Kazakhstan has unveiled a new ‘Born Bold’ campaign to showcase “why Kazakhstan is an investment opportunity for businesses and governments around the world.” The promotion highlights the Central Asian republic’s credentials and potential across four key sectors: logistics and transportation, youth and education, energy and environment, and tourism and culture.
The final games of the World Nomad Games in Astana on September 13, 2024.
“We invite global investors, businesses, and innovators to harness the bold spirit of our population, explore Kazakhstan’s many opportunities, engage with our vibrant economy, and contribute to a shared vision of sustainable progress,” said a media release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
Courageous, ambitious and innovative
Deborah O’Donoghue.
The campaign’s “boldness” theme ties in with an address made by President Tokayev at the grand opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in September 2024. Referring to the national tradition of nomadism, he said Kazakhs are “born courageous”.
Leaning into that, the ‘Born Bold’ slogan, according to officials, “speaks to the character of our nation”, a people they say are “known for their ambition and innovation – qualities that have driven our country’s progress throughout history.” The word ‘bold’ emphasizes the “confidence with which Kazakhstan is stepping onto the global stage, ready to engage with the world and showcase our potential.”
Skilled workforce, stability and economic diversification
Ranking ninth in the world on the UN Education Index, and in the top 10 in global literacy (at 100%), Kazakhstan boasts 15 foreign universities and is a hub for overseas students and digital innovation. Its “highly skilled workforce” are future “digital stars”, campaign materials say, in what is the largest Central Asian economy and one that seems only set to grow as world-leading partnerships are being forged with tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon and Mastercard.
As a result, rapid economic diversification is taking place, reducing reliance on traditional sectors and positioning the country as a leader in new industries, from AI and technology to renewable energy and finance. Huge strides have been made in terms of political stability, spreading democracy and the independence of the courts, and what’s more, even the country’s geography is also a strength, the campaign says.
Trade, energy and natural beauty
“Kazakhstan has always been pivotal in facilitating trade between the East and West. And today, we’re advancing this legacy with the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), aka the Middle Corridor. It modernizes the ancient Silk Road connecting Europe and Asia. It’s poised to revolutionise global trade.
“The benefits include enhanced security, regional integration, and reducing freight transport times,” a release said.
Not only could Kazakhstan be a game-changer when it comes to energy production, notably from wind – as the ninth largest country in the world, it has the potential to produce over 10 times as much energy as it needs and offers acres of untapped space – but its tourism industry is taking off as well, as home to some of the world’s most diverse landscapes and cities. “With forests, deserts, lakes, mountains, and canyons side by side, it’s easy to think you’re in the French Alps one minute and the Sahara the next,” the Born Bold website says.
The country’s natural beauty, mountains, canyons, Caspian coastline, and historic cities are held up as great places to visit, live and invest in. Accessibility is expanding, witness the new Hazret Sultan International Airport and its routes to Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and, to come, Mecca and beyond. With 20 million visitors targeted by 2030, Kazakhstan’s Born Bold campaign is calling on investors to “capitalize on our rapidly growing tourist market.”
The author is Deborah O’Donoghue, a British-Irish writer.
The article was originally published in Travel Tomorrow, a global media outlet reporting on the travel and tourism industry (Belgium).
