ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reviewed progress on the development of Alatau City on June 2, describing the project as a “city of accelerated development” and outlining a broad agenda aimed at turning it into a major center for investment, innovation and logistics, according to Akorda press service.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reviewed progress on the development of Alatau City on June 2, describing the project as a “city of accelerated development”. Photo credit: Akorda
Tokayev was briefed on ongoing construction, investment projects and plans for the city, which covers 88,000 hectares and is divided into four functional districts to be developed in stages through 2050. Authorities have already identified growth zones and priority development areas, while work is underway to build core infrastructure and implement a new governance model supported by a constitutional law.
Officials reported that a pool of 53 investment projects worth more than 2 trillion tenge (US$4 billion) has been formed. Among them are PepsiCo’s potato processing plant, expected to be the largest in Central Asia; Mars Petcare’s first regional pet food production facility; pharmaceutical and medical equipment projects led by Khan Tengri Biopharma; and logistics initiatives being developed by Istcomtrans and G-Trans.
A city of accelerated development
Speaking at the meeting, Tokayev said the legal framework necessary for Alatau’s growth is already taking shape.
“Today, Alatau can be called a city of accelerated development with a unique legal status,” he said, pointing to tax incentives, simplified business regulations and plans to establish a regulatory environment for digital assets.
At the same time, Tokayev stressed that the project’s success will depend on creating a sustainable economic model rather than relying solely on optimistic investment forecasts.
Tokayev also stressed that Alatau’s future should be considered within the broader context of the Almaty agglomeration, arguing that stronger connectivity between the two cities could unlock significant economic opportunities. Photo credit: Akorda
“Investments and business development are not guaranteed sources of revenue. They are forecasts and expectations,” the Kazakh President said, warning that development costs could outpace revenues in the early stages if long-term planning is not properly aligned.
He instructed authorities to finalize the city’s long-term development plan, master plan and strategy by the end of 2026, allowing implementation to move into a more active phase beginning next year.
Building Kazakhstan’s first fully digital city
A central element of President Tokayev’s vision is transforming Alatau into what he described as Kazakhstan’s first fully digital city.
“Alatau City will become the first fully digital city where infrastructure, public services and the economy are integrated through big data, advanced technologies and smart governance,” he said.
Tokayev also positioned Alatau as a future hub for digital finance and innovation, calling for the creation of favorable legal conditions for digital assets and fintech development. According to him, Alatau should become a strategic platform for the accelerated development of digital assets and a new financial architecture for the country. He advocated recognizing crypto assets as property, expanding the use of the digital tenge and advancing the tokenization of real-sector assets, including real estate and infrastructure.
President Tokayev emphasized that attracting investors remains a top priority and called for international standards, transparent regulation and one-stop services for businesses.
Linking Alatau to a growing metropolitan region
Tokayev also stressed that Alatau’s future should be considered within the broader context of the Almaty agglomeration, arguing that stronger connectivity between the two cities could unlock significant economic opportunities. He noted that approximately 400,000 vehicles enter Almaty from surrounding areas every day and called for faster development of public transport infrastructure, including Skytrain connections extending east and west from the city. He instructed the administrations of Almaty and Almaty Region, together with Samruk-Kazyna, to present proposals on the project by Aug. 1.
President Tokayev also highlighted the strategic importance of Alatau’s location along the Big Almaty Ring Road and future rail links connecting the city to Khorgos. Together with the planned Almaty SkyHub multimodal logistics center, these projects could help establish a major regional transport and logistics cluster.
While praising progress on the Alatau project, Tokayev voiced concern over the pace of infrastructure development in nearby Konaev.
“The appearance of the city has not changed; everything remains the same,” he said, stressing the urgent need for educational, administrative, cultural and sports facilities to support the broader development of Almaty Region.
President Tokayev said expectations for Alatau City remain high, comparing its ambitions to the development trajectories of cities such as Dubai, Shenzhen and Incheon. He argued that cities of the future have the potential to drive national transformation. He reiterated that the project must deliver practical results through effective planning, investment attraction and infrastructure development.
