Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s seven years as president have been a period of profound and consistent transformation of Kazakhstan’s socioeconomic and political development model. These years have occurred against a challenging global backdrop—a pandemic, a global economic slowdown, inflationary and logistical shocks, geopolitical turbulence, and the need to address internal economic and political imbalances that had developed over the previous decades.
Despite objective difficulties, the President managed to ensure stability and put the country on a trajectory of confident growth.
The response to numerous challenges has been profound reforms aimed at long-term national sustainability. President Tokayev is not susceptible to populism and does not pursue short-term results. The head of state is pragmatically working to build a solid foundation for the country’s development, ensuring increased prosperity for citizens and economic and political stability.
The results are clear. In 2025, global economic growth was 3.3%, and in Kazakhstan, GDP increased by 6.5%.
The structure of the economy has changed. While GDP growth was previously largely determined by the external commodity market, today, thanks to the systemic decisions of the Head of State, growth is increasingly driven by non-commodity sectors and domestic demand.
Thus, the main contribution to economic growth was made by the manufacturing industry, construction, trade, transport and the service sector.
Nominal GDP has increased 1.7-fold over seven years: from $181.7 billion in 2019 to $305.9 billion in 2025. Per capita GDP is also growing steadily, from $9,800 in 2019 to $15,000 by the end of 2025.
The volume of the manufacturing industry has increased more than 2.5-fold over seven years – from 11.5 trillion tenge in 2019 to 30.63 trillion tenge in 2025. The share of manufacturing in GDP increased from 11.4% to 12.7%, while the share of the extractive sector decreased from 14.5% to 12%.
These figures represent dozens of new large factories and thousands of jobs. KIA automobile and cast iron factories have been launched in the Kostanay region, household appliance and tire production has begun in the Karaganda region, polypropylene production in the Atyrau region, tungsten concentrate production in the Almaty region, railway component production in the Pavlodar region, aluminum packaging production, precious metals processing in Shymkent, and many others.
The construction sector, which is demonstrating strong positive growth, is among the country’s economic growth drivers. In 2025 alone, over 20 million square meters of housing were commissioned. This volume exceeds the combined housing stock of two regional capitals, Pavlodar and Kostanay.
According to the IMF, Kazakhstan has entered the top 50 largest economies in the world, as well as the top five in terms of average annual economic growth. According to the World Competitiveness Ranking, Kazakhstan ranked 34th. This confirms the country’s growing investment and business attractiveness.
The economy has ceased to be a “single-event” one: temporary fluctuations in the extractive sector no longer transform into macroeconomic shocks, which indicates a transition to a more mature and balanced development model.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s investment policy has become one of the key instruments for economic transformation.
Over the past seven years, fixed capital investment has grown from 12.6 trillion tenge to 22.7 trillion tenge. At the same time, its structure has changed significantly: the bulk of the inflow is directed toward manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, logistics, and the agro-industrial complex.
The development of the agro-industrial complex remains a strategic priority, where food security, industry modernization, increasing export potential, and improving the standard of living of rural residents are interconnected.
Particular attention is being paid to the development of irrigated agriculture and infrastructure: the expansion of irrigated areas continues, reaching 2.5 million hectares in the near future.
Irrigation systems, elevators, processing facilities, and logistics chains are being modernized. Support for livestock farming and advanced agricultural processing is being strengthened, enabling increased production of high-value-added products.
Gross agricultural output has nearly doubled in seven years, from 5.2 trillion tenge in 2019 to 9.8 trillion tenge in 2025; food production has increased from 1.7 trillion tenge to 3.9 trillion tenge.
In accordance with the Head of State’s instructions, support for the industry has been increased to one trillion tenge per year, and funds are now allocated to agricultural producers in advance.
Thanks to this, the quality of agricultural work has significantly improved, and farmers, in turn, provide us with a high harvest every year.
Kazakhstan consistently ranks among the world’s largest suppliers of grain and flour, and agricultural exports are growing as the geography of deliveries expands – from Central Asian and Afghan markets to the Middle East, China, the European Union, and other destinations.
Hundreds of projects across the country have been financed in the industrial sector through the Baiterek investment holding company.
Among them: the production of passenger cars in Almaty, the production of steel products Qarmet in the Karaganda region, the Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant in the Pavlodar region, the Ecoculture-Eurasia greenhouse complex for fruit and vegetable crops in the Turkestan region, and the production of Shin-line ice cream in the Almaty region.
Over seven years, funding through Baiterek has grown from 2.9 trillion tenge to 10.4 trillion tenge. Currently, with the holding’s financial support, 23 projects worth 3.9 trillion tenge are being implemented in the metallurgy sector, 21 projects worth 610.6 billion tenge are in the funding stage in mechanical engineering, 11 projects worth 636 billion tenge are being implemented in the chemical industry, and 69 projects worth 415.9 billion tenge are being implemented in the agro-industrial complex.
The head of state places special emphasis on developing micro and small businesses as a key source of employment and domestic growth. The contribution of small and medium businesses to GDP has reached 40.5%, and the sector employs approximately 4.5 million people, nearly half of the working-age population.
It should be noted that the growth in activity of small businesses is observed not only in trade and services, but also in construction, transport, and processing.
Small businesses are increasingly being included in supply chains for large projects. Administrative barriers are being reduced, and access to financing is expanding through rate subsidies, guarantees, and development institution programs.
Thousands of projects are supported annually, with the total volume of preferential financing for entrepreneurs in this sector amounting to hundreds of billions of tenge. Meanwhile, the digitalization of government services simplifies registration, reporting, and access to support programs.
Among the promising projects of the new investment cycle, the multifunctional urban cluster Alatau City has a special place. Created at the direction of the President, the new city will become a growth hub focused on the development of an innovative economy, high-tech industries, and educational and business infrastructure.
An important element of the long-term economic development strategy is the expansion of the mineral resource base through active geological exploration.
In recent years, dozens of promising areas with predicted resources of copper, nickel, coal, gold and rare earth metals have been identified.
By the end of 2026, the area of geological and geophysical exploration in Kazakhstan will be increased to 2.2 million square kilometers.
On the President’s instructions, the state alone will invest approximately 240 billion tenge in geological exploration between 2026 and 2028, which is comparable to spending over the previous two decades.
There is already interest from foreign investors. Naturally, all decisions will be made with national interests in mind. This scale of work forms the basis for long-term industrial growth.
The head of state is keeping a close eye on the development of our country’s transit potential. A key element is the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR), the so-called Middle Corridor, whose traffic volume has increased fivefold over the past seven years.
Developing transit potential is impossible without modern railway infrastructure. Over the past seven years, approximately 1,000 km of new railways have been built, and 9,500 km of track have undergone all types of repairs, including major repairs on 3,500 km. The modernization of railway hubs in Shymkent, Aktobe, Karaganda, and on border routes has increased capacity and strengthened the country’s transit potential, ensuring regional connectivity, reducing logistics costs, and expanding the domestic market.
This year, we will complete the reconstruction of 124 railway stations that have not been renovated for decades and have practically fallen into disrepair.
Seaport capacities have been expanded, terminals modernized, and their throughput increased. The Khorgos dry port in the Zhetysu region has become a key hub, handling hundreds of thousands of containers annually.
A network of logistics centers providing cargo consolidation and processing has been established in the Almaty and Zhetysu regions.
Over the past seven years, more than 25,000 km of roads have been built and reconstructed, key corridors from Center to South, Center to East, and West to East have been created, and the local road network in all regions has been significantly updated.
The repair and construction of local roads, previously left outside of systemic funding for decades, have produced a multiplier effect: reduced costs, increased trade, development of small and medium-sized businesses, and increased investment attractiveness in the regions. The road network has effectively become the backbone of the country’s economic space. And this work continues.
The total throughput capacity of seaports now amounts to 22 million tons, of which approximately 15 million tons pass through the port of Aktau and 7 million tons through the port of Kuryk.
By the end of 2025, transshipment volumes through ports increased to 8 million tons, with container shipments totaling over 90,000. By comparison, this figure stood at approximately 60,000 containers in 2024.
The aviation industry is also demonstrating steady growth: while airports handled 26 million passengers in 2023, this number is expected to reach 31.8 million in 2025. Kazakhstan has air links with more than 30 countries, operating over 600 flights on 130 routes. Airports are also being modernized, new terminals are being built, and infrastructure is being updated.
This year alone, four new airports will open: in Katon-Karagay, Zaysan, Kenderli, and Arkalyk. The latter, which has been out of service for over 30 years, is being restored at the personal request of the President.
The development of transport infrastructure has a direct impact on the tourism industry. Since 2022, inbound tourism has steadily increased following a post-pandemic recovery, driven by tourists from China, India, and the Persian Gulf. Kazakhstan was included in the Best in Travel 2025 list by international travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, Almaty was recognized by CNN and The New York Times, and Shymbulak was named one of the world’s best destinations by Condé Nast Traveler.
With this in mind, the Head of State noted the need for further development of the Almaty mountain cluster. The project’s economic impact is clear: every dollar invested in mountain infrastructure brings approximately five dollars to the resort’s economy and $15 to the tourism economy as a whole.
The implementation of this large-scale project will create thousands of jobs and generate approximately 100 billion tenge in annual tax revenue. In accordance with the President’s directives, all work will be carried out in strict compliance with environmental requirements at par with international standards.
The head of state made key decisions on one of the most challenging areas: improving the energy and housing and utilities systems. Large-scale work in these areas is not a matter of isolated projects, but a systemic policy to eliminate infrastructure constraints.
As the President emphasizes, “Energy and housing and utilities are the foundation of any country’s lifeblood.” By the start of the reforms, the depreciation of generating capacity and heating networks in some regions had reached 70%, with some regions exceeding 80%. Everyone remembers the large-scale accidents at energy facilities, when cities were left without heat in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius.
The ongoing policy of tariff liberalization and investment attraction has made it possible to move from a “fire-and-fire” approach to the systematic modernization of the sector.
Combined heat and power plant (CHP) modernization projects are underway in the cities of Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Zhezkazgan, Ekibastuz, and Balkhash. Thermal capacity is being upgraded in Almaty, Temirtau, and Ridder, and capacity expansion is underway at plants in Aktau, Atyrau, Uralsk, Taraz, and Ekibastuz (GRES-2). Furthermore, work is underway to create new generation sources in Aktobe, Atyrau, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kokshetau, Kyzylorda, Semey, Taraz, Turkestan, and Ekibastuz (GRES-3). Programs to reconstruct heating and power grids have been launched in all regions.
As a result, for the second year in a row, the heating season ended without any serious disruptions.
The President constantly emphasizes that energy sustainability is a matter of national security, and decisions must be made with a view to decades ahead. Electricity production is steadily increasing: from 106 billion kWh in 2019 to 123.1 billion kWh in 2025. To put this into perspective, the volume of capacity added over seven years is equivalent to the combined electricity consumption of Almaty and the Almaty region for eighteen months.
Overall, by the end of the first quarter of 2027, Kazakhstan will cease to be an energy-deficient country, achieving a surplus in energy production.
The conversion of CHPP-2 and CHPP-3 in Almaty to natural gas deserves special attention. The full conversion of both CHPPs will be completed by the end of this year. These projects, which cost several hundred billion tenge, will significantly improve the city’s environment.
The decision to develop nuclear energy became important for the formation of a long-term generation balance.
The construction of a nuclear power plant will ensure a sustainable energy supply in the face of growing demand, reduce carbon intensity, and diversify generation sources.
The project also serves as a reference point for further technological development, localization of production, and training of engineering personnel.
The “Taza Kazakstan” initiative announced by the President has grown into a nationwide idea: environmental campaigns, cleanups, greening, and restoration of natural areas are taking place across the country, involving millions of citizens. The volume of waste collected and trees planted amounts to hundreds of thousands of tons and millions of saplings. Thanks to this idea, the very approach to maintaining order and the appearance of cities and villages has changed.
The President demonstrates the effectiveness of the “start with yourself” principle by his own example, emphasizing that not only the environment but also one’s thoughts must be clean. This has resonated with Kazakhstanis, especially young people, and has become a widespread movement.
The Head of State emphasizes water security in his environmental agenda. He has ordered the implementation of a program to build 20 new reservoirs and reconstruct at least 15,000 kilometers of irrigation canals.
Aquatic ecosystems—the preservation of the Caspian and Aral Seas—have also come to the forefront. The Kazakh Caspian Sea Research Institute has been established to study the problematic aspects of this waterway.
Taken together, this forms a comprehensive approach to environmental safety and sustainable nature management.
Glacier conservation is a key issue on the global water agenda. Experts predict that by 2100, the volume of glaciers in Central Asia will decrease significantly. The President is paying close attention to these issues. At the international level, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev launched the Water Towers Partnership, which aims to systematize support for glaciological science by uniting the efforts of global research centers to study and protect glaciers.
Profound reforms are also being implemented in social policy. Social spending remains high: 9.3 trillion tenge has been allocated from the national budget for this area in 2025, accounting for 36.5% of total expenditure. However, the support philosophy has shifted: assistance should be targeted, fair, and motivating. Digital tools have made it possible to more accurately assess household development, reduce ineffective payments, and reallocate resources to the most pressing areas.
Investments in human capital have grown significantly in recent years: investments in education and science have increased more than fivefold, and in healthcare and social services by 3.7 times. One key indicator is life expectancy, which has reached almost 76 years, an increase of three years compared to 2019.
Particular attention is being paid to the younger generation. A significant initiative of the President was the launch of the “National Fund for Children” program.
Under this program, funds from the country’s National Fund’s investment income are annually credited to the accounts of all young Kazakhstanis. These funds can be used for education or housing improvements upon the child’s reaching 18 years of age. In just the three years of the program, 7 million Kazakhstani children have received over $2.5 billion.
By order of the Head of State, a unified program, “Children of Kazakhstan,” was approved for 2026–2030, bringing together all current and planned measures to ensure the rights and well-being of children in Kazakhstan. This program forms the foundation of sustainable state policy, ensuring the systemic protection of the rights and well-being of every child in Kazakhstan.
Furthermore, one of the priorities identified by the Head of State was addressing the shortcomings of school infrastructure. Over the past seven years, more than 1,300 new schools have been built, the number of emergency and three-shift facilities has been significantly reduced, and the material and technical infrastructure has been upgraded.
Within the framework of the national project “Keleshek Mektepteri”, initiated by the President, 217 schools meeting the highest international standards were built across the country in 2023–2025.
According to the international TALIS 2024 study, Kazakhstan is among the top five countries globally in terms of teacher satisfaction with salaries. While this figure was only 39% in 2018, it reached 71% in 2024. Ninety-five percent of Kazakhstani teachers stated that they are satisfied with their jobs.
The network of preschool institutions is expanding, reaching 12,000. The number of medical institutions has grown to 830, while the number of doctors has increased to over 83,000. According to the WHO, the country is among the top ten global leaders in maternal mortality reduction, with the rate dropping to a historic low. At the initiative of the President, the “Ansagan säbi” program was launched in 2021, allocating 7,000 quotas annually for IVF procedures. 28,000 women have already benefited from this program. Since its launch, 11,000 long-awaited babies have been born.
The President views the development of science and higher education as a strategic foundation for technological and economic growth. Support for research universities and scientific centers is being strengthened, and research grants are being expanded.
Branches and representative offices of leading foreign universities are opening, joint campuses and educational programs are being created, which reduces educational migration and strengthens integration into the global academic space.
The head of state has set the task of integrating science and industry: commercializing developments, creating science parks and innovative ecosystems at universities.
One of the President’s policy priorities remains the development of mass sports and accessible sports infrastructure.
Hundreds of sports facilities have been built and modernized in the regions, a network of school and courtyard playgrounds has been established for thousands of people, and the level of citizen participation in regular physical education has reached 45%.
Crucially, some new social and infrastructure projects are being financed using returned assets. This has allowed for the accelerated resolution of pressing issues without increasing the budget burden.
In the healthcare sector, 183 facilities were built with repaid funds, which made it possible to accelerate the implementation of the national project to modernize rural healthcare. As a result, 655 new primary healthcare facilities are now operational in rural communities across the country under the national project. These funds are also being used to build large medical centers, including a multidisciplinary hospital and hematology center in the East Kazakhstan region, an ambulance station in the Mangystau region, and an operating room and intensive care unit at an oncology clinic in the Karaganda region.
The funds returned to the country’s economy were used to reconstruct 227 water supply facilities. These funds are also being used to build schools, sports facilities, public utilities, and other socially significant projects.
A prime example is the newly commissioned Kokshe Arena multifunctional sports complex and new children’s and youth sports school in the village of Zerenda in the Akmola region, a kindergarten in Petropavlovsk, and a music school in the Turkestan region. Similar facilities have been built in every region.
It should be noted that the asset recovery policy is carried out exclusively within the legal framework and does not affect legitimate business activities.
Transparent, targeted use of funds creates a predictable business environment and strengthens investor confidence, acting as an element of strengthening investment attractiveness.
Significant changes have also occurred in the public administration system. Budget and tax policies have been consistently stabilized, medium-term planning mechanisms have been strengthened, and tools for assessing the effectiveness of state programs have been introduced. The budget process is focused on results and development priorities, allowing for the alignment of expenditures with socioeconomic goals.
The need for tax reform has been long overdue, and the new Tax Code is a response to these accumulated problems. The tax reform aims to create a transparent and fair system, reduce opportunities for artificial fragmentation of businesses, and create conditions for fair and just competition.
At the direction of the Head of State, the tax service is transitioning to a service-based model of interaction with businesses and citizens: digitalization of tax services, risk-based control, and automated reporting reduce the burden on honest taxpayers, combining fiscal sustainability with a convenient and predictable environment.
In all spheres of state and public life, the principle of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev “Law and order” is placed at the forefront.
This postulate is a fundamental element in building a Just Kazakhstan, a country where public safety and the rule of law are unconditionally ensured.
Protecting the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, society, and the state is a key priority. Measures are being implemented to modernize the law enforcement system and increase its transparency.
Advanced digital solutions are being implemented, service police practices are being developed, and human resources are being strengthened.
At the direction of the Head of State, digital transformation is underway. Since 2019, Kazakhstan has progressed from digitizing individual services to a scalable digital model for the country. The Smart Bridge integration platform has become a key mechanism in this infrastructure, enabling data exchange between government agencies and private services and creating an open ecosystem for digital business models and fintech solutions. Digitalization has enabled the state to provide services and support to our citizens in a proactive manner.
The economic impact of digitalization is reflected in increased budget spending efficiency and more precise social support targeting. Kazakhstan ranks 24th out of 193 countries in the UN EGDI index and is among the top ten global leaders in online services.
Not resting on its laurels, the President initiated the creation of the Alem.ai International Artificial Intelligence Center, which is already becoming a magnet for researchers, startups, and innovators.
As is known, the Head of State declared 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. The government is working on developing a Digital Kazakhstan strategy aimed at integrating advanced technologies and artificial intelligence into all areas of the economy and public administration.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s seven years in office have seen a transition from crisis response to systemic development: the economy has become more diversified, investments more sustainable, infrastructure more reliable, and social policy more targeted.
The foundation that has been laid allows Kazakhstan to look confidently to the future, relying on an institutionally established model and long-term priorities.
Today, Kazakhstan is at a historic stage in its development. At the initiative of the Head of State, following a broad public discussion, taking into account the opinions of expert and academic circles, and representatives of all segments of Kazakhstani society, a draft of a fundamentally new Constitution has been prepared.
A distinctive feature of the draft new Basic Law is its progressive spirit and focus on the future.
It reflects the aspirations of the people and clearly demonstrates the desire of the highest official of the state, President Tokayev, to lay a solid foundation for the long-term sustainable development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the prosperous and secure life of many generations of Kazakhstanis.
I am confident that the citizens of our country will make the right choice, support the initiative of the Head of State, and contribute to building a strong, fair, and prosperous Kazakhstan.
Olzhas Bektenov
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Obtained from the Egemen Qazaqstan website.