Kazakhstan Maps Out New Opportunities for International Investors

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA – Kazakhstan presented the key provisions of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address on foreign policy, transport and logistics, industry and construction to heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations in Astana on Nov. 9. A special briefing for diplomats and international organizations was held in Astana on Nov. 9 to outline key priorities in President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address. Photo credit: The Astana Times Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said the address carried particular significance as it was delivered in the year marking the 35th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi. Photo credit: MFA “The address not only reflects on our past achievements but also maps out a long-term development strategy for the decades ahead. We are living in a time of unprecedented global turbulence and geoeconomic fragmentation. In these challenging circumstances, Kazakhstan remains firmly committed to a consistent, balanced and pragmatic foreign policy,” he said. Tileuberdi noted that Kazakhstan aimed to turn international partnerships into practical cooperation through joint ventures, greater localization of manufacturing, technology transfer and investment in human capital. “Recognizing that partnership must be mutually beneficial, Kazakhstan offers predictable long-term planning and large-scale contracts under the People’s Construction program, institutional protection for investments, as well as a production and investment platform with access to the market of the Eurasian continent,” he said. He identified energy, agriculture, digitalization and artificial intelligence as priority areas for investors. Opportunities include clean coal power generation, renewable and nuclear energy, agricultural processing and machinery production. Tileuberdi also emphasized opportunities in water infrastructure and digital connectivity, including the construction of fiber-optic cables and the introduction of applied AI solutions. “The construction of a fiber-optic cable across the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan has been completed, and new data center projects are under construction. We intend to actively deploy applied AI solutions in public administration, agriculture and the financial sector,” he said. He invited international partners to take part in developing computing infrastructure, introducing AI across the economy, digitalizing transport and logistics, and advancing blockchain technologies. Tileuberdi also highlighted the planned development of Alatau city as a new center for infrastructure and high technology. Drawing on the experience of the Astana International Financial Centre, the government plans to establish a legal framework to strengthen investor protection, including an investment court based on English common law principles. A new civil court is expected by the end of 2027. Construction program to support domestic industry Minister of Industry and Construction, Yersayin Nagaspayev, outlined the nationwide construction program for 2027, which aims to modernize infrastructure and expand the country’s industrial and production capacity. The program covers highways, railways, bridges, industrial and energy facilities, utility networks, water infrastructure, schools, hospitals and cultural facilities. “The nationwide construction program is intended to provide additional momentum to domestic industry, attract investment, create new production facilities and expand international cooperation. Engaging leading international companies with advanced technologies, extensive expertise and access to global markets will play an important role in this process,” Nagaspayev said. Industry and Construction Minister Yersayin Nagaspayev presented manufacturing data, highlighting the sector’s growing role as a key driver of economic growth. Photo credit: The Astana Times According to him, manufacturing now accounts for 13% of Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product. Since 2023, the country has implemented 647 projects, with another 200 scheduled for this year. Kazakhstan also aims to strengthen its position in global critical minerals supply chains by developing the full production cycle, from exploration and extraction to processing and finished products. The government plans to establish a national system for managing critical mineral reserves and develop a list of priority minerals based on resource potential, industrial capacity and global demand. Nagaspayev said the country was seeking foreign investors and technology partners for projects involving battery and semiconductor materials, specialty alloys and other advanced products. Kazakhstan strengthens its role as Eurasian logistics hub Transport Vice Minister Damir Kozhakhmetov outlined plans to make Kazakhstan a leading logistics hub in Eurasia, saying the country aims not only to facilitate transit but also to organize international freight flows. “On the railway, the Bakhty-Ayagoz railway line, expected to add 20 million metric tons of annual capacity toward China, and the 800-kilometer Aral-Caspian highway, which is expected to shorten the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route by around 1,000 kilometers,” Kozhakhmetov said. Kazakhstan plans to modernize 37 road border crossings, with four scheduled for completion this year and 33 next year. Their capacity is expected to double. Other projects include a new airport in Astana, additional transit corridors, new berths at the Port of Aktau and terminals in Kuryk. The country is also renewing its transport fleet with hybrid locomotives and new aircraft. Kazakhstan’s national aircraft fleet is expected to reach 160 by 2030. “Road construction and repair work is underway across a record 11,000 kilometers this year, including 3,400 kilometers of new construction and reconstruction,” Kozhakhmetov said. By 2030, Kazakhstan’s Caspian ports are expected to handle about 45 million metric tons of cargo annually, including 740,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers. The country also plans to modernize 11,000 kilometers of railway track by 2029 and double the capacity of road border crossings. Transport Vice Minister Damir Kozhakhmetov outlined plans to make Kazakhstan a leading logistics hub in Eurasia. Photo credit: The Astana Times On the Trans-Caspian route, Kazakhstan aims to transport 10 million metric tons of cargo and operate 3,000 container trains annually by 2030, compared with 358 trains last year. Air cargo volumes are also expected to double. He emphasized that the route’s development depends on coordination among all countries along the corridor, particularly on investment, schedules, terminal capacity, border procedures and tariffs. “The cooperation is already producing results. Freight transported through Kazakhstan along the route increased by nearly 30% in the first nine months of this year. In ten months, 522 container trains have been sent, compared with 292 in the same period last year, and our target for the year is 600. A container train now takes 15 to 18 days to reach Georgia’s Port of Poti from Xi’an in China and nine to 11 days to reach Azerbaijan,” he said. He identified five areas for cooperation with international partners: investment in ports, airports, logistics centers and roads, including through public-private partnerships; coordination of corridor capacity; digital document exchange; new air routes and cargo services; and the sharing of expertise and standards. The post Kazakhstan Maps Out New Opportunities for International Investors appeared first on The Astana Times.