Foreign media on Kazakhstan: oil output, critical raw materials partnership with EU, gas processing plant

From the stable oil output in Kazakhstan, strategic partnership in critical raw materials with the European Union (EU), to the plans to build a gas processing plant in the Aktobe region, Kazinform News Agency presents a review of foreign media coverage about Kazakhstan this week.

Reuters: Output from Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to remain stable in 2024 - energy ministry

Reuters reported on November 14 that output from Kazakhstan’s major Tengiz oilfield will remain stable in 2024, citing the Kazakh Energy Ministry.

“Responding to a Reuters request, the energy ministry said that it forecasts oil output from Tengiz will reach 27.9 million metric tons this year (about 608,000 barrels per day), a similar level to 2023's output but around 4% below that of 2022,” reads the article.

EU Reporter: Kazakh minister sets out how to strengthen EU’s relationship with his country

EU Reporter published an article on November 15, discussing Kazakhstan’s participation in the Raw Materials Week in Brussels.

“In a visit to Brussels to take part in the European Commission’s Raw Materials Week, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Kanat Sharlapaev, explained how his country is already meeting many of the EU’s requirements for critical raw materials,” reads the article.

Kazakhstan and the EU signed a strategic partnership on critical raw materials, batteries and green hydrogen in November 2022.

“At a business forum on that strategic cooperation, Kazakh Industry Minister Kanat Sharlapaev said Kazakhstan fully supports the European Union's aspirations for diversifying sustainable supplies of critical raw minerals and is confident that the country can make a significant contribution to achieving this goal,” reads the article.

Xinhua: Iran, Kazakhstan agree to boost cooperation

China’s Xinhua published an article on November 16 about the plans between Kazakhstan and Iran to strengthen cooperation.

“The discussions were held between Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani and Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday, according to a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website on Thursday,” reads the article.

The Iranian foreign minister suggested enhancing cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, while the Kazakh deputy foreign minister expressed Kazakhstan’s readiness to “promote all-out bilateral cooperation and interactions at regional and international levels.”

Caspian News: Kazakhstan Ready to Ramp Up Oil Shipments via Azerbaijan

Caspian News published an article on November 16, about the increase in crude oil shipments of Kazakhstan.

“KazTransOil, the country's major oil transporter, disclosed plans to export 1.4 million tonnes of oil from the port of Aktau to the port of Baku by the year's end,” reads the article.

The volume of Kazakh oil going to the Baku International Sea Trade Port in Azerbaijan grew 12 times during the first eight months of the year.

“In January-August, 2.164 million tonnes of Kazakh oil were transported for export from the port of Aktau. This denoted an increase of 759,000 tonnes, or 54 percent, over the same period the previous year,” reads the article.

Interfax: KazMunayGas, China's CGGC could build gas processing plant at Urikhtau field

Interfax published an article on November 16 that Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas national oil and gas company and China Gezhouba Group Company Limited are considering building a gas processing plant in western Kazakhstan.

“KazMunayGas (KMG) and China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) could build gas processing plant at the Urikhtau field in Kazakhstan's Aktobe region. KMG Deputy CEO Serikkali Brekeshev held a meeting with CGGC Vice President Yinqi Deng at which they discussed prospects for cooperation in KMG's projects,” reads the article.

Eurasianet: Kazakhstan: Government tackles personal debt mountain, but not everyone is happy

Eurasianet published an article on November 16 about the new legislation in Kazakhstan, which is expected to “place stronger requirements on lenders to ensure people taking out loans are able to pay back.”

“The era of easy credit may be drawing to a close in Kazakhstan. As concerns mount among government officials over the scale of consumer debt, changes are being made to the law to tighten rules on taking out loans. Representatives for the State Agency for the Regulation and Development of the Financial Market say that the problem is getting out of hand,” reads the article.

The author quotes the agency’s head Madina Abylkasymova, who said “more and more people have begun to buy goods in installments.”

“And at the same time, the size and number of loans is growing, as is debt overall,” she said, as quoted by Eurasianet.

Forbes: Kazakhstan Strengthens Its Fashion Diplomacy With Visa Fashion Week Almaty

Forbes published an article on November 16, connecting the links between Kazakhstan’s diplomacy and fashion diplomacy via Kazakhstan’s Fashion Week.

“For the world’s largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan is making some big waves in geopolitics. Ancient trade routes between China, India, Russia and ‘the West’ positioned this nation as a keystone puzzle piece on the map of Central Asia. Now its intermediary prowess is stronger than ever. The last weeks saw visits from the French President Emmanuel Macron, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, three stakeholders in ongoing European security negotiations,” reads the article.

“The country understands the power of design as a tool of global advocacy as well. As early as 2015, as part of my ongoing research on emerging markets, Kazakhstan rose as a prominent case study on the successful application of fashion diplomacy tools,” writes the author.

Times of India: Kazakhstan: Pyramid dating back over 3,000 years unearthed by archaeologists

Times of India published an article on November 17 about the archaeological discoveries in Kazakhstan.

“As per the latest development, archaeologists have unearthed a remarkable pyramid structure in the steppes of Central Asia, believed to be more than 3,000 years old. Known as the pyramid of Karazhartas, this monumental discovery occurred during excavations along the Taldy River in the Karaganda region of central Kazakhstan,” reads the article.

Constructed by the Begazy-Dandibay civilization in the later stages of the Bronze Age, this pyramid functions as a tomb for a member of the elite class that rose to prominence within this society, highlighting their wealth and cultural refinement.