October 18, 2021 Today, the United States—through the U.S. Agency for International Development—announced $2.4 million in COVID-19 assistance for Kazakhstan. This assistance will support evidence-based decision making for vaccine deployment; advance local capacity to respond to vaccine misinformation; strengthen laboratory systems to conduct COVID-19 gene sequencing; and strengthen Kazakhstan’s vaccine readiness and delivery.  This additional …

October 06, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan is pleased to announce Lawrence Hardy II, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has arrived in Almaty as the new Regional Mission Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Central Asia. Mr. Hardy will lead USAID’s regional programs across …

October 5, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new $19 million five-year activity, USAID Trade Central Asia, that will be implemented in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The new trade activity will build on USAID’s decades of achievements facilitating regional trade, enterprise development, and regional …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, October 4, 2021 – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the eleventh annual Central Asia Trade Forum , an international event promoting regional trade and connectivity across Central Asia and beyond focused on post-COVID recovery and resilience in the region. This five-day virtual event includes over 80 distinguished speakers from around the world including …

September 29, 2021 Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan Join USAID’s 11th Annual Central Asia Trade Forum  Starting on October 04 at 14:00 Nur-Sultan – GMT +6, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will host the 11th annual Central Asia Trade Forum online, themed, “Post-COVID Recovery Through Better Connectivity”. The virtual Forum will conclude on October 08, 2021.  The U.S. Embassy in …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, September 24, 2021 – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Kazakhstan Rule of Law Program, implemented by American Bar Association/Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), in cooperation with the Committee for Civil Society Affairs under the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MISD), organized a roundtable …

September 24, 2021 Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Earlier this month, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced $100,000 in immediate assistance to support people affected by the ongoing drought in Mangystau Oblast in Kazakhstan. USAID has provided a $100,000 grant to the Red Crescent of Kazakhstan to support the most vulnerable groups of the population affected by the drought in …

September 22, 2021 Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) joined other international donor organizations active in Kazakhstan at a roundtable event hosted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Murat Zhurebekov, First Vice Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aliya Shalabekova, Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology …

September 10, 2021 Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – From September 10 to 12, 2021 over 400 media specialists from countries across Central Asia are coming together for the third annual Central Asian Media Festival hosted by USAID-funded Central Asia Media Program. The online media festival enables local journalists to share ideas and discuss the most pressing issues …

The foundation of Securing Semipalatinsk was the early cooperation between the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Government of Kazakhstan following the permanent closure of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Together, we eliminated the vast infrastructure left behind by the Soviet Union’s legacy of nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan in order to prevent the proliferation of nuclear materials …

August 25, 2021, Nursultan, Kazakhstan – Today, Tetra Tech ES, Inc., implementer of the USAID Power Central Asia activity, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Samruk-Energy, Kazakhstan’s largest diversified energy holding company. Under the MOU, the USAID Power Central Asia activity will help Samruk-Energy develop a low carbon strategy with the overall aim to …

On July 5, 2021, six analysts and advocates from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan started a week-long study tour on open budgeting and transparency in public financial management in Tbilisi, Georgia. The study tour is organized by Eurasia Foundation through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Civil Society Support Program in Central Asia . Georgia is a member of the Open Government …

On June 24, 2021, Almaty-based civil society organization “Dva Kryla” began a unique ecological project “Trash Fleet”. A team of eco-activists, volunteers, and bloggers are sailing on the Ili River on rafts built with garbage collected on the banks of Ili and from Almaty city. The project is implemented with the support of Eurasia Foundation …

June 24, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to increase cooperation on development assistance that fosters social, political, and economic stability and security in Central Asia and Afghanistan.  USAID, represented by Regional Mission Director Christopher …

June 22, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a virtual meeting to discuss the status of the Central Asia regional electricity market (CAREM) Roadmap and next steps to creating an integrated regional market.  The meeting was attended by the Vice-Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Kairat Rakhimov; Deputy Minister …

Artisans Empowerment Project June 21, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan  The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (“Atameken”) announce today the launch of a joint project “Born Nomad” to support women’s entrepreneurship, promote traditional crafts in foreign markets, and to preserve cultural heritage through the development of the creative industries.  The national contest …

June 21, 2021 — To mark the 30th anniversary of Central Asian independence, the five U.S. Diplomatic Missions in Central Asia together with the Go Viral Network have launched a regional campaign: Next30 — Young Leaders of Central Asia, to identify 30 emerging leaders in Central Asia, born in 1991 and later.  Registration for the Next30 …

June 18, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – From April 6 to June 18, 2021, the Central Asia Media Program held its second Media Law Marathon , a series of online lectures for law students in Kazakhstan. The lecture series aims to build a network of media law specialists across the country. The training was organized by the Legal Media Center , a longtime …

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad Kazakhstan Press Conference June 13, 2021 Moderator:  Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to our press briefing with the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. My name is Karina [Nigmatulia] and I will be moderating today’s event.  Ambassador Khalilzad will deliver opening remarks and then we will move …

June 11, 2021 — On Go Viral 2021 opening day U.S. Ambassador William Moser and the U.S. Consul General Eric Meyer welcomed more than 2378 participants, representing 18 countries from all five Central Asian republics, USA, Netherlands, China, Ukraine, France, Italy, UAE, Russia, Germany, South Korea, Colombia, Switzerland, and etc. This year more than 50 …

World Environment Day, celebrated globally on June 5, is an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the health of our planet.  The race between the demands of a growing population and a changing climate has led us to a stark choice: we either transform our relationship with nature or face a catastrophic future.  …

May 21, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the Kazakhstan Rule of Law Program organized an online discussion on investment legislation and investment courts. The Kazakhstan Rule of Law Program is funded by the United States government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by ABA ROLI in cooperation with the Supreme Court …

Go Viral “Goes Viral” with Hybrid Regional Festival May 11th – Registration for the 5th annual Go Viral Festival launches today. This year’s festival will take place in a hybrid format June 11-20: some events will take place in person in Almaty, Kazakhstan (Hide Park) as well as in Dushanbe, Tashkent, and Bishkek, based on …

April 12, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – On April 8-9, the United States, through its Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a two-day webinar: ‘Women in Crafts: Opportunities for Connectivity and Digital Trade’ for women artisans and handicraft producers across Afghanistan and Central Asia to better understand market demand, identify new markets, and improve product quality. …

USAID Launches a New Regional Water and Environment Activity in Kazakhstan   April 1, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan– Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched its regional, five-year activity in Kazakhstan, “USAID Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment.” The activity will strengthen regional cooperation between the five countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan on the management of …

On March 1, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finished the delivery of $102,334 worth of equipment to the Scientific and Practical Center for Sanitary and Epidemiologic Expertise and Monitoring (SPC SEEM) and the Central Reference Laboratory (CRL). The donated items include supplies for sample collection and transportation, laboratory plastic, and …

February 25, 2021 Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the United States Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, launched a new five-year, $39 million regional energy program “USAID Power Central Asia”. The program will assist the five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, February 2 – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Central Asia Media Program kicked off the second annual MediaCAMP Eduthon 2021, an innovative seminar on media and digital literacy. The virtual event gathers university professors, schoolteachers, media trainers, and experts in the field of media and digital literacy from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, …

January 12, 2021, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator Javier Piedra met with Kazakhstan International Development Agency (KazAID) Coordinator Rapil Zhoshybaev to strengthen cooperation on development and humanitarian assistance and explore future strategic opportunities for collaboration between the two agencies. Also in attendance were U.S. Consul General Eric …

January 07, 2021 Joint Statement on the Announcement of the Central Asia Investment Partnership The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. Begin Text: Today the Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Kazakhstan, …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, December 22, 2020 – The U.S. government through its Agency for International Development (USAID) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) delivered $6.2 million worth of assistance including essential laboratory equipment and supplies to support the Government of Kazakhstan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. On December 15, U.S. Consul General …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, December 15, 2020 – On December 18, the world marks International Migrants Day. To observe this important day, the United States government will launch an online social media campaign to raise awareness about migrants’ rights in Kazakhstan through its Agency for International Development (USAID) Safe Migration in Central Asia activity, implemented by Winrock …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, December 15, 2020 – The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Future Growth Initiative, and MOST Business Incubatormarked the successful completion of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2020 in Kazakhstan. This year, GEW was held from November 16-22.  The focus of this year’s GEW in Kazakhstan was entrepreneurship development. Event sessions were led by local and international …

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesperson STATEMENT BY SECRETARY POMPEO Kazakhstan Independence Day   December 16, 2020 On behalf of the Government of the United States and the American people, I extend greetings to the people of Kazakhstan as you celebrate the 29th anniversary of your independence. Over the past 29 years, Kazakhstan …

Dear Mr. President: In recognition of Kazakhstan’s 29th anniversary of independence, I send my heartfelt congratulations to you and your fellow citizens.  I join you in celebrating Kazakhstan’s nearly three decades as a leader for peace, stability, and prosperity in Central Asia. The past year has brought unprecedented global challenges, but our partnership has endured.  Our cooperation …

For the second year in a row, the United States diplomatic mission to Kazakhstan took part in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international initiative launched by the United Nations to draw attention to the problem of violence against women and girls. Every year the campaign begins on November 25, the …

December 4, 2020 – From December 2-3, 2020 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), with support from the U.S. Embassies in Nur-Sultan and Bishkek, convened a C5+1 collaborative workshop on air quality monitoring network development with Central Asian countries. Participants in the virtual workshop included government representatives for hydrometeorology and air quality monitoring …

ALMATY,  November 30. The United States joins Kazakhstan in observing World AIDS Day to show support for people living with and affected by HIV, and to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS. The U.S. government’s theme for World AIDS Day 2020 is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact.” This theme reflects …

Almaty, November 27, 2020 – The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan and Chevron reaffirmed their commitment to supporting STEAM education in Kazakhstan by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.  As part of her visit to Kazakhstan, Assistant Secretary of State Marie Royce joined Marc Payne, the Deputy Managing Director of Chevron’s Eurasia Business Unit, in signing a …

MEDIA NOTE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON NOVEMBER 16, 2020 Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Marie Royce will travel to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Rabat and Tangier, Morocco; and Nur Sultan and Almaty, Kazakhstan, from November 16-28, 2020. She will be joined by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic …

November 16, 2020 – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the tenth annual Central Asia Trade Forum , an international event promoting regional trade and connectivity across Central Asia and beyond. This year’s five-day virtual event includes 100 speakers and 4000 registered participants representing 39 countries including the USA, Afghanistan, Georgia, Germany, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, …

November 12, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan —The United States through its Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kazakhstan, announced the procurement of essential laboratory equipment and supplies to support the Government of Kazakhstan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The supplies were provided through USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability project. This second round of supplies is valued …

November 03, 2020 – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will virtually host the tenth annual Central Asia Trade Forum, an international event promoting regional trade and connectivity across Central Asia, on November 16 – 20, 2020.  This year’s theme Central Asia – Growth and Prosperity will explore new trends and market reactions in …

October 27, 2020  U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan William Moser visited the city of Aktau, meeting with the Mangystau Regional Akim Serikbay Trumov, as well as media and NGO representatives.  During his trip, Ambassador Moser marveled at the tourism and business potential in Mangystau, and enjoyed seeing the impact of projects supported by the U.S. mission …

October 23, 2020  The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan provided police protective equipment to the Kazakhstani Committee for National Security to assist in our shared Fight Against Illegal Narcotics Trafficking.  This cooperation is part of the long-standing partnership between the United States and Kazakhstan and the equipment is provided by the Building Partner Capacity program, the …

October 23, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the United States in partnership with the Central Asian Association of People Living with HIV marked the successful completion of its LEADER for People Living with HIV program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Over …

Anti-Crisis Training Center Opened in Ust-Kamenogorsk October 15, 2020. For two years, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) transformed a dilapidated military barracks into the Anti-Crisis Training Center.  This state-of-the-art facility replete with shooting simulators, vehicle simulators, workout rooms, dormitory rooms and classrooms equipped with the latest technological innovations was transferred to the Kazakhstan National …

October 19, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has published a detailed Directory of Central Asian Horticulture Exporters  to provide key information on growers to potential buyers around the world. Over 120 horticulture exporters from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are listed in the catalogue that includes details about their products (by category), brands, …

  October 9 — The fourth annual Go Viral Festival launches today. Almaty Akim Bakhytzhan Sagyntayev, U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan William Moser, and U.S. Consul General in Almaty Eric Meyer opened the festival, welcoming more than 30 speakers and 1,900 registered participants representing 23 countries from all five Central Asian countries, USA, UK, France, Germany, …

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, October 8, 2020 – Today, the United States celebrated the completion and achievements of the Dignity and Rights program. This program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kazakhstan, focused on combating the international scourge of trafficking in persons and on promoting …

October 6, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Today, the United States through its Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the launch of a new initiative, “Central Asia: Region Full of Opportunities” that will be implemented by MOST Business Incubator, with the support of  USAID’s Future Growth Initiative.   The initiative aims to enhance economic activity in Central …

October 2, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The United States through its Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the launch of a new, five-year rule of law program for over $7 million. The overarching goal of this program is to support legal reforms in Kazakhstan by strengthening the independence of the judiciary and creating a …

October 1, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the launch of a new five year, $24.5 million regional water program, USAID’s Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment, that will strengthen regional cooperation on shared water resources and address current and emerging environmental challenges in the five countries of Central …

October 1, 2020, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The United States government through its Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the launch of a new five year, $38.9 million regional energy program, USAID’s Power Central Asia, that will assist the five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—to meet their national energy priorities, reap …

September 29, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – The United States today celebrated five years of achievements in increased regional cooperation and constructive dialogue on shared water resources at the USAID-funded Smart Waters program closing ceremony. The Smart Waters program increased cooperation within Central Asia and Afghanistan on shared water resources.  Over the past five years, Smart Waters …

This article first appeared in the Shymkent-based Ontustik Rabat print edition in Kazakh on September 17, 2020, and was republished on Otyrar and Baq.kz news sites.  The United States is committed to ending modern slavery worldwide.  We remain steadfast in declaring that there is no excuse for human trafficking and that governments must take bold action in …

We are pleased to share this tribute to the Kazakh poet Abai and his song ‘“Aittym Salem, Qalamqas” performed by Humming House, an American band from Nashville, Tennessee. In 2018 the band had the good fortune of travelling to Kazakhstan as part of an American Music Abroad program and visiting the town of Semey, in …

On September 1, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC/CAR) has delivered $316,000 worth of equipment and supplies to two laboratories in Almaty. The Central Reference Laboratory and the Scientific and Practical Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring will use the received items to obtain high quality samples and increase …

May 29, 2020, Nur-Sultan – For the past two months the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and American Councils for International Education worked together to safely return 114 Kazakhstani students participating in the year-long program Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX [1]) as well as a handful …

May 26, 2020, Kazakhstan – The U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed $2 million dollars to protect migrants in Central Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This support will be delivered through the ongoing USAID-funded Safe Migration in Central Asia project, implemented by Winrock International. The COVID-19 pandemic has created …

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE For Immediate Release MEDIA NOTE January 6, 2020 We are pleased to announce that the United States and Kazakhstan have signed the Air Transport (Open Skies) Agreement. U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan William H. Moser signed the Agreement on behalf of the United States and Kazakhstani Minister of Industry and Infrastructural Development …

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Counternarcotics Program recently delivered vehicles and equipment to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.  The CENTCOM Counternarcotics Program is part of the U.S. Department of Defense effort to reduce drug trafficking, and to provide No-Cost Technical Assistance to Kazakhstan and other partner nations. On June …

ALMATY, 20 April – The U.S. Consulate General in Almaty and a team of leading Kazakhstani innovators in media, business, and culture are announcing an opening of registration for Go Viral: a three-day festival that will take place in Almaty Towers from 16-18 June. Over three intensive days of music performances, film screenings, workshops, and …

The National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan held a media workshop entitled “Disability and Sport through Mass Media Vision: Promotion of Paralympic Sport” in Astana January 19-20 2017.  The Ministry of Culture and Sport of Kazakhstan, The Embassy of the United States, and the AGITOS Foundation provided support.  At the workshop, journalists and bloggers interacted with …

18 young musicians from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan with six members of Tashkent’s contemporary music ensemble Omnibus and three U.S. musicians performed a concert of works composed collaboratively during an intensive five day program at the Almaty Conservatory.  The music is a mix of the contemporary and the traditional and reflects the musical …

  Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat, visiting Kazakhstan as part of a U.S. Department of State Speaker Program is the Founder and President of Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF). Imam Arafat participated in several meetings and conferences organized by Penal Reform International (PRI) in Uralsk and Astana focused on the issue of extremism in prisons and …

Washington, DC March 9, 2016 Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller welcomed Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on March 8 for a working session of the Fourth U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Partnership Dialogue. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal led the …