Astana – Kazakhstan has achieved a significant milestone by ranking 24th in the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024, marking a four-place improvement from its previous position. The country also secured the 10th spot in the Online Services Index (OSI), reflecting its commitment to enhancing digital governance and public service delivery.
In an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Astana International Forum 2025, His Excellency Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed the achievements made by Kazakhstan, as the following:
Key Achievements:
- E-Government Development: Kazakhstan is among the countries with a very high level of e-government development, surpassing nations like Uruguay (25th), Switzerland (26th), Turkey (27th), France (34th), China (35th), and Canada (47th).
- Online Services: The country ranks 10th globally in the OSI, alongside leaders such as South Korea, Denmark, and Estonia, and ahead of China, Germany, and Australia.
- CIS Leadership: Kazakhstan leads among Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, outperforming Russia (43rd), Armenia (48th), Uzbekistan (63rd), and Azerbaijan (74th).
- Telecommunications Infrastructure: The nation improved its position in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index by 23 places, reaching 41st globally. Digital Transformation Initiatives:
- Service Digitization: Approximately 93.3% of government services are now available online, with 86% accessible via smartphones. In the first half of 2024, 35 million services were delivered through the eGov Mobile app and other platforms.
- IT Exports: Kazakhstan’s IT services exports reached $306 million in the first half of 2024, with projections to exceed $600 million by year-end. The country exports to 86 nations and aims for $1 billion in IT exports by 2026. Artificial Intelligence: The government has established a Committee on AI and approved a development plan for 2024–2029. Initiatives include the National AI Center in Astana and the development of a national language model, KazLLM
- Infrastructure Development: Investments in digital infrastructure include the installation of over 20,000 kilometers of fiber-optic lines, connecting more than 1,200 rural settlements and 3,700 institutions to broadband internet. Additionally, 918 5G base stations have been launched in 20 cities.
Social Digital Services:
- Digital Family Card: This initiative utilizes data from 93 government databases to proactively identify and support families in need, without requiring applications for assistance.
- Digital Birth Registration: Parents can now register newborns and obtain digital birth certificates seamlessly, exemplifying the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s e-government services.
Highlighting Kazakhstan’s capabilities, the Minister noted the country ranks among the top ten in the digital industry and has a platform called ON HOP, which serves as a hub for startups — including those benefiting from zero-tax incentives. He also noted Kazakhstan’s pivotal role in the global and local cryptocurrency ecosystem, with over 60 mining companies and 5 to 7 mining pools operating within the country.
He continued: “Our digital asset legislation introduced years ago is now encouraging specialized entities to join our ecosystem. We’ve created a crypto-friendly environment through legal reforms, introducing crypto agents in exchange shops and enabling the trading of crypto cards.”
On Kazakhstan’s future priorities, the Minister stated: “We are now among the top 24 countries globally in terms of e-government development according to the UN, and in the top 10 for online service delivery, with over 90% of public services available online and approximately 90% of all transactions now cashless.”
On another note, during the Astana International Forum, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry signed a joint agreement on Thursday with Meta and the Blockchain & AI Center to develop the Meta LLaMA accelerator program in Kazakhstan.
This agreement aims to showcase Kazakhstan’s technological potential in AI, develop open-source solutions based on the LLaMA and KazLLM models, and apply AI products to meet the practical needs of public and private sectors. It also aims to support startups and young teams through international acceleration and mentorship programs.
Minister Madiyev revealed that applications for the Meta LLaMA accelerator program in Kazakhstan will soon open, noting President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s recent announcement of a new innovation pilot zone named the “Crypto City” in Kazakhstan.
His Excellency emphasized the strength and depth of relations with the United Arab Emirates in the fields of digital development, innovation, and space. He stressed the joint efforts to enhance ties and achieve advancement in the digital industry between the two countries and the world at large.
In the same interview, Minister Madiyev stated: “The cooperation between the UAE and Kazakhstan is steadily growing and progressing. Recently, we announced the establishment of a joint IT hub in Dubai, along with joint participation in several international forums and exhibitions where Kazakhstan showcases its startup and tech companies.”
The Minister added, “Thanks to our continuous exchange of expertise, we are creating joint investment funds and co-investing in various economies. We are in constant communication with relevant UAE authorities, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to explore ways to enhance cross-border communications, introduce our IT services to global markets, and expand practical cooperation between the tech parks of our two nations.”
He pointed out the signing and exchange of multiple agreements and memoranda of understanding between public and private sector institutions in both countries, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, smart city development, data centers, cybersecurity, ports and logistics, education, agriculture, and food industries. Notable examples include:
- AIQ signed strategic agreements with Kazakh companies such as KazakhGas and Samruk Kazyna to promote AI use in the oil and gas sector and support digital transformation.
- Presight partnered with the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development to establish high-performance data centers and provide advanced computing (NVIDIA H200) for the “Smart City” project in Astana.
- Masdar signed agreements to build a 1 GW wind power plant in Zhambyl, round-the-clock power generation projects, and energy storage facilities with a 2 GW capacity.
- Abu Dhabi Ports partnered with Kazakh firms to develop a multipurpose marine terminal at Kuryk Port and expand the Caspian Sea fleet, alongside agreements to enhance maritime trade and logistics investment.
- KEZAD Group signed MoUs to develop cooperation with various Kazakh economic entities.
