ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to maximize domestic raw materials and components and establish related industries around major enterprises in his Sept. 2 state-of-the-nation address.
Photo credit: Akorda
Industrial potential
In a press statement released by Akorda, Tokayev highlighted the government’s list of 17 major projects, prioritizing high-value-added areas.
Tokayev noted that with the involvement of a domestic investor, the situation at the Qarmet metallurgical plant in the Karagandy Region has noticeably stabilized. The modernization of this enterprise is expected to lead to a significant increase in production.
As part of the economy’s diversification efforts, Tokayev pointed to the launch of car tire and household appliance production in Saran, which enabled the city to be excluded from the list of single-industry towns. He suggested applying this experience to other single-industry towns to “breathe new life into them.”
Tokayev also mentioned the establishment of the city of Alatau, which is envisioned as a hub of advanced development, attracting investment and talent, and offering favorable conditions for living and working.
The President underscored the importance of maintaining the positive momentum achieved in the automotive industry to develop a comprehensive automotive cluster with increased localization.
Petrochemical and gas industries
Tokayev emphasized the continued development of the petrochemical sector, highlighting ongoing projects to produce polypropylene, polyethylene, butadiene, urea and terephthalic acid.
He called for expanding capacity and diversifying gas transportation routes, citing the rapid modernization of over 800 kilometers of the Central Asia-Center main gas pipeline as a key example.
The development of new gas fields, expected to produce up to one billion cubic meters of gas annually, was also a priority. Tokayev stressed the importance of a balanced approach to distributing gas supplies to the domestic market and managing the transition of thermal power plants and household consumers from coal to gas.
He instructed the government to accelerate the construction of gas processing plants in Zhanaozen, Kashagan, and Karachaganak and to implement effective incentives as soon as possible to attract investment in gas field exploration.
Transport capacities
The Kazakh leader emphasized the strategic priority of developing the transport and logistics sector, as Kazakhstan’s location in the very center of Eurasia gives it a huge competitive advantage, and “the investments in the transport infrastructure will certainly pay off.”
He highlighted the need for reforming the railway industry, including revising the tariff system to maintain and expand the railway network. Tokayev mentioned three major infrastructure projects by Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the national railway company, which aim to construct over 1,000 kilometers of new railways.
Tokayev also stressed the necessity of developing air hubs to double the 150,000 tons of air cargo currently handled annually in Kazakhstan over the next four years.
Addressing the improvement of airport infrastructure at key tourist destinations, President Tokayev called for continued expansion in the resort regions of Katon-Karagai, Zaisan, and Kendirli. He highlighted the upgraded runways at the Balkhash and Alakol resorts as examples of successful improvements in airport facilities and suggested using funds from the Industrial Development Fund to purchase small aircraft.
“I would like to note that when implementing tourism projects, it is important not to disturb the environmental balance and avoid any harm to nature,” he pointed out.
