ASTANA — By 2040, 20% of all global air cargo will pass along routes between Asia and Europe, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a Dec. 3 meeting, calling for urgent steps to accelerate the development of regional air cargo hubs and strengthen the country’s role in the rapidly expanding air logistics market.
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Tokayev emphasized that although most cargo today moves through Kazakhstan by road and rail, global trends require faster adaptation, according to the Akorda press service.
“Kazakhstan must build a fully integrated multimodal logistics system linking roads, railways and air transport to capture a significant share of future transit flows,” he said.
Leveraging strategic geography
President Tokayev underscored that Kazakhstan lies at the crossroads of major air corridors linking Europe and Asia. Competition in Central Asia and the South Caucasus for transit flows is rising sharply, along with the global race for logistics investment.
He identified the creation of full-fledged air cargo hubs at key airports as a top national priority.
“The existing potential has not been fully realized due to limited infrastructure. It is necessary to ensure the effective operation of special economic zones. Preferential conditions should be adapted to the specialization of each hub,” he said.
Development through a balanced approach
According to Tokayev, a central priority is to revise airport service tariffs, which have increased only once in the past decade.
“Holding tariffs down, as practice shows, leads to significant infrastructure deterioration. A tariff review must ensure an improvement in the current situation. At the same time, it is essential to maintain a balanced approach without sharp price increases,” he said.
He also called for a review of excessive regulation in non-aviation services at airports, saying bureaucratic hurdles, restrictive contract terms and complicated tender procedures should be eliminated to improve the business climate.
Addressing fuel shortages and high prices
President Tokayev highlighted the high cost of aviation fuel and insufficient domestic production as major obstacles to industry development. He instructed the government to increase local jet fuel output over the next three years, diversify imports and maintain healthy competition. All regulatory changes, he emphasized, must be phased and carefully calibrated to protect supply stability.
Tokayev also proposed creating a national aviation research institute and fuel certification laboratories, calling on the government and the Antimonopoly Agency to develop a comprehensive response plan.
National cargo airline
President Tokayev urged the government to provide strong support to the national cargo carrier’s development. According to him, a targeted package of measures over the next three to five years should stimulate companies to generate higher added value and expand multimodal logistics capabilities.
Tokayev addressed the shortage of cargo aircraft and proposed reconsidering Kazakhstan’s age limit on operating cargo planes older than 25 years.
“In the United States, the average age of FedEx aircraft is 28 years, UPS operates planes averaging 30 years old, and the British airline One Air flies aircraft with an average age of 33 years. There are many such examples,” he said.
Digitalization and workforce development as essential priorities
President Tokayev highlighted slow progress in implementing the E-freight system, launched in 2019 to simplify cargo documentation processes. Its limited functionality and persistent delays undermine efficiency, he said, and called for full integration and a shift to a single digital window for all modes of transport.
“It is necessary to expand cooperation with international research and educational institutions to establish advanced competency centers,” he said, stressing the urgency to address the acute shortage of aviation personnel.
