Foreign media on Kazakhstan: From test sites to power plants: Kazakhstan’s journey towards a nuclear referendum, Siberian tigers moved to Kazakhstan by WWF
From recent news about Kazakhstan’s history as a nuclear test site and its decision to build a power plant, to Gennadiy Golovkin’s advocacy for keeping boxing in the Olympic Games, and the relocation of Siberian tigers to Kazakhstan by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Kazinform News Agency offers a weekly review of Kazakhstan’s coverage in foreign media.
The Times of Central Asia: From test sites to power plants: Kazakhstan’s journey towards a nuclear referendum
According to The Times of Central Asia, the history of nuclear power in Kazakhstan is deeply intertwined with the country’s past as part of the Soviet Union and its present as a leading global producer of uranium.
Kazakhstan’s nuclear journey began in 1947 with the establishment of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, where the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear weapons test in 1949. Over four decades, the site saw at least 468 nuclear tests, affecting over two million people and leaving large swathes of land off-limits due to contamination. The health and environmental impact of these tests still influences Kazakhstan’s attitude toward nuclear energy today.
In 1991, the Kazakhstan’s first president closed the Semipalatinsk site, and by 1994, the country had voluntarily relinquished its portion of the Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal. Despite this, Kazakhstan remained active in nuclear research. The National Nuclear Center, founded in 1992, continues to address the aftermath of nuclear tests while contributing to international research. The Institute of Nuclear Physics and other facilities maintain reactors that are involved in scientific and energy-related studies.
Kazakhstan has also pursued peaceful uses of nuclear energy, such as the BN-350 reactor in Aktau, which provided energy and desalinated water until it was decommissioned in 1999. Since then, the region has struggled with energy and water shortages, a situation exacerbated by frequent power outages, especially in the south of the country.
Kazakhstan became the world’s top uranium producer in 2009 and remains a key player in the global nuclear industry, controlling about 40% of the world’s uranium production. However, the country faces an acute electricity shortage, with a projected deficit that will continue to grow. The aging infrastructure of its thermal power plants and power grids, with an average age of 61 years, has further worsened the situation, leading to widespread blackouts and equipment failures, especially during harsh winters.
In response, experts argue that Kazakhstan needs to develop nuclear energy to address its energy deficit and achieve energy independence, as the country currently imports electricity from Russia. The government has been considering nuclear power plant construction since the 1990s, and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has recently emphasized the need for nuclear energy to meet carbon neutrality goals and reduce reliance on external energy sources. Kazakhstan has a plan to increase renewable energy sources but recognizes that this alone will not solve the energy crisis.
The decision to build a nuclear power plant is now up to the public. A national referendum will be held on October 6, 2024, asking citizens whether they support the construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant. The potential site for the plant is the village of Ulken in the Almaty region, and international companies from China, Korea, Russia, France, and the U.S. have submitted proposals for its construction.
The Sports Examiner: World Boxing to add Kazakhstan, world champ Golovkin heads federation’s new Olympic Commission
The Sports Examiner reports that Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee is headed by Gennadiy Golovkin, a 2004 Olympic middleweight silver medalist and two-time middleweight world champion, who advocates for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.
On Thursday, he was announced as the Chair of a new Olympic Commission by World Boxing, created to help the federation gain recognition as the worldwide governing body for Olympic boxing.
“For me personally, as well as for all the sports world, it is important to preserve boxing as an Olympic sport, and this will be my top priority. I also intend to work closely with the IOC on issues of boxing’s commitment to the Olympic values of honesty, fairness and transparency,” Golovkin said in a statement, “I am confident that my experience as a professional athlete will help build systemic work within World Boxing, and through joint efforts we will be able to give boxing a new impetus to its development, but there is still much to be done.”
The Commission, still in formation, will be an outreach group for World Boxing to recruit new members, promote the federation and appeal to potential sponsors.
According to Kazakh Boxing Federation head Shahmurat Mutalip, Kazakhstan Boxing Federation made a significant decision following extensive discussions and analysis. Kazakhstan has officially submitted an application to join the World Boxing organization. This move is primarily focused on securing the Olympic future for domestic boxers.
“The issue of boxing’s inclusion in the Olympic program is currently under discussion at the IOC level. We are prepared to collaborate with all countries to ensure that boxing remains a part of the Olympic Games program.” Shahmurat Mutalip emphasized.
Carbon Herald: Canada and Kazakhstan explore collaboration on energy and carbon capture
Canada and Kazakhstan are exploring opportunities for joint investment in efficient oil and gas production and carbon capture technologies, Carbon Herald reports.
This collaboration aims to reduce Kazakhstan’s carbon footprint, as discussed during an energy session at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) on September 23rd.
The bilateral talks with the Canadian energy delegation aim to foster the development and implementation of shared strategies for carbon management, aligning with Kazakhstan’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
Erlan Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Energy highlighted the enduring relationship between Kazakhstan and Canada. Approximately one-third of the 100 Canadian companies operating in Kazakhstan are involved in the oil and gas sector.
“Canadian companies continue to support Kazakhstan’s oil and gas resources, including maximizing the resources extracted from existing wells, as well as helping other companies to ensure that they meet Kazakhstan’s strict environmental and safety standards. I would like to note that the opportunities for Canadian companies to participate in investment projects in Kazakhstan are huge,” said Akkenzhenov, addressing the event.
Akkenzhenov discussed Kazakhstan’s goals for net-zero emissions by 2060 and increasing renewable energy to 15% by 2030, highlighting the potential for cooperation with Canada on green energy technologies, such as carbon capture, hydrogen energy, and more efficient oil and gas production.
Mario Krpan from Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade emphasized Alberta’s expertise in oil and gas production, carbon capture, and storage, and expressed interest in collaborating with Kazakhstan.
Al Duerr, a partner at Carbon Connect International, shared Canada’s experience in methane reduction programs, noting the potential benefits for Kazakhstan.
NL Times: Siberian tigers moved to Kazakhstan by the World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) brought two Siberian tigers from the Netherlands to Kazakhstan last weekend, reports NL Times. The male and female tigers, Kuma and Bohdana, will live in a large fenced enclosure in the Ili Balkash Reserve. WWF hopes their offspring will be the first wild tigers in the Asian country, where the species has been extinct for over 70 years.
There are currently 5,500 tigers in the wild globally. They mainly stay in densely populated area, which regularly leads to incidents with people. This is why the WWF is looking for possibilities to expand their living areas to sparsely populated areas, which led them to Kazakhstan. The goal is for there to be around 50 tigers in the country by 2035.
“After almost 20 years at WWF, this is one of the most special projects I've ever worked on. Because who could have imagined this 15 years ago when we nearly lost the tigers in the wild?" said Gert Polet, a wildlife expert at WWF-NL. “The fact that we are now standing here after years of work offers hope for nature recovery and endangered animal species worldwide.”
The animals were transferred from the Netherlands to Kazakhstan by cargo plane and helicopter in special transport crates. They are currently acclimatizing in a temporary stay area before being released in the reservation’s fenced area, which is as big as Gelderland.
“We want the best possible future for all the animals in our care, preferably one as close to their natural habitat as possible. It is a dream for our organization that with this project, we can contribute to a species conservation program for tigers in a country where they once belonged,” said Robert Kruijff, director of the Lion Foundation, where the tigers come from.
The Hollywood Reporter: Oscars 2025: Kazakhstan picks ‘Bauryna Salu’ for international feature race
According to The Hollywood Reporter, countries are quickly submitting their entries for the 97th Oscars in the Best International Feature category before the November 14 deadline. Kazakhstan has just chosen its contender, the coming-of-age film Bauryna Salu by Askhat Kuchinchirekov.
The feature premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival last year and was the stand-out at Kazakhstan’s national film honors, the Tulpars, winning the best film honor. It marks Kuchinchirekov’s feature-length debut as a director. International film fans will remember him for his acting turns in Sergei Dvortsevoy’s Tulpan, which won Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section back in 2008, and the Ayka in 2018, which made the Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature but was not nominated.
Bauryna Salu focuses on a young boy in rural Kazakhstan who is handed over to his grandmother at birth, in accordance with the nomadic tradition of “Bauryna Salu” whereby a close relative, and not a child’s birth parents, are tasked with raising a child to adulthood. When his grandmother dies, the boy, aged 12, goes to live with his parents for the first time and struggles to restore his relationship with them. For the feature, Kuchinchirekov drew on his own experiences growing up with his grandparents under the Bauryna Salu tradition. Wide Management is handling international sales on the feature.
Kazakhstan has been nominated once in the best international feature race, for Sergei Bodrov’s Mongol in 2007, but has yet to win.
The shortlist for the best international feature contenders will be announced on Dec. 17. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 17, 2025. The 2025 Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2.
