Kazinform presents a review of foreign media coverage about Kazakhstan this week
From Kazakhstan’s growing cooperation with the Vatican, its reform agenda for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to increased oil exports to Azerbaijan, and plans to boost economic ties with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries, Kazinform presents a review of foreign media coverage about Kazakhstan this week.
Trend: Kazakhstan's maritime transport records growth in cargo shipments
Trend, a Baku-based news agency, reported on July 21 about Kazakhstan's maritime transport handling 633,200 tons of cargo from January through June 2023.
"According to the country's Bureau of National Statistics, this figure is 13.5 percent more compared to the same period of the previous year. Furthermore, the overall cargo turnover also experienced a slight year-over-year increase of 0.6 percent, amounting to 381.8 million ton-kilometers", reads the article.
Zawya: Kazakhstan adopts visa-free entry system for GCC countries, President tells GCC-Central Asia Summit
Zawya, a Dubai-based media outlet, published an article on July 20 covering the summit between Central Asian countries and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The article cited Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev who said that Kazakhstan "adopted a visa-free entry system for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in order to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity".
"The Kazakh president indicated that the tourism industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the region's economy, expressing his readiness to develop the mutual promotion of cultural, educational, environmental, sports, and commercial tourism", reads the article.
Vatican News: Santa Sede-Kazakhstan, in vigore l’Accordo Supplementare
Vatican News, the official news website of the Holy See, published an article on July 19, reporting that an agreement between the Holy See and Kazakhstan has entered into force, which makes it easier for pastoral workers to obtain a residence permit in Kazakhstan.
This agreement is seen as a sign of the growing cooperation between the two countries.
"This treaty, signed in Nur-Sultan [former name of Astana], Kazakhstan on 14 September 2022, facilitates - it is specified - the acquisition of the residence permit in Kazakhstan by pastoral workers", reads the article.
EurasiaNet: Kazakhstan sets reform agenda for Shanghai Cooperation Organization
EurasiaNet, an independent news organization that provides news, information, and analysis on countries in Central Asia, the Caucasus region, Russia, and Southwest Asia, published an article on July 14, reporting that Kazakhstan has set out a reform agenda for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The reforms are aimed at making the SCO a more effective regional organization. Kazakhstan is currently the chair of the SCO.
"Kazakh officials also highlighted a need to step up joint action to address environmental challenges and promote closer ties ‘in the digital sphere.’ SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming endorsed Kazakhstan’s agenda for 2023-24, expressing hope that Kazakhstan can take the SCO to ‘a new level of practical interaction for the prosperity …of the peoples of our countries", reads the article.
Caspian News: Kazakhstan Increases Oil Exports via Azerbaijan
Caspian News, a Baku-based news agency reporting news from the Caspian region, published an article on July 14, reporting that Kazakhstan has increased its oil exports to Azerbaijan. This is part of Kazakhstan's efforts to diversify its oil export routes. Azerbaijan is a key transit country for oil and gas exports from the Caspian Sea region.
"The country’s major oil transporter KazTransOil revealed that the flow of Kazakh oil to European markets through Azerbaijan increased in April-June", reads the article.
Al Arabiya: GCC-Central Asia summit to boost economic, bilateral ties: Al-Falih
Al Arabiya, a news channel based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, published an article on July 19, reporting on the Central Asia-GCC summit, citing Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment Khalid bin Abdulaziz al-Falih, who is optimistic that the summit will "help ensure economic expansion, boost investments and strengthen bilateral relations between the two regions".
"He said from renewable energy, to health care and civil aviation, the Saudi Ministry of Investment is working with private and public sectors to create opportunities for Central Asian investors for a lucrative and safe investment environment in the Kingdom. Much like the Saudi Vision 2030, the Central Asian nations have also adopted strategic development plans, such as Kyrgyzstan’s National Development Strategy 2018-2040 and the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy, al-Falih said", reads the article.
The Travel: Why Kazakhstan Is One Of The World's Most Underrated Destinations, From Someone Who Lived Abroad
The Travel, a news website about travel, published an article about Kazakhstan on July 16, discussing the country as a travel destination, which the author describes as an "undiscovered traveller's paradise".
"Kazakhstan is arguably one of the world's most overlooked destinations in Central Asia. Most travelers head to East or Southeast Asia and forget about the continent's vast interior. This is a very different region of the world and one that only a few independent-minded people ever bother to visit", reads the article.
The article sheds light on Kazakhstan’s history providing background information on how and when to visit as well as what to do.
