When Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his state of the nation address in September, one of the prominent themes was Kazakhstan’s role as a transit and logistics hub.
“There are significant opportunities to expand the country’s transit potential,” he told lawmakers, stressing that the North-South corridor to the Persian Gulf and South Asia, the East-West corridor within China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and the Trans-Caspian route should “function as a single system, bringing tangible income and new infrastructure investment to our country, as well as creating high-quality jobs.”
The speech highlighted how central connectivity has become to Kazakhstan’s development model.
As Tokayev put it, “Global competition for transit is intensifying, with cheaper alternative routes and solutions being offered. It is necessary to act proactively to increase the volume of transit transportation.”
The government approved a National Action Plan on September 15 that prioritizes expansion of transit capacity.
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