President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev 's October 28 state-of-the-nation address outlined a new phase in Kazakhstan's development, combining a 6.5 trillion tenge infrastructure program with plans to strengthen energy security, develop artificial intelligence and raise living standards, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The address came as governments around the world reassess supply chains, energy needs and the infrastructure required for technological growth. For Kazakhstan, these changes present an opportunity to use its geographic position, natural resources and financial reserves to build a more diversified economy.
They also place greater demands on the state, which must translate investment into productive businesses and better public services. The speech marked a shift in emphasis within Tokayev's reform agenda. Following years of political and institutional changes, including the adoption of a new Constitution approved by 87.15% of voters in March, the President concentrated on what those institutions are expected to deliver.
The centerpiece was the People's Construction program, under which approximately 6.5 trillion tenge will be allocated from the National Fund through 2029 to modernize social, transport and engineering infrastructure. Some 1.5 trillion tenge is intended for projects during the remainder of 2026 and the first two months of 2027.
Initial plans include around 70 healthcare facilities and nearly 50 education, sports and cultural facilities, along with improvements to utilities and transport networks. Tokayev proposed designating 2027 the Year of Nationwide Large-Scale Construction. Kazakhstan's priorities reflect a wider international return to infrastructure investment.
In 2021, the United States enacted the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including approximately $550 billion in new federal investment in transport, energy and communications. The programs differ considerably in scale and financing, but both recognize that productivity and technological competitiveness depend on reliable physical infrastructure.
Tokayev's initiative has a particularly strong domestic industrial component. He instructed that National Fund money should not be spent on imports, calling instead for greater use of Kazakhstan-made construction materials, metal structures and equipment, with local small and medium-sized enterprises involved in implementation.
This could allow investment to generate demand beyond the construction industry, provided domestic suppliers can deliver the required quality and capacity. The President also stressed that facilities must reflect the needs of individual regions. This is an important consideration for a program of such magnitude: economic returns will depend not only on how much is built, but on whether the new infrastructure is useful, affordable to operate and completed on schedule.
One of the address's strongest economic connections was between artificial intelligence and electricity. Digital competitiveness is often discussed in terms of software and talent, yet data centers and advanced computing also require dependable energy supplies, communications networks and substantial capital investment.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan's annual generation of 123 billion kilowatt-hours was insufficient for its industrial and digital ambitions. He called for a sustainable electricity surplus by 2029, an updated energy balance through 2035 and accelerated development of new generating capacity.