight of forestry and emergency response is officially controlled at the national level. Tokayev criticized cabinet-level officials in very different registers. On June 10, he promptly fired the Minister of Emergency Situations Yuri Ilyin, who had held the post since 2020,» reads the article.
Pakistan Observer:ISDB Institute co-organizes Islamic finance seminar in Kazakhstan
Pakistan Observer published an article on June 23 highlighting the collaborative efforts of the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) Institute in organizing a seminar on Islamic finance in Kazakhstan during the Astana Finance Days 2023 in the Kazakh capital.
It discusses how the seminar serves as a platform to promote and raise awareness about Islamic finance principles and practices in the country. The article emphasizes the growing interest in Islamic finance in Kazakhstan and its potential to contribute to the country's economic development.
«The panelists for this session, comprising experts from Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia, shared their recommendations for differentiating Islamic banking products with value offerings, competitiveness, quality of services, and ethical principles to attract customers. The panelists covered the importance of having champion organizations/institutions to lead breakthroughs in Islamic financial services and recommended Kazakhstan and other new-entrant Islamic finance jurisdictions to leverage upon the lessons and success stories of other mature Islamic finance countries that went through similar journeys in the past,» reads the article.
Interfax:Azerbaijani, Kazakh PMs discuss transport, energy cooperation
Interfax reported on June 23 about the meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov in Baku that covered a wide range of topics.
Both parties discussed cooperation in various sectors, including trade, transport and logistics, energy, and agriculture. The Kazakh government expressed its readiness to work closely with Azerbaijan to achieve the objectives set at the highest level, aiming to increase the volume of mutual trade to $1 billion in the near future.
«Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are also actively collaborating in the transport-logistics sector, Smailov said. In this context, the full utilization of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route's capacity will play a key role, he said. The amount of cargo shipped via this route has topped 1 million tonnes, having increased by 64% compared to the same period last year, he said. At the same time, to eliminate bottlenecks on this route, Kazakhstan is building two rail tracks on the section between Dostyk and Moyinty, a container hub at the Aktau port, and a railway bypassing the Almaty station, it said,» reads the article.
Deutsche Welle:Germany and Kazakhstan aim to deepen partnership
The article published by Deustche Welle on June 22 discusses the efforts of Germany and Kazakhstan to strengthen their partnership across various sectors. It highlights the recent meeting between German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, where they expressed mutual interest in deepening cooperation.
The article emphasizes the significance of economic ties between the two countries. It mentions Germany's position as one of Kazakhstan's key trading partners and the potential for further expansion of bilateral trade. It also highlights Germany's interest in investing in Kazakhstan's renewable energy sector, particularly in wind and solar power.
«In his opening statement at the meeting of the delegations, Steinmeier praised reforms enacted under Kazakhs President Tokayev. He welcomed the abolition of the death penalty in particular, as well as the introduction of a constitutional court and the fight against corruption,» reads the article.
Trend:Relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan successfully developing in all areas - President Ilham Aliyev
Trend, Baku-based news agency, published an article on June 22, highlighting the successful development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan across various sectors and the visit of Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov to Baku.
President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the strategic nature of the relationship and praised the positive progress achieved in all areas. He mentioned the broad agenda of bilateral relations and the importance of implementing agreements reached during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Azerbaijan and his subsequent trip to Kazakhstan.
«The President of Azerbaijan said that there is great potential for the further expansion of this cooperation, stressing that all this serves to increase the volume of trade turnover, create additional business opportunities, implement large-scale projects in energy, transport and other areas,» reads the article.
Lonely Planet:Crossing Kazakhstan by train - a two week journey through a bygone era
Lonely Planet, an American travel outlet, published an article on June 21, covering the transformation of Kazakhstan into a welcoming destination for adventurous travelers. It describes Kazakhstan as a Central Asian country that combines Silk Road traditions, remnants of the Soviet era, and vast landscapes. The author shares his personal experience of exploring the region by embarking on a two-week train journey.
Fascinated by the history, the author traveled across the country, taking seven different trains from Astana in the north to Turkestan in the south.
«On these long rides, I took a journey through a bygone era. On these Soviet-era trains, with their particular blend of the antique and the comfortable, time seemed to slow down – and the allure of the unknown beckoned,» writes author Juan Martinez.
BBC:Euro 2024 qualifiers: Northern Ireland loss to Kazakhstan hits qualifying hope
BBC Sports reported on June 20 about the historic win of Kazakhstan’s football team over Northern Ireland in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier for the first time in history.
«And what of that narrative for Northern Ireland and their supporters once the dust settles on a start to Euro 2024 qualification that has yielded three points from four games? With a double-header of away matches against Slovenia and Kazakhstan to come in September, adding to their points tally will not be easy,» reads the article.
