ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Singapore-Kazakhstan relations, political and economic developments, energy expansion, cultural cooperation with Vietnam and more.
Singapore keen to build on goodwill, deepen ties with Kazakhstan: SM Lee Singapore wants to build on the goodwill it enjoys in Kazakhstan and deepen ties in areas ranging from business to connectivity, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said as he wrapped up his first visit to the Central Asian country, reported The Straits Times on Aug.
28. Lee said on Aug. 27 that Singapore’s relationship with Kazakhstan was “an account well worth cultivating”, with Singapore companies showing growing interest in the country and trade and investments increasing significantly in recent years “We enjoy a lot of goodwill,” he told Singapore media in a doorstop interview at the St.
Regis Astana Hotel, noting that Kazakhstan remembers warmly founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s first visit in September 1991, three months before the country became an independent republic. The Goethe of the Steppe: How Kazakhstan’s national philosopher shapes the bridge to the global economy News Mark released an article on Aug.
10 exploring how Abai Kunanbayev’s philosophy, literary legacy and emphasis on education, honest work and openness to other cultures can help international investors understand Kazakhstan’s modern business culture and economic ambitions. “Anyone wanting to invest in Central Asia’s dynamic market today cannot ignore one name: Abai Kunanbayev.
What Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is to Germans, Abai (1845-1904) is to Kazakhs. He is not only the undisputed national poet, but also the ethical foundation of a country rapidly transforming from a former nomadic state into a global economic player. For international decision-makers, his work offers the key to understanding the mentality, business culture, and economic ambitions of modern Kazakhstan,” reads the article.
Kazakhstan after Kurultai elections: Expanding opportunities for co-operation with the European Union EU Reporter published an article on Aug. 25 about parliamentary elections on Aug. 23 that completed the formation of Kazakhstan’s new legislature – the Kurultai – the central element of the country’s renewed political system following constitutional reform.
Seven political parties took part in the vote. Turnout stood at 74%. “The first convocation of the Kurultai has cemented the completion of the institutional transition and marked the country’s entry into a new political cycle. The Aug. 23 elections have concluded the phase of institutional renewal in Kazakhstan and opened the period of practical implementation of reforms.
For the European Union, this means a more predictable foundation for cooperation with Kazakhstan in the key spheres of energy, raw materials, and transport infrastructure. Kazakhstan enters a new political cycle with an updated institutional system, reinforcing its position as a strategic partner of the EU in Eurasia,” reads the article.