On 15-16 October 2026, the VIII NEW SILK WAY Business Forum will be held in Astana as part of Kazakhstan Transport Week, alongside the XXIX International Exhibition «TransLogistica Kazakhstan 2026».
The Forum will bring together representatives of government authorities, international organizations, the transport and logistics business community, and the expert community.
The Forum’s business programme will include meetings and sessions of Ministers of Transport and heads of relevant authorities within the EAEU, ECO, CIS, as well as events focused on the development of key international transport corridors, including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Trans-Afghan Transport Corridor and North–South ITC.
The main event of the Forum will be a strategic session dedicated to the topic «Digital Silk Road: Artificial Intelligence and End-to-End Logistics Technologies».
Representatives of government authorities, international organizations, business and the expert community are invited to actively participate in the Forum’s business programme.
Registration link: https://newsilkwayforumkz.com/
On 6 February 2026, a briefing for national air carriers dedicated to the management of inadmissible passengers (INAD) through the use of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data was held at the Aviation administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) under the chairmanship of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The event was organized with the participation and initiative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) — including its country offices in Kazakhstan and Türkiye, the Regional Office in Vienna, and others — as well as the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and with the participation of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format with simultaneous interpretation.
Opening the briefing, Zhanibek Sharipbayev, Executive Director for Aviation Security of the AAK, emphasized the relevance of INAD-related issues and highlighted the importance of interagency cooperation and digital solutions in enhancing the efficiency of migration management and ensuring aviation security. Welcome remarks were also delivered by representatives of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In his welcome address, Serhan Aktoprak, Head of the IOM Office in Kazakhstan, noted that IOM remains firmly committed to supporting the measures undertaken by the country to further strengthen its system for managing inadmissible passengers and to improve API/PNR mechanisms. He emphasized that progress in the aviation sector is only possible through consistent cooperation among government authorities, air carriers, and international partners.
“Our goal is not to replace existing systems, but to work together with national authorities and airlines to identify challenges in a timely manner and jointly develop effective solutions that enhance border management while ensuring safer and more seamless travel for all,” the IOM representative stated during the briefing. During the briefing, IOM representatives shared international experience in managing INAD processes, including practices applied in Türkiye. Particular attention was paid to the humanitarian aspects of the treatment of inadmissible passengers, as well as to the role of air carriers in safeguarding their rights and ensuring dignified conditions during periods of waiting and repatriation.
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) presented the global “CT Travel” initiative aimed at strengthening border security and preventing irregular movements, including terrorist travel, through the effective use of API/PNR data. Participants were presented with examples of successful programme implementation in a number of countries, and the importance of maintaining a balance between security objectives, data protection principles, and humanitarian considerations was underscored.
Representatives of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan informed participants about the current status of the implementation of the API/PNR system, as well as the legal and operational aspects of its application. Together with IOM Kazakhstan, they presented the concept of the project “Strengthening Border Security through Passenger Data Processing in the Republic of Kazakhstan”, including its phases, expected outcomes, and alignment with international standards.
A separate session was dedicated to discussions with airlines, during which participants exchanged views, asked questions, and expressed interest in further developing cooperation, including refining the project concept.
Following the briefing, participants confirmed a shared understanding of the importance of further development and integration of API/PNR systems as a tool for reducing the number of INAD cases, optimizing airline costs, and enhancing the effectiveness of border and migration control. Concrete next steps were identified to continue interagency and international cooperation in this area, including the potential involvement of foreign air carriers.
QAZAQ AIR airline from 27 October launches daily scheduled flights from Astana to Zhezkazgan on the following schedule:
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays:
IQ 389 Astana (07:35) - Zhezkazgan (09:10)
IQ 390 Zhezkazgan 13:50) - Astana (14:45)
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays:
IQ 389 Astana (07:35) - Zhezkazgan (09:00)
IQ 390 Zhezkazgan (09:40) - Astana (11:00)
Zhezkazgan residents can enjoy convenient connecting flights to Petropavlovsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kostanai, Kyzylorda and Almaty via Astana.
QAZAQ AIR airline from October 10 in addition to daily flights from Astana to Aktobe will introduce additional frequencies on the following schedule:
Tuesdays and Thursdays:
IQ 385 Astana (07:45) - Aktobe (09:50)
IQ 386 Aktobe (10:30) - Astana (12:20)
Thanks to the convenient schedule, connecting flights will also appeal to travelers from Aktobe via Astana to Kyzylorda, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Omsk and Kostanai.
The increase in flights will contribute to increasing the level of mobility of the population and the development of domestic tourism in the country.
You can book and buy tickets on the official website www.flyqazaq.com, as well as in the sales offices of the airline.
Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) hosted regional seminar of International Air Transport Association (IATA) dedicated to safety and sustainability development.
At the opening part of the seminar, the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee, Ms. Saltanat Tompiyeva and the General Director of the AAK Mr. Catalin Radu made welcoming speeches, wishing the participants fruitful work and thanking the IATA Regional Vice President for Europe Mr. Rafael Schwartzman for organizing the regional event in Kazakhstan. This seminar with the participation of so many IATA experts, headed by the Vice President, was held for the first time in Kazakhstan.
The seminar were attended by more than 70 participants from the aviation authorities, as well as Safety and Sustainability experts from airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and fuel suppliers from 7 countries – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Aeroflot, Azeraeronavigation, Azerbaijan Airlines, Air Astana, Berkut, Centrumair, FlyArystan, Qazaq Air, SCAT, Prime Aviation, International Airport Almaty, International Airport Aktau, International Airport Nursultan Nazarbayev, KazMunayGas-Aero, KazMunayGas National Company, Uzbekistan Airways, Qanot Sharq, TezJet, United Airports of Georgia).
The seminar offered a unique opportunity for discussion of the latest trends and best practices in safety, ground handling, and sustainable development within the aviation industry. The organization of the seminar was led by Zhanat Abdugalimov for safety and Zhanna Shek for sustainability. Seminar program included presentations by leading IATA experts (Giancarlo Buono - Director Safety and Flight Operations for Europe, Sergejs Balonuskovs – Senior Manager Regional External Affairs and Sustainability, Malvyn Tan - Head Commercial Fuel, Léa Jouannin – Manager Climate Policy), experts of the domestic civil aviation industry and representatives of AAK, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities with colleagues from aviation sector.
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) TimurTlegenov presented the letter of credentials to the Secretary General of ICAO Juan Carlos Salazar at ICAO headquarters in Montreal.
The meeting addressed a broad array of issues focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in civil aviation.
Secretary General Salazar warmly congratulated TimurTlegenov on his new role and extended his deep appreciation to President Kassym-JomartTokayev for establishing Kazakhstan's Permanent Representation to ICAO. Juan Carlos Salazar expressed confidence that this initiative would significantly enhancethe strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and ICAO
The Secretary General also praised Kazakhstan's achievements and influence on the global stage, recognizing its strong relationships with countries and international organizations
He noted"ICAO highly values and commends Kazakhstan's initiatives and its role to enhance flight safety and improve air transport accessibility, viewing them as exemplary."
Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative conveyed greetings from the country's leadership and expressed strong support for ICAO's initiativesin fostering multifaceted cooperation in civil aviation with Kazakhstan.
TimurTlegenov stated, "Kazakhstan is an active participant in ICAO, and I am convinced that our first-ever permanent mission will further enhance the consistent implementation of Kazakhstan's high standards of flight and aviation safety."He also discussed the current state of Kazakhstan's civil aviation industry, highlighting the key priorities and objectives in this sector.
It is noteworthy that, for the first time, Kazakhstan has appointed an official representative to ICAO, a specialized United Nations agency that sets international standards for civil aviation and coordinates its development to improve safety and efficiency. This appointment, made by decree of the President of Kazakhstan, followed extensive efforts by the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan
In conclusion, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to expanding practical dialogue, highlighting its importance for future cooperation between Kazakhstan and ICAO.
QAZAQ AIR, Kazakhstan's regional airline, has once again been named one of the top three in the Skytrax 2024 World Airline Awards - Best Regional Airline in Central Asia and the CIS.
"We are deeply grateful to our customers in the Central Asia and CIS region for their appreciation of QAZAQ AIR's performance.
Airline users evaluated airline websites, check-in and boarding, cabin cleanliness, flight attendant appearance and service, food quality, seat comfort and many other factors. In this rating we are second only to the national carriers of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, which confirms the high efficiency of our team of professionals. We are constantly working to improve service in regional air travel and strive to increase the freedom of regional travel to the international level", - emphasised Adilbek Umraliyev, Acting Chairman of the Board of QAZAQ AIR JSC.
The World Airline Awards has an unofficial status of "aviation Oscar". Since 1999, it has been awarded annually by the British consulting agency Skytrax, the leading global assessor of airline and airport service quality. Travellers around the world vote in the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey to determine the award winners. All survey and award costs are paid for by Skytrax; airlines pay no entry or registration fees. The online passenger survey was conducted from September 2023 to May 2024 in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. Customers from more than 100 countries participated in the survey and rated the performance of more than 350 airlines.
Astana – The newly established Coordination Platform will improve the safety and sustainability of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. It will expand the corridor’s functionality to turn it into a multimodal and competitive route linking Europe and Asia in 15 days or less.
The event was attended by representatives of Central Asian countries and other states along the corridor, as well as by international financial institutions and non-EU G7 countries.
According to Mr. Marat Karabayev, Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, the development of transport infrastructure and strengthening transport links play a critical role in the economic growth and prosperity of the regions.
“The establishment of the Coordination Platform provides us with a unique opportunity to join forces, exchange experience and perspectives to reach common goals. I would like to note that our partners from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, as well as Turkey have been invited to join to this effort, which plays an important role in terms of achieving major and sustainable goals for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route,” the Minister said.
The Minister of Transport thanked the representatives of countries and organisations for their participation and interest in the establishment of the unique platform, and expressed gratitude to the European Union for its invaluable support and efforts aimed at the development of Central Asian countries.
Mr. Henrik Hololei, Hors-Classe Adviser at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships in the European Commission stated: "The Coordination Platform created for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor marks a significant step forward in our cooperation to bring Central Asia and Europe closer together. Sustainable transport connections are crucial for consolidating the region’s economic growth and connectivity with Europe. We are committed to supporting our partners in achieving their development and environmental goals."
Ms. Maja Bakran, Deputy Director General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission added: “The Coordination Platform will be instrumental in making the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor a multimodal, modern, competitive, sustainable, predictable, smart and fast route linking Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The coordination efforts among the various stakeholders will drive forward deeper connections and contribute to sustainable economic development of the region.”
The Platform will generally promote the corridor and coordinate efforts on the implementation of priority hard and soft infrastructure projects in Central Asia. It will also boost and coordinate investments in rail, road, and port infrastructure.
It should be noted that the European Union has long been a reliable partner of our region, thus contributing to the improvement of infrastructure and strengthening of economic ties, and promoting sustainable development. Our joint work within the framework of the newly established Platform will not only improve transport infrastructure, but will also significantly strengthen economic ties, increase safety and sustainability of transport corridors, as well as accelerate the introduction of innovations and advanced technologies in the transport sector.
Министр транспорта Марат Карабаев встретился со своим латвийским коллегой Каспарсом Бришкенсом
В ходе встречи стороны обменялись мнениями о текущем состоянии и перспективах развития транспортной сферы в Казахстане и Латвии, также был подписан Меморандум о развитии Транскаспийского международного транспортного маршрута.
«Наши страны активно развивают транзитно-транспортное сотрудничество. Одним из значимых аспектов сотрудничества отмечается функционирующая на постоянной основе совместная рабочая группа по транспорту. Данная группа охватывает широкий спектр вопросов в области железнодорожного, автомобильного, воздушного транспорта, транзита и логистики», – отметил глава министерства.
По словам министра, сегодня Транскаспийский международный транспортный маршрут приобрел особую роль в качестве альтернативы другим маршрутам. Об этом свидетельствует двукратный рост объемов перевозок грузов по итогам 2023 года.
«С целью наращивания потенциала ТМТМ, а также устранения «узких» мест на маршруте проводится работа по улучшению инфраструктуры и терминальных мощностей, расширению портовых мощностей, увеличению подвижного состава, снятию административных барьеров и создания благоприятных условий для перевозчиков, которые позволят к 2025 году увеличить пропускную способность ТМТМ до 10 млн тонн в год», – поделился глава профильного министерства.
Отметим, что на сегодняшний день Латвия вместе с Австрией, Германией, Литвой, Эстонией и Венгрией выразили заинтересованность во вступлении в ТМТМ. К слову, в рамках Международной ассоциации ТМТМ подписана Дорожная карта по синхронному устранению «узких» мест и развитию Среднего коридора до 2027 года с Азербайджаном, Грузией и Турцией. В рамках официального визита 31 января этого года аналогичный Меморандум по развитию ТМТМ подписан и с Румынией.
В свою очередь глава профильного министерства пригласил латвийских инвесторов к совместной реализации инфраструктурных проектов.
«Мы готовы укреплять сотрудничество в области транспорта и логистики для взаимного увеличения объемов транзитных грузопотоков, установления и развития транспортных маршрутов, обмена передовым опытом в области мультимодальных перевозок и логистических процессов», – резюмировал он.
В рамках поездки казахстанская делегация посетила строящийся объект Rail Baltica и Рижский свободный порт. Также в рамках рабочего визита Марат Карабаев выступил на казахстанско-латвийском бизнес-форуме о сотрудничестве по транспорту и провел двусторонние встречи с руководством Управления Рижского свободного порта и представителями латвийского бизнеса.
JSC Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport has successfully passed the first International Ground Handling Safety Audit (ISAGO). It is worth noting that the Astana airport is currently the only airport in Kazakhstan that has this actual ISAGO certificate.
The auditors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conducted an audit of the ground handling procedures at the airport, the certificate issued by the association indicates that the airport complies with internationally recognized safety standards, ground handling and recommended international practices.
Thus, the airport demonstrated high quality of service to the airline and passengers, which is confirmed by the successful completion of all 6 possible audit sections, these are: ORM (organization and management); LOD (load control); PAB (passenger and baggage handling); HDL (aircraft handling and loading); AGM (aircraft ground movement) and CGM (cargo and mail handling). The audit requirements consisted of 277 items, which the airport coped with "perfectly".
The Quality control department, the ground handling department, the ground transport division, the apron loaders division, the flight safety inspection, the aviation security, the fire and rescue flight support service, the training center and others took part in this audit.
The advantage of having an ISAGO audit certificate is to confirm a high level of safe ground handling, accident prevention, service quality assurance, as well as the involvement of airlines.