Latest news with #Astana
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Astana International Forum 2025 Opens with Resounding Call for Global Cooperation
Astana, Kazakhstan--(Newsfile Corp. - May 30, 2025) - The Astana International Forum (AIF) 2025 opened today with a high-level ceremony that set the stage for two days of strategic dialogue and cross-border collaboration. Held under the auspices of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, this year's Forum gathers global leaders to address some of the world's most urgent challenges under the theme "Connecting Minds, Shaping the Future." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: In his opening remarks, President Tokayev emphasized the urgency of restoring multilateralism in an increasingly fragmented world: "The post-war global order is fragmenting. Protectionism is rising. Multilateralism is faltering. In this emerging disorder, the task before us is clear: to preserve cooperation where it still exists, and to restore it where it has broken down... That's what we in Kazakhstan strongly pursue: 'The unity in diversity'." The Forum welcomed several high-profile speakers, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu, and Ban Ki-moon, Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute and former UN Secretary-General. The session was moderated by Julia Chatterley. Reflecting on the progress that Kazakhstan has made, President Kagame noted that "Kazakhstan's prosperity is the reflection of its leadership, resilience and its people." President Siljanovska-Davkova addressed how to resolve current global crises, stressing that, "We need to use the collective wisdom and experience to think fast, or faster, in order to cope with the pressing challenges of our time." Alain Berset emphasized democratic values as central to global security, stating: "We gather here... to discuss security, energy, climate, and the economy. But let us be honest, these cannot be secured if democracy fails." Meanwhile, Ban Ki-moon praised Kazakhstan's role as a convener: "This year's theme reflects the kind of leadership we need today. One that is collaborative, forward-looking, and rooted in shared responsibility." Qu Dongyu highlighted the role of Central Asia and Kazakhstan in ensuring global food security. "Central Asia stands at the crossroad geopolitically, economically, and climatically," he said, adding: "Kazakhstan's territory is 2,800 square kilometres. With proper management, investments and new technologies - Kazakhstan can easily feed 1 billion people worldwide." The agenda featured action-oriented sessions on climate change, energy security, and conflict resolution. In a one-on-one with journalist Tony Barber, former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz welcomed growing attention to Central Asia: "Europe is now seeing the need for deeper cooperation with this part of the world." UN-backed discussions were a highlight of the Forum, with the organization serving as a strategic partner. Sessions marked the UN's 80th anniversary and addressed priorities like the Pact for the Future, migration, and water security. A standout was a conversation between CNN's Max Foster and Amy E. Pope, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), on migration's role in sustainable development. As day one concluded, AIF reaffirmed its mission to elevate the role of middle powers, reinforce the value of multilateralism, and accelerate practical global solutions. Day two will continue to foster partnerships and dialogue that aim to shape a more stable, inclusive, and interconnected world.
Free Malaysia Today
13 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
US court ruling won't stop Trump tariffs, says ex-World Bank chief
Ex-World Bank chief Bertrand Badre says Asean nations will secure a better outcome if they negotiate collectively with the US. ASTANA : A recent US court ruling may delay the implementation of Donald Trump's tariff policy on foreign countries, but is unlikely to halt it entirely, says former World Bank managing director Bertrand Badre. He said that while the court had found flaws in the procedure used to impose certain tariffs, it did not deem the tariffs themselves unlawful. '(The court decision) might slow down the process of the tariffs, yes, but I don't think it will change the trajectory. 'Furthermore, the court didn't say that the decision was bad. It's the way they made the decision that was the issue,' Badre told FMT on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum 2025, held in the Kazakhstan capital. He said the US government may explore different methods for implementing the tariffs. Badre was a panellist for a discussion titled Trade as a Weapon: The Future of Economic Statecraft, in which experts debated the increasing use of trade policies as geopolitical tools. Speakers highlighted how high tariffs, economic sanctions, and strategic trade restrictions were reshaping global economic dynamics. Badre, CEO of BlueOrange Sustainable Capital, said the case would likely be brought before the US Supreme Court, potentially leading to greater uncertainty. '(Importers would have) already paid something (in the form of tariffs), the goods have been sold in supermarkets already with a higher price, so it's tough to kind of unwind the whole process,' he said. He added that the situation is particularly challenging for businesses unfamiliar with the complexity of the US legal system. 'Most businesspeople are not familiar with the US judicial system.' Badre also urged Asean nations to negotiate collectively with the US, rather than individually. 'If Vietnam goes on its own, then Malaysia, then Singapore, etc, that is not so great,' he said. 'The stronger you are together, the better. That is, to me, the critical point.' He warned that the ruling would complicate ongoing trade discussions. 'It adds to the negotiation process for sure. There is a risk that it will not go through. But still, you are in the negotiation process. So it will make the negotiation even more complex,' he added. Timur Turlov. During the forum, Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Corp, cautioned that a prolonged trade war could erode trust and confidence among major economies. 'It has not yet been disrupted because it has been built over time. But if we distrust the confidence long enough it would be difficult to rebuild,' said Turlov, who was recently recognised as Kazakhstan's richest man by Forbes' World Billionaires. He said trust and confidence in trade relations was a 'great treasure' of developed nations. 'We have seen market reaction with stock markets going up and down and try to react to this new style of global policy but buying and selling (it) is losing value (of doing business),' he added. Daniel Runde, senior vice president and director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), noted that Trump remains popular among American voters, particularly for his stance on migration. 'Right now he remains the popular president. But let's see how we are in six months if the prices of Mercedes Benz and others will go up. Let's see how the US reacts,' he said during the forum.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Kazakhstan Says It Can't Cut Oil Output Despite OPEC+ Deal
Kazakhstan said it can't cut oil production right now, and even hopes to increase output beyond planned levels later this year, deepening a stand-off with its OPEC+ counterparts. Output is more than 70% controlled by 3 large international consortiums and 'the republic has no right to enforce production cuts' on their fields, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov told reporters in Astana on Thursday. Nor can it 'practically' cut output at other old fields operated by state-run KazMunayGas National Co. JSC, he said.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Kazakhstan minister says oil price above $70-$75/bbl likely suits all countries
ASTANA, May 29 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov said on Thursday that an oil price above $70-$75 per barrel is likely to be suitable for all countries. He dismissed criticism over Kazakhstan's oil production exceeding quotas set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, due to the country's relatively small output. Some members of the group have complained about Kazakhstan's overproduction. Analysts and industry sources have also cited Kazakhstan's excessive oil output as one of the reasons behind OPEC+'s decision to speed up production hikes. Akkenzhenov, who took over Kazakhstan's energy ministry in March, singled out U.S. tariff policy as a reason behind volatility on global energy markets. Oil prices rose by about $1 a barrel to above $65 per barrel on Thursday after a U.S. court blocked most of President Donald Trump's tariffs, while the market was watching out for potential new U.S. sanctions curbing Russian crude flows and an OPEC+ decision on hiking output in July. "We wake up each morning and expect to hear the news on some countries' politics," the minister told reporters. He said that Kazakhstan's share in global oil production is less than 2%. According to an industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, Kazakhstan's crude oil production, excluding gas condensate, averaged 1.86 million barrels per day on May 1-19, including 932,000 bpd at Tengiz.
eNCA
3 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Scaroni wins in Alps as Roglic quits Giro d'Italia
Christian Scaroni won stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia while Isaac Del Toro wobbled but clung on to first overall as several contenders fell or faltered on a crash-filled day in the Alps. One of those was the former winner Primoz Roglic whose troubled Giro ended in abandonment after a fourth crash in this year's race. Richard Carapaz was also involved but picked himself up to carry on. Scaroni and fellow Italian and Astana team-mate Lorenzo Fortunato, the two survivors of a long breakaway, crossed the line holding hands at the end of a mountainous 203-kilometre push from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino. "We spoke about it. He said he would give the stage to me. He's an incredible mate," said Scaroni. Scaroni became the first Italian to win a stage on this year's Giro, while Fortunato tightened his hold on the king of the mountains classification. Behind them, Carapaz, Derek Gee and then Simon Yates, one after another, launched late attacks that Del Toro could not match. The 21-year-old Mexican plugged away and did enough to save his pink jersey, but his overall lead dropped to 26sec over Yates and 31sec over Carapaz. Carapaz, a former Giro winner and Olympic road race champion, has struggled in recent seasons. "I haven't been healthy the past few years, as well as bad luck with crashes and the like. I just wanted to give it a try again, I'm here to fight and I'm never going to give up," the 31-year-old Ecuadorean said at the finish. Yates was also happy. "Things are looking positive, and luckily I had good legs today," he said on his Visma team's social media feed. On a day when pre-race favourite Roglic, who had started the day in 10th nearly 4min off the lead, crashed out and Juan Ayuso, who had been third overall, cracked, Gee rose to fourth, 1min 31sec off the lead. Ayuso, in theory the leader of Del Toro's Team UAE, lost the thread on the penultimate climb, Santa Barbara. He crossed the finish line almost 15min after Scaroni and dropped out of the top 10. - 'Cracked up' - Two other riders were withdrew on Tuesday after crashes. Josh Tarling of Ineos hit a guardrail and Italian Alessio Martinelli slid across wet the road and into a ravine after falling during a descent. The 24-year-old was strapped into a stretcher and taken away by ambulance. AFP | Luca Bettini "Fortunately, medical tests ruled out fractures, only an injury to the chin and right buttock and was in 'stable' condition," his team, Bardiani, posted on social media after the stage. On a day of intermittent showers, former Tour de France winner, Egan Bernal of Ineos, crashed on a descent when another rider's rain jacket appeared to become tangled in his wheel. He changed bikes and rode on, climbing to sixth overall. "It was a hard day. I suffered a crash and it was quite difficult to get the good feeling back," Bernal told his Ineos team's web site. "All things considered, we can say I came away all right." "The GC has changed quite a lot in just one mountain stage, and there are still three left," he added. "I will keep fighting. Even if I am a bit cracked up." Wednesday brings a 155km run from San Michele all'Adige to Bormio that organisers rate three out of five for difficulty. Friday and Saturday offer two five-star days with a string of huge climbs which will decide who can enjoy a triumphal entry to Rome at the end of a flat final stage. pb-td/bsp
