ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the strategic importance of developing nuclear energy to secure Kazakhstan’s energy future and ensure sustainable economic growth during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Sept. 8 at a joint session of the parliament’s chambers.
Photo credit: Akorda
Tokayev announced that over the next five years, Kazakhstan plans to introduce an additional 6.3 GW of green energy, significantly increasing its share in the national energy mix. He stressed that the energy transition is a tool for sustainable development aligned with the nation’s long-term interests.
“Last month, we launched the construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant in the Almaty Region in cooperation with Rosatom. However, this is not enough to ensure stable economic growth. We must begin planning the construction of a second and even a third nuclear power plant,” he said.
Tokayev also noted that Kazakhstan has reached a strategic partnership agreement with China in the nuclear sector and is open to working with global companies on a mutually beneficial basis to secure energy sovereignty.
From natural resources to industrial competitiveness
At the same time, he highlighted the need to maximize Kazakhstan’s natural advantages, particularly its significant coal reserves, by developing clean coal technologies to ensure environmental sustainability and economic efficiency.
Tokayev called for a new industrial push, underscoring the need to strengthen the manufacturing sector and enhance the competitiveness of Kazakh products both domestically and globally.
“Over the past five years, we have achieved significant results. The gross value added in the manufacturing sector has doubled, reaching nearly 17 trillion tenge (US$31.5 billion). The sector’s share in GDP has risen to 12.4%, and just last year, 163 new production facilities were launched, creating 12,500 permanent jobs,” he said.
Driving economic diversification
Despite this progress, Tokayev stressed the need to accelerate economic diversification and focus on deep processing to increase the value of domestic products. He called for a more coordinated approach to supporting industry, as existing policies are often fragmented and confusing for entrepreneurs.
President Tokayev highlighted the mining and metallurgy sector, which accounts for 8% of Kazakhstan’s economy, as a reliable pillar of industrial development. He underscored the growing global demand for rare earth elements and other critical materials, areas where Kazakhstan has strong potential to integrate into global production and supply chains.
“Within the next three years, we must launch at least three enterprises producing high-tech products in this sector. The government is also tasked with implementing several flagship projects focused on the deep processing of hydrocarbon resources,” he stated.
To support these projects, Tokayev stressed the importance of securing guaranteed long-term gas supplies and ensuring sufficient electricity capacity to power Kazakhstan’s broader digital transformation and industrial growth.
Strengthening geological exploration to unlock resource potential
Tokayev named modernizing geological exploration as a key national priority to support industrial development and resource diversification. He highlighted that many of Kazakhstan’s aerogeophysical surveys are outdated and called for the creation of digital maps of the country’s mineral resources using advanced technologies and international expertise.
“We need a modern approach to assessing our resource potential, supported by strong scientific foundations and digital tools,” Tokayev said.
By 2026, a certified geological laboratory meeting international standards will be established under the National Geological Service. Tokayev also instructed the government to accelerate the digitization and systematization of all geological data, including the use of artificial intelligence for improved analysis and forecasting.
