Zhambyl Region Showcases Investment Potential to Foreign Investors
A meeting of the Regional Investment Headquarters was held in Taraz, bringing together domestic and foreign investors, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov said the regional investment headquarters, established on the instruction of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, are intended to serve as platforms for the swift resolution of issues faced by investors. He noted that the government has set a target of expanding Kazakhstan's economy to $450 billion by 2029 while attracting at least $150 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI).
Kuantyrov said the region is shifting from implementing individual investment projects to developing entire industries, creating new value-added production chains and fostering deeper processing of raw materials and export-oriented manufacturing.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the Zhambyl Region's investment portfolio currently includes 116 projects worth a combined 5.6 trillion tenge, expected to create around 20,000 jobs. In the first half of 2026, investment in fixed capital in the region increased by 59.2% year on year. In 2025, Zhambyl ranked first among Kazakhstan's regions for the growth rate of foreign direct investment.
During his visit, Kuantyrov also toured several operating enterprises in the region, including the Taraz Industrial Zone, the Alel Agro poultry farm, and companies in the food processing and construction materials industries.
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Brokers and dealers to trade across EAEU exchanges on equal terms
Brokers and dealers will be able to trade securities and derivatives on stock exchanges across the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) on equal terms.
The announcement was made by Bakyt Sultanov, Minister in charge of Economy and Financial Policy at the Eurasian Economic Commission, as he commented on a relevant agreement signed by the heads of government of the EAEU member states in Cholpon-Ata.
The agreement will mark another step towards creating a common exchange market within the EAEU.
"We are taking a step towards creating a common exchange market within the EAEU. At a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Cholpon-Ata, the prime ministers of the Union’s member states signed an agreement allowing brokers and dealers to participate in exchange trading and conduct transactions in securities and derivatives on equal terms in any of the five Eurasian countries," Sultanov said.
Brokers and dealers will be able to obtain technical access to trading, submit orders and execute transactions. They will also be able to participate in clearing and open accounts with depositories in EAEU countries, including remotely.
According to Sultanov, the new rules are expected to increase liquidity on stock exchanges, broaden financing opportunities for issuers and encourage mutual investment among the Union’s member states.
"I am confident that the implementation of the agreement will bring additional liquidity to stock exchanges, increase funding for issuers, expand mutual trade and investment cooperation, and give fresh impetus to the development of the Union’s financial markets. Together with the previously signed agreement on cross-border access for the placement and circulation of securities, we are laying a solid legal foundation for a common EAEU exchange market," Sultanov said.
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Kazakh companies to be more actively involved in nuclear industry projects
Kazakhstan plans to increase the share of domestic companies involved in nuclear industry projects. The Atomic Energy Agency, the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and the Atomic Industry Development Association (AIDA) have signed a memorandum of cooperation.
The parties agreed to work together to develop the nuclear industry and industrial cooperation, as well as to involve Kazakh businesses more actively in major infrastructure and strategic projects.
One of the key priorities is to increase localisation. To achieve this, the parties plan to develop domestic manufacturing, engineering and service capabilities, as well as establish a national supply chain for the nuclear industry.
Small, medium-sized and large businesses are expected to be more widely involved in nuclear projects. The parties also intend to support Kazakh manufacturers and develop technological, manufacturing, service and expert capabilities within the country.
In addition, the signatories to the memorandum will jointly prepare proposals for government agencies, exchange analytical and methodological materials, and propose amendments to legislation regulating the nuclear industry.
The cooperation is expected to expand opportunities for Kazakh companies to participate in nuclear projects and help increase the level of localisation.
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Kazakhstan Launches Digital Platform to Monitor Coal Supplies
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Kazakhstan is launching a unified digital system to monitor coal supplies. The platform will track coal from production and shipment through delivery to the regions and sale to consumers, the Energy Ministry said.
The system will provide real-time data on production and shipment volumes, coal transportation, stocks at storage facilities and railway sidings, prices and the implementation of regional supply plans.
Kazakhstan currently has 951 railway sidings and 586 coal suppliers. Data on different stages of the supply chain previously came from several sources but will now be consolidated on a single platform.
The Energy Ministry expects the system to help identify problems more quickly. Specialists will be able to see where stocks are running low, shipments have slowed or delivery schedules are at risk of disruption.
"Our task is to make the entire supply chain transparent and visible at every stage and, most importantly, to identify deviations in advance and take the necessary measures before they affect supplies to the public," said Yerzhan Yertayev, chair of the Committee for State Energy Supervision and Control.
The platform is expected to incorporate artificial intelligence in the future. The ministry said AI would help analyze data and identify potential risks more accurately.
According to the Energy Ministry, about 8.15 million metric tons of coal were delivered to the regions during the 2025-26 heating season, equivalent to 109% of the target. The country’s demand for the upcoming heating season is estimated at 7.3 million metric tons.
Preparations for the season will be overseen by the national task force responsible for supplying coal to the utilities sector and the public. It will continue operating until the end of the 2026-27 heating season.
Regional administrations have been instructed to monitor coal stocks and promptly update information on the digital platform. Coal producers must fulfill regional orders, suppliers must maintain adequate stocks, and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy must provide open-top freight cars for coal transportation on time.
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Three Years of Negotiations: Kazakhstan Joins South Korea’s Employment Permit System
Kazakhstan has officially been included in South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS). The decision follows agreements between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea on employment and labour cooperation, including those reached at the level of the two countries’ leaders.
Cooperation in this area was formalised following the state visit of then South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to Kazakhstan in June 2024. During talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in employment and labour. The commitment was included in a joint statement by the two countries.
During the visit, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor signed a memorandum of understanding. The document confirmed the two sides’ intention to include Kazakhstan in South Korea’s Employment Permit System.
The process also continued through diplomatic channels. In July this year, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to South Korea, Asset Isenali, met in Seoul with Jang Hyun-seok, Director-General of the International Cooperation Bureau at South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor.
The two sides discussed cooperation on labour migration, employment and the training of skilled workers. They also considered promising areas for further cooperation and agreed to continue joint efforts to advance the relevant initiatives.
On 14 August, the South Korean government decided to include Kazakhstan among the countries participating in the E-9 scheme. Kazakhstan will therefore become the 18th country to participate in the EPS.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection said work to secure the country’s inclusion in the system had been under way since 2023 on the instructions of the president.
In January 2026, a delegation of South Korean experts visited Kazakhstan to assess the country’s readiness to launch the system. The assessment included the possibility of establishing an EPS centre, conducting Korean-language tests, assessing candidates’ professional skills and carrying out medical examinations.
Following the assessment, the South Korean side concluded that Kazakhstan was ready to participate in the programme.
The first Kazakh citizens are expected to be able to travel to South Korea for work through the EPS from 2028. Before then, the two countries will need to sign an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding and establish an EPS-TOPIK centre in Kazakhstan to conduct Korean-language testing.
The EPS provides for the organised employment of foreign nationals in South Korea through official government channels. Kazakh citizens seeking employment under the scheme will be required to pass a Korean-language test, undergo a professional skills assessment and complete a medical examination.
Kazakhstan’s Labour Ministry warned citizens not to pay intermediaries promising guaranteed or fast-track employment in South Korea before the programme is officially launched.
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Astana to host WPC Energy World Congress in 2028
Astana will host the 26th WPC Energy World Congress from June 11 to 15, 2028. The announcement was made during a meeting between Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and Serikkali Brekeshev, chairman of the KAZENERGY Association, according to the ministry’s press service.
"Hosting the Congress will make an important contribution to the development of international dialogue on energy issues and expand Kazakhstan’s cooperation with leading international companies and the expert community," the Foreign Ministry said.
While discussing the Congress’s international business programme, the two sides also noted the possibility of holding the event during the 40th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
"Such a format would bring together government representatives, executives of major international energy corporations and leading foreign investors at a single venue," the ministry said.
The two sides also discussed preparations for Kazakhstan’s participation in the 25th WPC Energy World Congress, which will be held in Riyadh from October 11 to 15, 2026.
"Kazakhstan plans to use the Congress as a platform to showcase the country’s investment and technological opportunities, as well as to promote Astana as the host city for the next WPC Energy World Congress in 2028," the press service said.
Following the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their readiness to further coordinate efforts to advance energy diplomacy, strengthen international cooperation and attract foreign investment to Kazakhstan’s energy sector.
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Kazakhstan to Build 1.7 Trillion Tenge Gas Processing Plant at Karachaganak
Construction of a gas processing plant worth 1.7 trillion tenge is set to begin at the Karachaganak field. West Kazakhstan Region Governor Nariman Turegaliyev reported on the project to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to Akorda.
The plant will have a processing capacity of 5 billion cubic metres of gas per year. In addition, construction of a new bridge across the Ural River is expected to begin by the end of this year.
The president was also informed that 121 new social facilities worth a total of 138 billion tenge had been built in the region over the past three years. A total of 1,542 kilometres of roads have also been repaired.
"At the end of last year, gross agricultural output reached 320 billion tenge. Since the launch of the Auyl Amanaty programme, 1,414 projects have received financing and around 2,000 new jobs have been created," the statement said.
Following the meeting, Tokayev instructed officials to continue efforts to further develop the region, accelerate the modernisation of utility infrastructure and take additional measures to improve residents’ quality of life.
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Kazakhstan’s National Fund and Reserves Reach $127.3 Billion
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The combined volume of Kazakhstan’s National Fund and gold and foreign exchange reserves has reached $127.3 billion. The figure was announced during a meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov, according to Akorda.
"The National Fund’s investment income reached $2.3 billion in the first half of this year. Pension assets managed by the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund amounted to 27.8 trillion tenge, an increase of 1.7 trillion tenge since the beginning of the year," the statement said.
The president was also briefed on lending trends in the economy.
As of 1 July 2026, banks’ loan portfolios for business lending had increased by 17.1% year-on-year, while lending to small and medium-sized businesses accelerated to 29.6%.
"At the same time, growth in consumer lending slowed from 21.0% at the beginning of the year to 13.0%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the prudential measures adopted and a normalisation in the pace of consumer lending. As a result, credit resources are being redirected towards financing businesses," the press service said.
Tokayev was briefed on the state of the economy, business activity, factors driving inflation and measures being taken to stabilise prices.
According to Akorda, annual inflation has declined for the tenth consecutive month, reaching 10.2% in July.
The president was also updated on the implementation of his instructions to develop the digital financial assets industry and Kazakhstan’s national digital financial infrastructure.
"As part of the national payment system, QR payments and transfers using phone numbers between customers of any bank have been available since 19 July. Since the launch, the system has processed 6.5 million transactions worth 170 billion tenge," the press service said.
Suleimenov said the National Bank was taking all necessary measures to ensure price stability and achieve its medium-term inflation target of 5%.
Following the meeting, Tokayev set a number of tasks for the National Bank and stressed the importance of further stabilising inflation.
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