Foreign media on Kazakhstan: World Nomad Games: The spectacular ‘Olympics’ of Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s rating raised one notch at Moody’s as economy diversifies
From the recent news about Kazakhstan hosting the World Nomad Games, raising its sovereign credit rating at Moody’s, and progressing its partnership with Vietnamese conglomerate 'Sovico Group' to modernize and develop the country’s infrastructure, Kazinform News Agency provides a weekly review of Kazakhstan’s coverage in foreign media.
BBC: World Nomad Games: The spectacular ‘Olympics’ of Central Asia
According to BBC, the fifth World Nomad Games kicked off this week in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana. Dubbed the “Great Gathering on the Steppe”, the Olympics of the nomadic world are a spectacular celebration of traditional sports, identity and culture from across inner Asia.
Indeed, many of the sports have their roots in the skills required to survive on the steppe and in the unrivalled equestrian abilities that fuelled a millennium-long wave of successive steppe empires, from the Huns to the Mongols. There are traditional events such as archery and long-distance horse races, but the Games also promote Kazakh food, traditional dress and even the art of epic storytelling. The goal is to preserve and protect nomadic and steppe culture, which is under increasing threat from globalization, modernization and even climate change.
The World Nomad Games take place every two years and shifts locations as frequently as the nomads it celebrates. The next events in 2026 will likely head back to Kyrgyzstan, where the inaugural event began in 2014.
Bloomberg: Kazakhstan’s rating raised one notch at Moody’s as economy diversifies
Bloomberg reports that Kazakhstan’s sovereign credit score was raised one notch at Moody’s Ratings, which highlighted government efforts to improve the business climate and diversify the economy away from oil and gas.
The country’s long-term foreign-currency rating was lifted to Baa1 with a stable outlook, Moody’s said. The decision “reflects balanced risks” as reforms may make the country more attractive for investment while there is potential for deterioration in regional geopolitics and secondary sanctions.
The rating change comes as the nation is considering the sale of benchmark dollar bonds for the first time since 2015, Bloomberg reported last month.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev aims to reduce the state’s role in the economy and raise some taxes. The government plans to attract investment, cut bureaucracy, and update legislation, according to Moody’s. Non-oil sectors, such as ICT, transport, and manufacturing, have driven growth, boosting resilience to oil price fluctuations.
Kazakhstan holds a BBB- rating from S&P and BBB from Fitch.
News.Az: IMF top official set to visit Kazakhstan
Julie Kozack, IMF Communications Director, announced that Deputy Managing Director International Monetary Fund Bo Li will visit Kazakhstan, News.Az reports.
“Deputy Managing Director Bo Li will be visiting Astana, Kazakhstan on Monday, September 16th to meet with the authorities, engage with various stakeholders, including students, to discuss economic prospects for the region,” she reported at a briefing.
According to the IMF forecast, Kazakhstan’s real GDP growth is expected to be 3.5 percent in 2024. For 2025, GDP growth is projected to stand at 4.6 percent.
Kazakhstan has been a member of the IMF since 1992. Over the years, the country has established several mutually beneficial agreements with the Fund. The IMF mission visits Kazakhstan annually for consultations.
The Times of Central Asia: Vietnamese company to modernize regional airports in Kazakhstan
The Times of Central Asia reports, that the Sovico Group, a leading investment conglomerate in Vietnam, is to modernize and further develop the infrastructure of Kazakhstan’s Turkestan and Kyzylorda airports.
As reported by Kazakh Invest, the deal was confirmed in a Memorandum of Cooperation, signed in Astana between Sovico Group Chairman Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung and Deputy Governors of Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions.
The Chairman of Sovico announced plans to increase the frequency of flights from Vietnam to Kazakhstan, as well as the group’s potential development of Kazakhstan’s trade and logistics potential.
The Sovico Group has also announced plans to acquire Qazaq Air for the sum of approximately $4.2 million by the end of September 2024; a move described by President Tokayev in July, as a demonstration of the Vietnamese conglomerate’s ambitious plans to develop civil aviation in Kazakhstan and the region.
The Times of Central Asia: Kazakhstan proposes lowering age of criminal responsibility
The Times of Central Asia reports, that Kazakhstan has proposed lowering the age of criminal responsibility
Leading the initiative at a plenary session, Majilis Deputy Magerram Magerramov emphasized, “We, legislators, should probably revise the age of criminal responsibility threshold for some crimes, establishing responsibility not from 14, but from 12 years old, for example, in cases of rape.”
Magerramov drew attention to unsafe conditions in schools, citing cases of violence and murder committed by minors. In his opinion, bullying, and romanticizing banditry within the school environment create the basis for violence that continues in the army.
The deputy highlighted the need for a stronger social protection system and urged a focus on educators’ roles in preventing destructive behavior in students. He called for revising current methods of preventing teen crime and emphasized the importance of moral education.
Magerramov also stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to address juvenile crime and the system that allows minors to avoid punishment.
Although a new law on bullying and cyberbullying was introduced in June 2024, the deputy believes further measures are needed to combat youth violence. He noted that the age of criminal responsibility varies globally.
“The age of criminal responsibility varies from country to country. In Japan, Ireland, and Morocco, children can be held responsible for crimes from the age of twelve. In India, the minimum age of responsibility is set at 12, with the caveat that for serious offenses such as murder or rape, the court may take into account the child’s conscious actions,” the Majilis Deputy concludes.
PBS News: Soyuz takes off from Kazakhstan, carrying 2 Russians and 1 American to space station
According to PBS News, a Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russians and an American blasted off on September 11 for an express trip to the International Space Station.
The space capsule atop a towering rocket set off at 1623 GMT from Russia’s manned space launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, and was scheduled to dock with the space station three hours later, in contrast to some missions that last for days.
The mission commander is Alexei Ovchinin, with Russian compatriot Ivan Vagner and American Donald Pettit in the crew.
The blast-off took place without obvious problems and the Soyuz entered orbit eight minutes after liftoff, a relief for Russian space authorities after an automated safety system halted a launch in March because of a voltage drop in the power system.
On the space station, Pettit, Vagner and Ovchinin will join NASA’s Tracy Dyson, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams, and Russians Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.
