Our People > Dmitry Pokidaev

Dmitry Pokidaev

Journalist

Dmitry Pokidaev is a journalist based in Astana, Kazakhstan, with experience at some of the country's top media outlets. Before his career in journalism, Pokidaev worked as an academic, teaching Russian language and literature.

Articles

Astana LRT

Astana Launches First Light Rail Transit Service After Years of Delay

Kazakhstan has officially launched Astana’s long-awaited light rail transit (LRT) system, connecting the capital’s international airport with Nurly Zhol railway station. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the inauguration ceremony despite previously expressing doubts about the project’s viability. The Astana LRT project, envisioned as a high-speed elevated transport system designed to bypass road congestion, was first launched in 2011. Authorities initially planned to complete construction by 2017, ahead of the international EXPO exhibition hosted in the capital. However, the project was suspended in 2013 because of rising costs. In 2015, Astana’s city administration attempted to revive the initiative with the participation of a consortium of Chinese companies, China Railway International Group Limited and Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co., Ltd., but the contractors later withdrew because of financing problems. [caption id="attachment_49015" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @Akorda[/caption] In 2019, criminal investigations were launched over allegations of inflated project costs and embezzlement of public funds allocated for construction. Former Astana LRT chief Talgat Ardan and former deputy mayor of Astana Kanat Sultanbekov were accused of embezzling nearly 30 billion KZT (approximately $79 million at the exchange rate at the time). In May 2023, both men were sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison. Ardan was detained in Turkey in May 2025 following an extradition request by Kazakhstan. However, to date, he has not been extradited because the legal assistance agreement between Kazakhstan and Turkey does not specify deadlines for extradition procedures. [caption id="attachment_49041" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @Akorda[/caption] Despite Tokayev’s initial skepticism about the LRT project’s practicality, city authorities ultimately decided to complete construction. The system officially entered service this weekend, with Tokayev personally attending the launch ceremony. During a visit to the Unified Dispatch Center, which is responsible for monitoring and regulating Astana’s public transport system, including the LRT network, Tokayev described the opening as significant not only for Astana but for Kazakhstan as a whole. Tokayev said the capital should eventually become a major transportation hub for Eurasia. [caption id="attachment_49016" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @Akorda[/caption] After receiving passenger card No. 001, Tokayev became the system’s first official passenger, traveling from the airport to the National Museum station. Astana Mayor Zhenis Kassymbek said a dedicated dispatch service for the LRT system has been established. Twenty-one specialists are involved in monitoring and regulating the city’s public transport network. Each LRT train can carry more than 600 passengers. The 22.4-kilometer line will operate with 15 trains, while four additional trains will remain in reserve. The trains operate in fully automated driverless mode. Train acceleration, braking, door operations, and emergency response systems are entirely automated, although manual control and communication with dispatchers remain available as backup systems. The new infrastructure includes 18 stations and a modern depot facility. Travel time across the entire route is expected to take approximately 40 minutes, with average speeds of 50-60 kilometers per hour. Trains are scheduled to run at intervals of five to six minutes. [caption id="attachment_49017" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @Akorda[/caption] Authorities are already discussing a second expansion phase of the LRT network. Planned future...

18 hours ago

Iran

Kazakhstan Sends Humanitarian Aid to Iran

Kazakhstan has dispatched 30 railway wagons of humanitarian aid to war-ravaged Iran, the country’s Foreign Ministry announced on May 16. The shipment – which included staple food supplies such as canned meat, sugar, flour, as well as medicines – is intended to support the Iranian population and help meet essential social needs. A diplomatic handover ceremony to mark the occasion was arranged at Serakhs railway station, on Turkmenistan's border with Iran. Those present included Ontalap Onalbayev, Kazakhstan's ambassador to Iran; representatives of the Iranian Red Crescent Society; and the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s representative office in its northwestern province of Razavi Khorasan. “Friends are revealed in difficult times. Kazakhstan has consistently supported the people of Iran in times of hardship,” said Ambassador Onalbayev. Kazakhstan has attempted to tread a careful line towards Iran since the US/Israeli offensive which began on February 28. Astana had gone out of its way to court the Trump administration, with President Tokayev describing his US counterpart as "sent by heaven" in November 2025. Tokayev has also signed Kazakhstan up to Trump's Board of Peace initiative. Meanwhile, Iran is seen as an important part of Kazakhstan's future infrastructure links to the outside world, with its Indian Ocean ports viewed as a valuable alternative to land-based routes via Russia and China. Kazakhstan and Iran continue to maintain trade and economic cooperation. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan began exporting vegetable oil to Iran via the Caspian Sea in spring 2026. That said, in April, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov noted that several joint projects between Kazakhstan and Iran had been frozen because of military tensions in the region. A representative of the Iranian Red Crescent Society thanked Kazakhstan for the humanitarian assistance and said the gesture would help strengthen bilateral relations and mutual support between the two countries.

18 hours ago

Vegetable Oil Exports

Kazakhstan Begins Vegetable Oil Exports to Iran via Caspian Route

Vegetable oil producers in Kazakhstan have launched a new export route to Iran across the Caspian Sea, completing several trial shipments of rapeseed and sunflower oil in spring 2026, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture said. According to Kazakhstan’s National Association of Oilseed Processors (NAOPK), the first shipment, consisting of 5,000 tons of rapeseed oil, departed from the Port of Aktau on April 4. The buyer was the Iranian company Kourosh Food Industry, while the supplier was one of Kazakhstan’s largest oil-processing plants affiliated with the association. On May 13, loading was completed for a second vessel carrying 5,000 tons of sunflower oil. The Agriculture Ministry said the shipments demonstrate strong interest among Iranian importers in products from Kazakhstan and point to the potential of the Caspian export corridor. NAOPK Chairman Yadykar Ibragimov said the Iranian market holds significant potential for exports of Kazakhstan’s oil and fat products. According to Ibragimov, Iran imports around 3.5 million tons of vegetable oils and oilseed meal annually, including approximately 1.5 million tons of vegetable oils. “Our countries share a border across the Caspian Sea and also benefit from a preferential customs regime under the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran,” Ibragimov said. He noted that Kazakhstan exported more than 100,000 tons of oil and fat products to Iran over the past three years, with around 94% consisting of oilseed meal. “The launch of vegetable oil transshipment through the Port of Aktau will significantly increase supply volumes,” he added. According to association estimates, the Aktau route could handle three to four shipments per month, allowing annual exports of 150,000-200,000 tons of vegetable oil through the new corridor. In the longer term, exports of vegetable oils and oilseed meal to Iran could exceed 500,000 tons annually. Kazakhstan’s Agriculture Ministry said development of the route will help diversify export destinations and reduce pressure on existing logistics corridors. “The launch of this new supply channel will help move closer to the goal of increasing the sector’s foreign currency revenues to $1 billion, as outlined in the 2026-2028 Road Map,” the ministry said. Kazakhstan previously reported record sunflower oil exports: between January and October 2025, the country exported more than 523,000 tons of sunflower oil worth approximately $532 million. Authorities aim to position Kazakhstan among the world’s top three vegetable oil exporters. At the same time, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov said in April that several joint projects between Kazakhstan and Iran had been frozen amid military tensions in the region. Despite geopolitical tensions, Astana and Tehran continue expanding trade and economic cooperation. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan and Iran aim to increase bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion in the coming years, with plans to eventually double that figure.

4 days ago

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Labor Minister Briefs on Kazzinc Explosion and Effects of AI

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection is considering several possible causes behind the explosion at a Kazzinc plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk that killed three people. The incident occurred on the morning of May 5, when a dust collection unit exploded inside one of the plant’s workshops, triggering a fire and the partial collapse of structures. Two employees died at the scene, while another later died in hospital from his injuries. Five more were injured. “We are now determining the exact cause and who is responsible: whether it was non-compliance with safety regulations, failure to properly instruct workers on safety procedures, a technological malfunction at the enterprise, or a failure to replace outdated equipment,” First Vice Minister of Labor Yerbol Tuyaqbayev said during a briefing in the Senate. “We will determine the cause, and believe me, responsibility will follow,” he added. The Kazzinc plant, 70 per cent owned by Anglo-Swiss Commodity giant Glencore, has been operating at reduced capacity since the incident. Last year, Kazzinc produced over 200,000 tonnes of zinc, and more than 500,000 troy ounces of gold. According to the vice minister, large industrial enterprises employing between 5,000 and 10,000 workers in Kazakhstan are classified as high-risk facilities and undergo annual preventive inspections. Tuyaqbayev noted that Kazzinc has previously undergone annual inspections and "the company complied with all orders on time. No fines were imposed.” During the same briefing, the official also commented on the impact of artificial intelligence on Kazakhstan’s labor market. According to estimates by Kazakhstan’s Center for Labor Resources Development, the introduction of AI technologies could eliminate between 300,000 and 400,000 jobs over the next decade. “This primarily concerns secondary support personnel, such as accountants and lawyers, areas where direct human involvement is not always required,” he said. Tuyaqbayev added that the Labor Ministry is already implementing professional retraining programs. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 186,000 people have completed retraining courses. Around 112,000 vacancies are currently registered on Kazakhstan’s Enbek electronic employment platform. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that, according to the Center for Labor Resources Development, artificial intelligence could directly or indirectly affect around 4 million jobs in Kazakhstan over the next decade.

4 days ago

State Visit

Erdoğan Visit Puts Trade, Transit, and Turkic Economic Integration at Center of Kazakhstan’s OTS Push

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Kazakhstan comes as Astana is trying to give the Organization of Turkic States a more practical economic role, linking trade, investment, transport, digital development, and business financing across the Turkic world. The visit centered on three connected events: Erdoğan’s official visit to Astana, the sixth meeting of the Kazakhstan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, and the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Turkistan. Erdoğan arrived in Astana ahead of talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, while Turkish media reported that the agenda included transport links through the Middle Corridor, Caspian transit routes, energy security, logistics, defense industry cooperation, trade and investment. The visit also carried strong symbolic staging. According to Akorda, Erdoğan’s aircraft was escorted by Kazakh Air Defense fighter jets after entering Kazakhstan’s airspace. At Astana airport, he was greeted by an honor guard, children waving the flags of Kazakhstan and Turkey, and military helicopters displaying the national symbols of both countries. Erdoğan later said the welcome had brought his delegation “enormous joy,” adding, “We certainly will not forget this.” [caption id="attachment_48862" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Kazakh aircraft fly over Astana during the ceremonial welcome for Erdoğan. Image: Akorda[/caption] The OTS summit is being hosted by Kazakhstan on May 15 in Turkistan under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.” According to the organization, the summit is intended to advance cooperation on artificial intelligence, digital innovation, emerging technologies, public services, sustainable economic growth, and regional connectivity. The digital theme reflects Kazakhstan’s effort to give the OTS a more practical economic role, beyond its cultural and diplomatic foundations. Ahead of the summit, Astana hosted a business forum on May 13 under the title “Economic Integration and Cooperation of the OTS Countries: New Opportunities in Industry, Agro-Industrial Complex, Logistics and Digitalization.” Kazakhstan’s prime minister’s office said the forum brought together state bodies, financial institutions, chambers of commerce, international organizations, and business representatives from OTS countries. Kanat Sharlapayev, chairman of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Turkic States and of the presidium of Kazakhstan’s Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, urged Turkic countries to move toward deeper industrial and digital integration. He said the task was to create a unified digital environment, reduce the distance between producers and consumers, increase transparency, and speed up transactions. The forum also discussed plans for joint industrial facilities and manufacturing zones along transport corridors, an idea that would push OTS cooperation beyond transit toward processing and value-added production. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin used the forum to frame OTS cooperation as one of Kazakhstan’s foreign economic priorities. He said the OTS countries form a market of more than 170 million people and have significant industrial, transport, agricultural, and human potential. He also said the main task was to move from declarations to joint projects, new production, technology alliances, and mutual investment. Silk Way TV reported that Murat Karimsakov, chairman of the Kazakh Chamber of International Commerce, said trade turnover among OTS countries increased...

5 days ago

Exports

Kazakhstan Aims to Increase Non-Commodity Exports by More Than a Quarter by 2030

Kazakhstan plans to increase non-commodity exports to $52 billion by 2030, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said during a plenary session of the Berne Union, the world’s largest international association of export credit and investment insurers. The forum, held in Central Asia for the first time, brought together representatives of international financial institutions, export credit agencies, and investors. According to Bektenov, the export target is outlined in Kazakhstan’s Trade Policy Concept. By the end of 2025, the country’s non-commodity exports totaled approximately $41 billion. The prime minister said Kazakhstan continues to expand its network of free trade agreements within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In addition to existing agreements with Vietnam and Serbia, new arrangements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mongolia, and Indonesia have been concluded over the past two years. Authorities are also placing particular emphasis on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which Kazakhstan views as one of the key trade corridors connecting Asia and Europe. “Our head of state consistently places special emphasis on improving the business climate. Today, Kazakhstan, as the largest economy in the Central Asian region, continues the structural transformation of its national economy,” Bektenov said. According to him, foreign direct investment into Kazakhstan increased by 14.4% to reach $20.5 billion, while investment in fixed capital rose by 13% to a record $43.5 billion. Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover reached $144 billion in 2025. “Today, our goods are exported to 127 countries around the world, and the list of active export product categories has approached 4,000 items,” the prime minister said. Bektenov stressed that the development of international trade, transport and logistics infrastructure, and export capacity is directly linked to improving the country’s investment attractiveness. He invited forum participants to expand cooperation with Kazakhstan in trade, investment, and infrastructure projects. Berne Union President Yuichiro Akita said Kazakhstan continues to serve as a key link in global trade routes dating back to the era of the Silk Road. “Today, the global community once again finds itself at a historical crossroads. A fundamentally different architecture of interaction is emerging, where export credit agencies are moving toward a more strategic and selective approach,” Akita said. According to him, discussions in Astana should help develop new mechanisms for international cooperation amid changes in the global economy. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan also aims to increase exports of IT services to $5 billion by 2030. The government also plans to produce five or six Earth observation satellites in the coming years, some of which are intended for export.

6 days ago

State Budget

Kazakhstan Explores Budget Cuts and Tax Reforms with Input from Elon Musk

Kazakhstan is exploring ways to optimize its state budget, drawing inspiration from recent U.S. reforms. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin revealed that Elon Musk, head of the newly established U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has offered assistance in implementing similar measures in Kazakhstan. According to Zhumangarin, Musk proposed helping the government identify potential cost-cutting areas, though he acknowledged that reducing social expenditures would be challenging. He welcomed Musk’s input, suggesting the formation of a working group to assess possible savings while ensuring that cuts do not negatively impact ordinary citizens. The discussion on budget efficiency comes as Kazakhstan prepares for tax reforms, including raising the value-added tax (VAT) from 12% to a proposed 16-20% and lowering the revenue threshold for VAT registration from 78 million KZT to 15 million KZT ($150,000 to $29,000). Officials estimate the changes could generate an additional 5-7 trillion KZT in revenue. However, the proposed reforms have met resistance. A petition argues that lowering the VAT threshold will disproportionately burden small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), forcing them to hire additional staff and leading to price increases. Some lawmakers have also warned that raising the VAT rate could drive inflation higher. Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev has urged the government to reassess budget efficiency before implementing tax hikes, pointing to the U.S. model, where the Department of Government Efficiency is working to cut wasteful spending. While he does not advocate blindly following the U.S. approach, Ashimbayev believes Kazakhstan should consider similar measures as it debates tax increases and fiscal responsibility. As previously reported, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy had proposed reducing the number of taxes in the country by 21% a year ago.

1 year ago