During his annual State of the Nation Address at a joint session of Parliament, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined the strategic steps to modernize transport infrastructure and strengthen the country’s position as Eurasia’s leading aviation hub, El.kz reports.
The Head of State emphasized the importance of launching a railcar manufacturing plant in Astana. With the involvement of a foreign investor, production of modern passenger coaches meeting advanced international standards will be established. This will improve the quality of rail transport and enhance passenger comfort.
In the aviation sector, Tokayev highlighted the large-scale work on infrastructure upgrades. In 2024, new terminals opened in Almaty, Shymkent, and Kyzylorda, while three new airports in the resort areas of Zaisan, Katon-Karagay, and Kendirli are nearing completion. The restoration of the Arkalyk airport has also begun. According to the President, these projects will create new jobs, stimulate regional economic activity, and give an impetus to related industries.
Special attention was devoted to the development of air cargo transportation. Despite positive growth, Tokayev instructed to double the volume of processed air cargo through the establishment of a National Cargo Carrier with the participation of major international partners. With the growth of e-commerce and demand for high-tech products, the air cargo segment is becoming highly profitable. The President also emphasized the need to protect consumer interests and integrate Kazakhstan’s air hubs into global logistics chains.
Tokayev further underlined the importance of introducing unmanned technologies such as autonomous vehicles and cargo delivery drones. The government has been tasked with creating a regulatory framework for the accelerated adoption of these innovations.
“Our strategic goal is to become the leading aviation hub in the Eurasian space,” the President declared, stressing that achieving this objective requires the involvement of top industry experts and entrepreneurs, though the main responsibility rests with the government.