Islamabad (GNP): The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Yerkin Tukumov, has briefed Pakistani academics, researchers, media representatives and private sector figures on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s 2026 State of the Nation Address.
Mr. Tukumov, who joined his post in Pakistan on 13 October 2026, hosted the briefing on Monday at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Islamabad. He invited the guests to hear the key themes of the address and to discuss Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations. He also extended his greetings to them on Allama Iqbal Day.
The Ambassador said President Tokayev delivered the address on 28 October 2026, as Kazakhstan marked 35 years of independence. Titled “Kazakhstan’s Current Priorities in a New Historical Cycle”, it was the first since the new Constitution came into force on 1 July.
He said the President placed economic strength, modern infrastructure and technological development at the heart of national sovereignty and public wellbeing. The address linked these goals to effective implementation, private investment, the rule of law and national unity, in the vision of a “Just, Strong, Clean and Progressive Kazakhstan”.
He described independence as a key driver of the country’s economic growth. He said Kazakhstan has one of the strongest economies in Asia, is a strong investor in the financial foundations of regional and international business, and is positioning itself as a middle power in international affairs. He added that the country has very high literacy rates and a unicameral parliament, the Kurultai.
Citing International Monetary Fund projections, the Ambassador said GDP is expected to approach $400 billion in 2026, with GDP per capita above $19,000. Manufacturing now accounts for more than 14 per cent of GDP, while gold and foreign exchange reserves and National Fund assets exceed $130 billion.
The centrepiece of the address is the “People’s Construction” programme, which the President called the largest infrastructure project in Kazakhstan’s history. He proposed declaring 2027 the Year of Nationwide Large-Scale Construction, with projects in social facilities, transport, utilities and housing across all regions.
About 6.5 trillion tenge ($14.27 billion) is to be allocated from the National Fund by the end of 2029. Of this, 1.5 trillion tenge ($3.29 billion) is earmarked for launching social projects during 2026 and the first two months of 2027. The first phase includes about 70 healthcare facilities and around 50 educational, sporting and cultural facilities.
The Ambassador said spending will face strict oversight and must deliver clear economic and social returns. Qualified local small and medium-sized enterprises are expected to take part, and the Government is to prepare a region-by-region list of projects by the end of 2026. He added that the President wants major projects to stimulate domestic production of construction materials and engineering equipment.
On living standards, he said the minimum monthly wage will rise from 85,000 to 110,000 tenge from 1 January 2027, benefiting about 1.8 million people. Pay for primary healthcare specialists will rise by up to 40 per cent, benefiting more than 77,000 professionals.
The healthcare plans include eight perinatal centres and seven children’s hospitals. For education, the President called for more facilities and specialists for the more than 237,000 children who need inclusive education, and for less administrative burden on teachers.
On energy, he said Kazakhstan generates around 123 billion kWh of electricity a year but still faces shortages. The President has set the goal of a sustained surplus by 2029, through new generation capacity, upgraded power plants and transmission lines, cleaner coal generation and renewables, particularly solar power.
The address also covers nuclear energy. Construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant could begin as early as 2027, and the President called for a cooperation agreement to launch the Moyynkum plant. He proposed a strategic uranium reserve to secure fuel supplies for the country’s nuclear plants over the next century.
On transport, the Bakhty-Ayagoz railway is expected to enter service in 2027, adding 20 million tonnes of freight capacity between Kazakhstan and China. Construction of the Aral-Caspian corridor began in August 2026 and will shorten the Trans-Caspian route by about 1,000 kilometres and cut delivery times by up to three days.
The President wants Kazakhstan to become an organiser of international freight flows rather than only a transit territory. This includes stronger domestic freight operators, logistics hubs, fully digitalised freight documents and the reconstruction of all road border crossings in 2027. A new airport in Astana is due to begin construction in 2027.
The Ambassador said the address places strong emphasis on digital development. Two supercomputers are already in service and a third is planned before the end of 2026, while the fibre-optic link across the Caspian seabed has been completed. The President urged a shift towards an AI-powered digital economy, including blockchain and asset tokenisation, and called for AI to improve public administration and cut inefficient spending.
He said a simplified legal framework for digital employment is to be set up by the end of 2026. In 2027, the Government and businesses are to pilot projects that help rural producers sell their products through digital platforms.
On agriculture, he noted that the sector grew by about 6 per cent in 2025. The President called for long-term financing, domestic production of advanced machinery, deeper food processing and wider use of artificial intelligence in farming. He described water scarcity as an urgent problem and called for lower network losses, tighter consumption oversight and the completion of the National Water Resources Information System.
On the business climate, the Ambassador said small and medium-sized enterprises generate 40 per cent of GDP and account for almost 70 per cent of fixed-capital investment. The President proposed a three-year moratorium on inspections of micro and small businesses from 1 January 2027, and a more coherent, centrally managed system for attracting investors.
Alatau City is to set up an Investment Court based on the English common law model. The President also called for a tax code that removes ambiguity, a new Law on the Capital Market, a new Civil Code by the end of 2027, and a national system for managing critical minerals.
On governance, he said the Presidential Administration must submit a comprehensive public administration reform plan by 1 June 2027. It will cover management structures from central government to rural administrations, streamlined procedures, the use of AI and updated ethical standards for civil servants. The President also stressed the principles of “Law and Order” and the “Responsible Citizen” ethos.
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The Ambassador then turned to Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations. He said trade turnover between the two countries was about $1 billion last year. He described this as very modest and said it needs to be boosted. He stressed the need to mitigate existing impediments and to expand the potential of the relationship to newer heights, and he highlighted interregional cooperation and regional matters, including Afghanistan.
He underlined the need to strengthen economic, business, media and people-to-people cooperation between Pakistan and Kazakhstan. He also pointed to the role of research forums in building mutual understanding. He invited the private sectors of both countries to explore opportunities in trade, investment, digital services and agriculture, and referred to the CASA-1000 energy project and regional corridors.
Ambassador Yerkin Tukumov said, “The Central Asia and South Asia corridor will be a game changer for Pakistan and Kazakhstan bilateral relations.”
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
