President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on Tuesday to create a new state agency for atomic energy, marking a key step in Kazakhstan’s plan to build its first nuclear power plant.
The agency, which will be directly subordinate to the president, is intended to consolidate functions currently handled by the Kazakh Energy Ministry related to subsoil use, including uranium mining, the utilization of atomic energy, ensuring public safety from radiation, and the development and operation of the Semipalatinsk nuclear safety zone.
The decree, published on the presidential press service website Akorda, also announced the appointment of Almassadam Satkaliyev as the agency’s head.
Satkaliyev, who previously served as Kazakhstan’s energy minister from April 2023, is expected to steer the agency as part of a broader strategy to modernize the nation’s energy sector.
President Tokayev first introduced the initiative during an address to the National Kurultai on March 14, emphasizing that the move is not merely about meeting current energy needs but is a strategic investment in the country’s economic future.
“It is strategically important for us to create a new energy industry that will provide a solid foundation for dynamic economic development for decades to come,” Tokayev said.
He further outlined plans to eventually build not one, but three nuclear power plants to form a comprehensive nuclear cluster.
The agency’s establishment follows a national referendum held in October 2024, in which approximately 71% of Kazakh citizens voted in favor of constructing the country’s first nuclear power plant.
While the decision was hailed by supporters as a forward-looking move for energy independence and economic growth, critics have raised concerns about the project’s implications, particularly given the legacy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, which was used for over 450 tests during the Soviet era and left a lasting impact on public perception.
The new agency is expected to play a pivotal role in overseeing the safe and sustainable development of nuclear energy in Kazakhstan, aligning with the country’s long-term goals for technological advancement and economic diversification under President Tokayev’s administration.
Germany has ended its fast-track citizenship programme, reflecting a shift in public attitudes toward migration and integration....
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of the U.S.-proposed Gaza deal, which will see the release of all Israeli hostages, U.S. President Don...
French President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours, his office said Wednesday, following the resignation of Sebastien ...
U.S. President Donald Trump says he may travel to the Middle East this weekend as talks continue on a potential deal to end the war in Gaza....
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tajikistan on Wednesday for a series of meetings with leaders of former Soviet republics focused on region...
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan’s special forces held a high-level meeting aimed at boosting military cooperation and sharing battlefield experience.
Russia and Kazakhstan have signed a formal agreement to move forward with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, marking a key step in their energy cooperation.
Kazakhstan has named China’s CNNC as a strategic partner in its nuclear power expansion plans, signaling deeper energy cooperation between the two countries.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the strong Kazakh-Finnish partnership and expressed willingness to deepen ties, while the OSCE Chairperson praised Kazakhstan's growing regional influence and cooperation.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected as “incorrect” the report by a Kuwaiti newspaper on recent contacts between Tehran and Washington and also condemned President Trump's threats of renewed attacks if Iran resumed nuclear enrichment.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister, Maka Bochorishvili sought to reassure the public that there is “no danger” to Georgia’s status as the European Union’s revised visa rules include Georgia.
Dushanbe enters one of its busiest diplomatic weeks in recent times as it gears up to host the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) heads of state and a Central Asia – Russia meeting. Both events are set to hold from 8 - 12 October in Tajikistan.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev welcomed a Croatian delegation led by Gordan Jandroković, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, marking his first official visit to Azerbaijan.
A new stage of economic transformation is under way in Karakalpakstan, where authorities have announced 27 large-scale projects worth nearly $2 billion with an aim to boost growth in the region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment