Flood preparation: Kazakhstan reduces water volumes in key reservoirs
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is preparing for the flood period. As of today, the necessary reservoirs are being released, primeminister.kz reports.
According to the Ministry, the volume of water in the Astana reservoir has been reduced to 83%: from 20 December 2024 to 3 January 2025, almost 5.1 million m3 of water was released from the reservoir. By 1 April 2025, the Ministry plans to reduce the volume of water in the reservoir to 300 million m3, or 73%.
About 51 million m3 of water remains in the Aktobe reservoir. It is planned to reduce this volume to 47.3 million m3 by 1 April. The volume of water in Bitik reservoir in West Kazakhstan province has been reduced to 34.4 million m3. Today, 8.3 m3 of water per second is discharged from the reservoir.
Bukhtarma reservoir in East Kazakhstan region is filled by 79 per cent. By 1 April, the Ministry intends to reduce its water volume by another 8%. In Yntymak reservoir in Karaganda province 69 million m3 of water has been collected. It is planned to release the reservoir up to 39% to receive flood waters in spring.
The volume of water in the Kengir reservoir in the Ulytau region has decreased to 86%. It is planned to release about 11% more before spring. The Upper Tobolsk reservoir in Kostanay region has collected 585.4 million m3 of water. According to the reservoir's operation regime, the water volume is expected to drop to 499.4 million m3, or 61%, by 1 April.
In spring it is very important not only to collect flood waters in reservoirs, but also to direct them to lake systems, natural pastures and meadows. Therefore, it is necessary to plan in advance for competent water allocation. This year the demands of agrarians and other water users were fully satisfied. During the past irrigation period, about 11 billion m3 of water was supplied to the country's farms. In addition, much work has been done to preserve and restore large and small reservoirs," the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov noted.
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President Tokayev: Construction industry - important sector of economy
Images | Akorda
During a working tour around the city, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has surveyed Asyl Qala plant, specializing in manufacture of paving slabs, Kazinform News Agency cites the Akorda press service.
The plant employs more than 100 people.
The project received eight billion tenge of investments, with production capacity reaching up to 4,500 square meters of paving slabs per day. As soon as the second stage of construction is completed, the capacity is expected to rise to 9,000 square meters.
The products manufactured at the plant are actively used in landscaping works in Astana and other cities of Kazakhstan.
Further, the President surveyed Uniton plant which specializes in manufacture of autoclaved gas-concrete blocks. The plant owned by Sensata Group construction company releases up to 150,000 square meters of gas concrete blocks per annum. The project was financed by Damu Fund and Industrial Development Fund. More than 110 people are working at the plant.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named construction industry an important sector of economy and highlighted the need to boost manufacture of local products.
Earlier, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev surveyed the Electric Locomotive Assembly Plant located in Astana’s Industrial Park No1.
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Olzhas Bektenov presents new akim to Turkestan region on President's order
Images | primeminister.kz
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Head of the Presidential Administration Aibek Dadebay attended the meeting of deputies of maslikhats of Turkestan region, primeminister.kz reports.
The letter of the Head of State on nomination of two candidates for the post of akim of Turkestan region was read to the deputies. Nuralkhan Kusherov, deputy akim of Turkestan region, and Mukhit Turysbekov, akim of Sozak district, were proposed for consideration. The results of open voting were summarised by the election commission. 224 votes of deputies out of 288 were given in favour of Nuralkhan Kusherov.
According to the results of the meeting of deputies of maslikhats, Nuralhan Kusherov was appointed akim of Turkestan region by the relevant Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
At the meeting with the activists of the region Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov thanked Darkhan Satybaldy for his contribution to the development of the region and wished him success in his future activities.
The Prime Minister presented the new akim to the region's activists. The tasks set by the Head of State before the leadership of the region were voiced. In light of the goal to strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of the population, outlined in the interview to the newspaper Ana tili, among the priority directions are noted diversification of the economy and transition to cluster production with the creation of new productive jobs, increasing the investment attractiveness of the FEZ TURAN and the region as a whole, revealing the transport and logistics potential and increasing the development of agro-industrial complex. A number of tasks are set to provide the population with affordable and quality drinking water and stable food prices, modernisation of engineering infrastructure.
Taking into account the historical and spiritual significance of the regional centre of Turkestan, special attention should be paid to the preservation of cultural heritage and strengthening of ties between the brotherly peoples of the Turkic world, as well as the development of the tourism industry.
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Olzhas Bektenov: Government to take all necessary measures to fulfil Head of State's instructions
Images | primeminister.kz
The Head of the Government visited the pavilion-sphere on the territory of the EXPO and checked the progress of fulfilment of the Head of State's instructions on the development of digital technologies, the introduction of which is a new source of economic growth. Olzhas Bektenov noted that in his programme interview to Ana tili newspaper the President set specific tasks to ensure economic growth and improve the welfare of citizens, primeminister.kz reports.
Magzhan Madiyev, Director General of Astana Hub, reported on the progress in creating a digital hub, the core of which will be the Alem.AI international centre of artificial intelligence. Special attention was paid to the training of domestic personnel for the industry demanded in the labour market, as well as the development of relevant educational content.
The Prime Minister noted the practical benefits of AI development, emphasising that the large-scale implementation of technological solutions, first of all, should have a positive effect on the quality of life of Kazakhstanis.
The Head of State in his interview today set a task for the Government to ensure economic growth and improve the welfare of citizens. We are striving for a self-sufficient economy with developed non-resource industries that will create productive jobs, thereby providing families in all regions of the country with a stable income. Kazakhstan is successfully developing GovTech and the IT sphere, and this should be continued. In general, the digital economy should become one of the significant and dynamic points of growth," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
As noted in the interview of the President, the priority tasks of the Government remain to ensure sustainability and efficiency of the economy, dynamic development of the real sector, growth of labour productivity, increase in quality jobs.
The Prime Minister noted that the Government would take all necessary measures to fulfil the instructions of the Head of State, voiced in the interview with Ana tili newspaper.
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Kazakh President comments on information about early presidential elections
Images | Akorda
In his interview with the Ana Tili newspaper President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commented on the information about early presidential elections that appeared in social media, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The President was asked a delicate question about the information regarding the UN.
Information has appeared on social networks that you plan to head the United Nations Organization in 2026 and, in connection with this, early presidential elections will be held in Kazakhstan. How true is this?
I headed the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) as Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament for almost three years. I gained experience and an understanding of the mechanisms of international processes. I believe that it is more than enough. I have big plans for the country’s development for many years ahead I intend to fulfill," the Head of State said.
Earlier, it was reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave an interview to the Ana Tili newspaper.
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President Tokayev says 2024 was ‘a defining year’ for Kazakhstan in an interview with Ana Tili newspaper
Images | Akorda
In his interview with the Ana Tili newspaper President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised the results Kazakhstan achieved in 2024 and highlighted the unprecedented challenges the country faced in the same period, Kazinform News Agency reports.
In the past year, according to the Head of State, there were many important events and a lot of work was done.
For example, modernization of the engineering and communal infrastructure, which had fallen into disrepair, was carried out in all regions. 18 million square meters of housing were commissioned. 7 thousand kilometers of roads were built and repaired. New passenger terminals were launched at the airports in the cities of Almaty, Kyzylorda, and Shymkent. Large-scale projects were implemented in the mining, petrochemical, and metallurgical industries. The manufacturing sector, whose share in the industrial structure almost equaled that of the mining sector, received active development. I would especially like to note the success of our farmers, who harvested a record crop of the past decade - almost 27 million tons of grain," Tokayev said.
He reminded that in his last year’s interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper he said that 2024 would be a defining year for Kazakhstan.
And so it happened. By starting systemic and even painful economic reforms, we set the stage for the country's five-year development. Many projects and initiatives have been implemented in this direction, and there will be even more," the President promised.
In his words, last year saw the increase of pensions, benefits, scholarships and salaries of civil servants. Payments under the "National Fund for Children" was another highlight of 2024.
Hundreds of new schools, kindergartens, and sports and fitness complexes were built countrywide. More than ten branches of leading foreign universities were opened. Funding for science increased, and cultural figures received significant support. Utmost attention was paid to the development of mass sports. All these are useful investments in strengthening the creative potential of citizens.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that amid unprecedented geopolitical tension, Kazakhstan has strengthened its position on the international stage as a state playing a useful role in establishing dialogue for the sake of peace. This positively affects the security and sustainable economic development of our country.
He admitted that the past year was a challenging one as Kazakhstan felt the negative impact of external factors, and natural disasters also interfered with the plans. But, Kazakhstan, in his words, not only kept the situation under control, but also continued the implementation of reforms.
President Tokayev also touched upon the unprecedented floods that put Kazakhstan to a serious test last year.
... the state managed to respond promptly to the dangerous situation. The evacuation of people was organized in a timely manner, the work of temporary accommodation points was established, and material reserves were unsealed. Not only the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, but also the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, and other structures participated in the emergency rescue operations - a total of about 63 thousand people. We managed to save lives and ensure their well-being," said the Head of State.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan learnt an important lesson from the destructive floods.
...we can cope with such disasters only through joint efforts. During the floods, we witnessed the powerful potential of the volunteer movement, volunteers from all over the country helped rescuers, collected humanitarian aid, and supported the victims," he stressed.
Speaking of the destructive nature of the floods, the President reminded that houses, roads, bridges, social and commercial facilities were damaged, and some livestock perished. Tokayev also admitted that such severe consequences could have been avoided if proper attention had been paid to the construction of protective dams and other hydraulic structures in recent decades.
Kazakhstan indeed has learnt its lesson as the new draft Water Code is being considered at the Kazakh Parliament. On top of that, the concept and comprehensive plan for water resource management have been approved, which provide for the construction of more than 40 new and the reconstruction of 37 existing reservoirs by 2030, as well as the modernization of over 14 thousand kilometers of irrigation canals.
A large-scale modernization of the emergency forecasting and prevention system is underway. To address the shortage of water specialists and strengthen research activities, the Kazakh National University of Water Management and Irrigation has been established," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The elimination of the consequences of the spring floods, according to him, demonstrated the effectiveness of the state.
Not a single affected family was left without help and support. Houses were built and apartments were purchased, infrastructure facilities were restored, and losses were compensated for all residents and businessmen affected by the floods. Moreover, this was done in the shortest possible time. Large businesses also made a significant contribution to eliminating the consequences of the floods," President Tokayev underlined.
The Head of State is confident that in today's turbulent world, the number of man-made and natural disasters is growing, and not all states, including the developed ones, are ready for them.
We all witnessed this in 2024. Undoubtedly, we still have a lot to do, but compared to other countries, Kazakhstan looks decent in terms of responding to emergencies," he added.
Earlier it was reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev traditionally congratulated Kazakhstanis on New Year, sending the message of warmth and joy.
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