ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s announced plans for a sweeping infrastructure overhaul and long-term energy security have drawn reactions from Kazakh analysts, who see opportunities for economic growth alongside questions about how the government will turn ambitious proposals into lasting results.
In his Oct. 28 state-of-the-nation address, Tokayev outlined plans to allocate approximately 6.5 trillion tenge ($14.2 billion) from the National Fund through 2029 to modernize infrastructure, including new hospitals, schools, transportation networks and public utilities.
He also proposed designating 2027 as a year of nationwide construction. “Our country is entering a new historical cycle. At this turning point, we must critically reassess all national plans and strategies,” said Tokayev in his nearly one and half hour long address.
The address also called for considering a strategic uranium reserve to secure supplies for the country’s planned nuclear power plants for the next century. Financial analyst Andrei Chebotarev framed the president’s emphasis on construction as part of a broader effort to reshape the country’s economy and society.
Writing on his FINANCEkaz Telegram channel, Chebotarev said the address appeared to frame construction as more than the development of roads, hospitals and logistics hubs. “This isn’t just about building infrastructure, roads, and logistics hubs, both ground-based and air-based,” Chebotarev writes.
According to him, the concept also extended to strengthening economic opportunities, public institutions and civic responsibility. He noted that construction could create employment and open opportunities that had previously been unavailable, particularly as Kazakhstan seeks to develop its economy amid rapid technological change.
“We have rolled up our sleeves and are building not a new Kazakhstan, not an old one, but our own Kazakhstan,” he added. Olga Kaldybayeva, chief expert at the Public Opinion Monitoring Department of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, emphasized that expanding infrastructure alone would not guarantee better living conditions.
In an analysis published following the address, she noted that the effectiveness of urban development would depend on coordinated planning, efficient management of resources and investment in human capital.