Tokayev pushes Alatau City development, eyes major investment hub

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is pushing for accelerated development in Alatau City, envisioning it as a significant center for investment, innovation, and logistics. During a June 2 review, Tokayev described the project as a "city of accelerated development" with a unique legal status, including tax incentives and simplified business regulations.

“

Today, Alatau can be called a city of accelerated development with a unique legal status.

The vast 88,000-hectare city is being developed in stages through 2050 across four functional districts. Authorities have identified growth zones and priority areas, with ongoing work on core infrastructure and a new governance model. A significant pool of 53 investment projects, valued at over 2 trillion tenge (US$4 billion), is already in place. These include major projects like PepsiCo's potato processing plant, Mars Petcare's first regional pet food facility, and pharmaceutical and logistics initiatives.

However, Tokayev cautioned against relying solely on optimistic investment forecasts, stressing the importance of a sustainable economic model. "Investments and business development are not guaranteed sources of revenue. They are forecasts and expectations," he stated, warning that development costs could outpace revenues without proper long-term planning. He instructed officials to finalize the city's long-term development plan, master plan, and strategy by the end of 2026, with implementation to ramp up in 2027.

“

Investments and business development are not guaranteed sources of revenue. They are forecasts and expectations.

A key aspect of Tokayev's vision is to make Alatau 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. The president also highlighted the potential economic benefits of stronger connectivity between Alatau and the Almaty agglomeration.

“

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.