Astana and Al-Kuwait Strengthen Cooperation in the Oil and Gas Sector

11.02.2026, 16:10 29731

Ulytau region named as possible site for new oil refinery

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The construction of a fourth oil refinery in Kazakhstan is being considered in the Ulytau region, Qazinform News Agency reports.

We are currently reviewing several options for the refinery’s construction, and one of them is the Ulytau Region. Expert assessments are under way, and as soon as the technical specifications and location are confirmed, we will share additional information," Vice Minister of Energy Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev said on the sidelines of the Majilis.

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11.02.2026, 15:42 30211

Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Cooperation in Transport and Logistics

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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia Madiyar Menilbekov met with Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services of the Kingdom, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the conversation, the parties explored opportunities to expand bilateral engagement in the field of transport and logistics. Particular attention was given to promoting new logistics routes, expanding the legal framework, and effectively utilizing the potential of international transport corridors.

The parties emphasized the importance of intensifying dialogue and developing practical cooperation in the transport and logistics sector, reaffirming their mutual interest to further advancing the Kazakh-Saudi partnership.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to maintain working contacts and outlined further steps aimed at enhancing mutually beneficial interaction.

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10.02.2026, 16:25 42511

Olzhas Bektenov: More Than 200 New Industrial Facilities Commissioned Over the Year

Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, at the expanded session of the Government chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported on the work being carried out to develop the infrastructure of special economic zones and industrial zones, address energy shortages, develop industry, and attract investment, primeminister.kz reports.

In special economic zones, the average level of infrastructure provision stands at only 53%, while in industrial zones it is 48%. In this regard, the Government is taking a number of measures to accelerate infrastructure development in SEZs and IZs.

The necessary decisions have been taken to ensure 100% infrastructure provision for SEZs and IZs. Over the next three years, large-scale investments totaling 1 trillion tenge will be made in the construction of infrastructure for special economic and industrial zones through the привлечения of funds from the Islamic Development Bank," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

The Prime Minister also reported that this year Kazakhstan will commission 2.6 GW of conventional and renewable energy capacity, which will make it possible to resolve the issue of energy shortages in the first quarter of next year. At present, during peak hours the country continues to experience an electricity deficit, which is covered through imports. Over the past year, the deficit has been reduced by 29%, but it remains significant.

The new tariff policy restores fair market conditions in regulated services. Predictable tariffs are once again attracting private investment into the housing and utilities sector. For example, 655 billion tenge was attracted to the energy sector last year, and around 900 billion tenge is expected to be attracted this year. Overall, electricity generation is expected to increase by 39 billion kilowatt-hours by 2029.

As part of the strategic course to ensure energy sovereignty and cover the growing capacity deficit, the Government, in accordance with the President’s instructions, is carrying out comprehensive work to commission more than 26 GW of new generating capacity by 2035, with key emphasis placed on the development of nuclear and "clean coal" generation.

Olzhas Bektenov reported to the Head of State on the measures being taken to develop transport and logistics infrastructure and increase the country’s transit potential. This year, construction of two railway lines with a total length of 475 km will be completed, along with the modernization of 2.9 thousand km of tracks. This will allow transit traffic volumes to increase by 60%, while the speed of transit container trains will reach 50 km per hour. For example, by the end of this year, the delivery time for cargo from the border of the People’s Republic of China to the Caspian Sea will be reduced from 84 hours to 55 hours. Construction and reconstruction works will be carried out on 11 thousand kilometers of roads.

At the same time, a number of factors constraining the dynamic development of transit potential were identified. One of them remains the high level of wear of railway infrastructure. In this regard, implementation of a comprehensive program for modernization of the main railway network remains under constant Government control.

Attention was also paid to the development of the aviation sector, including infrastructure. This year, construction of a second runway at Astana airport will begin. Commissioning of the second runway will make it possible to begin major repairs of the first runway, which has not been renovated for more than 20 years. This will increase the capital’s airport capacity fourfold, to 40 million passengers. In July of this year, reconstruction of the domestic terminal at Almaty airport will be completed. Capacity will increase from 14 million to 19 million passengers. Construction and installation works will begin to modernize the runway. On the President’s instructions, conditions have been created for the formation of market-based aviation fuel prices. As a result, the price of aviation fuel has decreased from $1.2 thousand to approximately $950. This has increased the attractiveness of Kazakhstan’s airspace for foreign airlines.

With regard to investment policy, it was noted that foreign direct investment increased by $1.5 billion, or 10.9%, over nine months, reaching $14.9 billion. At the same time, taking into account portfolio investments and borrowed funds, the inflow of foreign capital into Kazakhstan amounted to more than $58 billion. Investment in fixed capital grew by 13%, reaching 22.7 trillion tenge. Of this amount, public investment increased by 800 billion tenge (to 5 trillion tenge), while private investment grew by 2.4 trillion tenge (to 17.7 trillion tenge). Special attention was paid to the role of the Investment Headquarters. By the end of 2025, with its assistance, problematic issues related to 212 projects with a total value of $115 billion had been resolved.

The Prime Minister emphasized that, in accordance with the tasks set by the President, the system for attracting investors is being improved. Projects are supported from the initial initiative through to completion of construction under the "green corridor" principle:

by a decree of the Head of State, the functions of the investment ombudsman have been assigned to the Prosecutor General. Prosecutorial oversight has strengthened legal support measures for investors;
the Baiterek holding has begun a proactive search for large investors interested in implementing major projects in Kazakhstan;
to strengthen the external investment attraction framework, foreign representative offices of Kazakh Invest will be opened in countries with high investment potential.

The newly created Alatau City, established on the initiative of the Head of State, will become a new center for attracting investment. The draft constitutional law includes provisions for a special legal regime and the introduction of modern governance and urban planning standards.

The Prime Minister also addressed issues related to stimulating the development of the manufacturing industry. It was noted that the current growth rates of manufacturing are insufficient for full economic diversification. To provide the necessary momentum, projects are being implemented that stimulate the development of manufacturing enterprises. At present, projects with high added value in metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and the agro-industrial complex continue to be implemented through financing mechanisms of the Baiterek holding.

Relevant ministries have been tasked with proactively addressing issues related to launching further-stage processing facilities. Overall, more than 200 new industrial facilities were commissioned last year, and the same number are currently at the final stage of construction," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

To ensure sustainable growth in investment in manufacturing, the economy must be supplied with raw materials; therefore, special attention will be paid to the development of geological exploration. In 2025, work began on developing a detailed geological map at a scale of 1:50,000 to replace the existing 1:200,000 map developed during the Soviet period.

In accordance with the President’s instructions, the state will invest around $500 million in geological exploration over the next three years. For comparison, $760 million was invested over the past 30 years. As a result, 100 thousand square kilometers of territory will be studied in the most promising areas, from seismic surveys to aerogeophysics. Subsequently, an additional 30 thousand square kilometers will be explored each year.

To expand the raw material base, private investment is also being attracted to geological exploration. Since 2023, more than $500 million has been invested in the sector.

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10.02.2026, 15:05 42736

Bektenov Reported to the President on the Implementation of Instructions to Strengthen the Country’s Economy

At the expanded session of the Government chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported on the work being carried out to ensure sustainable economic development, primeminister.kz reports.

In accordance with the tasks set by the Head of State to further strengthen the national economy and the strategic goals outlined in the Address to the People of Kazakhstan, the Government implemented measures in 2025 aimed at systemic transformations.

The decisions adopted in tax, tariff, and budgetary policy, as well as in the digital and construction sectors and the social sphere, are aimed at the consistent elimination of structural imbalances that hinder economic development. Tax and budget reforms made it possible to form the country’s three-year budget without targeted transfers from the National Fund, with a gradual reduction of the budget deficit to 0.9% of GDP by 2028. Dependence of local budgets on the republican budget is decreasing from 50% in 2025 to 34% in 2028," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

It was noted that against the backdrop of the reforms carried out, Kazakhstan managed to maintain устойчивый economic growth by the end of 2025. In value terms, GDP increased by $20.1 billion. Overall, GDP growth in 2025 amounted to 6.5%. Economic dynamics were driven by accelerated development of key sectors: transport grew by 17.8%, construction by 14.6%, mining by 17.4%, manufacturing by 12.2%, trade by 26%, and agriculture by 5.9%.

The Government, together with the business community, is working to expand support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises. Priority is given to modernizing national infrastructure and implementing large industrial projects. According to the Prime Minister, special attention will be paid to supporting micro and small businesses.

In line with the instruction of the Head of State to ensure economic stability, the Isker Aimaq program has been approved, systematizing measures of financial, non-financial, and infrastructure support for micro and small business entities.

The Prime Minister stressed that existing instruments are insufficient to fully unlock the potential of SMEs. In this regard, the Government, together with the business community, is developing additional financial and regulatory support measures. One of the key initiatives will be a program to re-equip small and medium-sized enterprises with modern equipment. A special program through the Baiterek holding will allow entrepreneurs to obtain a concessional loan within 10 days to purchase modern machinery without additional collateral. This will enable businesses to increase competitiveness and address the issue of worn-out material and technical assets.

Taking into account the instruction voiced by the Head of State at the meeting of the National Kurultai, the Government is ensuring a smooth introduction of the new Tax Code and consideration of constructive proposals from the business community. Previously, a decision was made to cancel all tax audits for periods prior to 1 January 2026. In addition, liability measures will not be applied to micro and small businesses for violations committed in the current year.

By the end of 2025, the number of active SME entities in Kazakhstan increased by 5% and exceeded 2.2 million enterprises. Employment in the sector grew by 3.9% and reached 4.5 million people, accounting for about 46% of total employment and nearly half of the country’s economically active population. The SME share in gross domestic product amounted to 40.5%, with output volume reaching approximately 73 trillion tenge.

It was noted that the growth of citizens’ income levels is lagging behind the pace of economic growth. The share of wages in GDP stands at 31%, which is a high indicator for Central Asia. The goal is to reach the level of developed countries at 40% and above.

The growth rate of wages lags behind the dynamics of business profits obtained both independently and with state support. The Government is currently developing comprehensive measures to increase household incomes. Financial, tax, and other incentive measures are envisaged to raise wages, increase the number of jobs with decent pay, develop professional skills and qualifications, as well as reduce the financial burden on citizens," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

The main priority of the Government for 2026 has been identified as growth in real household incomes. This will be facilitated by a set of systemic measures aimed at creating new production facilities, developing entrepreneurial initiatives, and opening permanent jobs.

Attention was also paid to digitalization issues. Within the framework of the Year of Digitalization declared by the Head of State in the Address to the People of Kazakhstan, the task was set to introduce advanced technologies and artificial intelligence across all sectors of the economy and to build a digital state. At the same time, practical implementation of these tasks remains insufficient. In the real sector of the economy, digitalization processes are at an early stage. To date, sectoral databases have still not been fully formed. All these and other issues are expected to be addressed in the Government-developed Digital Qazaqstan strategy, which will consolidate all digital initiatives into a nationwide program.

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10.02.2026, 12:45 41251

Kazakh President assigns to reduce inflation within 3 years

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev assigned the Government and the National Bank to ensure a lowering of inflation within three years, stressing personal accountability for results, Qazinform News Agency reports.

The Head of State stressed the need to bring inflation down to a stable and controlled level without sharp fluctuations and without harming economic growth.

The President noted the causes of high inflation are clear, adding it is crucial to solve this problem without damaging the country’s development.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev charged the Government and the National Bank to jointly develop a step-by-step action plan, involving all state agencies and the expert community.

He emphasized it is necessary to take certain measures to reduce inflation within three years and ensure fulfillment of the joint action plan.

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09.02.2026, 19:29 53326

Tokayev Receives President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Zou Jiayi, akorda.kz reports.

During the meeting, President Tokayev emphasized that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a strategically important partner of Kazakhstan in implementing priority infrastructure and investment initiatives. He welcomed the signing of the Partnership Framework Agreement earlier today, noting that it would play a significant role in promoting sustainable economic development and strengthening regional cooperation. The President also congratulated Ms. Zou Jiayi on her recent appointment as President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

We highly value the fact that Kazakhstan has become the first country you have visited in your new capacity. I believe this is a very positive sign that will give a strong impetus to our bilateral cooperation. Together with the Bank, we are implementing nine projects with a total value exceeding USD 2.6 billion. I am confident that all of them will become important elements of our further contacts and cooperation," - President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.

For her part, Zou Jiayi stated that the AIIB has supported a number of major projects in Kazakhstan’s energy, transport, and social infrastructure sectors.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your warm words and for Kazakhstan’s long-standing support for the AIIB. I am honored by the trust placed in me by Kazakhstan and other shareholders. I will ensure continuity in the Bank’s activities, building on the achievements of its first decade, while also striving for progress to respond more promptly to the evolving needs of our clients," - said the AIIB President.

The interlocutors noted the significant potential for expanding cooperation. In the coming years, Kazakhstan intends to implement ambitious plans to modernize its infrastructure sector, and the AIIB expressed readiness to consider active participation in the implementation of these strategic initiatives.

Currently, financing is underway for the construction of a multidisciplinary hospital in Kokshetau, a 220 MW wind power plant, sections of the Zhezkazgan-Karaganda and Aktobe-Karabutak-Ulgaysyn highways, as well as the railway bypass around Almaty.

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09.02.2026, 19:00 54111

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Focuses on Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Projects

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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Kuwait Yerzhan Yelekeyev held a meeting with Waleed Al-Bahar, Acting Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the talks, the parties discussed prospects for resuming and strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), as well as opportunities to utilize technical assistance instruments for the implementation of priority infrastructure projects.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached on the Fund’s readiness to allocate up to USD 5 million in 2026 to provide technical assistance to Kazakhstan. This support will be aimed at preparing feasibility studies, conducting design and engineering works, as well as training and capacity-building of specialized personnel, thereby ensuring high-quality project preparation and subsequent implementation.

Priority areas of potential cooperation of particular interest to KFAED include modernization of energy infrastructure, including substations, construction and upgrading of wastewater treatment facilities, development of agricultural storage infrastructure, and construction and development of road networks.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan emphasized that the use of the Fund’s technical assistance instruments will enhance the quality of infrastructure project preparation, accelerate their implementation, and ensure compliance with international standards.

In turn, the leadership of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development expressed its readiness to resume active cooperation with Kazakhstan and further strengthen bilateral engagement. The Fund also confirmed its willingness to host an official delegation from Kazakhstan in Kuwait to discuss in greater detail prospective areas of cooperation and specific joint projects.

The parties agreed to continue substantive coordination and maintain regular contacts through relevant authorities to identify a list of projects that could be implemented with the Fund’s support in the near future.

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09.02.2026, 18:34 54126

Kazakhstan and Jordan Strengthen Cooperation in Industrial Zones and Investment Sectors

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Jordan Talgat Shaldanbay met with Chief Executive Officer of "PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate LLP" Adel Ye Yang, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, they discussed current trends and prospects for the development of investment and industrial cooperation between Kazakhstan and Jordan. The parties exchanged views on expanding cooperation in the field of special (free) economic zones and industrial parks, as well as opportunities for implementing joint projects with the participation of Kazakh businesses.

Ambassador emphasized his interest in developing practical cooperation with Jordanian partners and utilizing the potential of the Aqaba industrial zones to help Kazakh companies enter the markets of the Middle East and neighboring regions.

Representatives of "PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate" provided information about the company's activities, approaches to supporting investors, and readiness to develop cooperation with companies from Central Asia.

Particular attention was paid to the issues of consistent expansion of business contacts and possible formats for further cooperation, including the organization of familiarization visits and meetings between business representatives.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to maintain regular contacts and close cooperation aimed at the steady development of bilateral cooperation in the investment and industrial spheres.

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Astana and Al-Kuwait Strengthen Cooperation in the Oil and Gas Sector

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