Alatau City in 2025: Year in Review

Special Status and Legal Framework

In his annual State of the Nation Address, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev identified Alatau City as a future hub of innovation and business activity. On September 26, 2025, the President signed the Decree “On Certain Issues of Alatau City Development,” officially granting the city its special legal status as a Territory of Accelerated Development.

This designation paved the way for a pioneering regulatory model - not a copy of existing Special Economic Zones, but a distinct legal environment tailored to next-generation cities. Alatau City is building its own legal infrastructure for investment, smart city solutions, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and innovation-driven enterprises.

“A special legal status is not a privilege - it's a necessary instrument. Without it, our vision risks remaining just words on paper,” the President emphasized.

Governance Architecture 

A major milestone in 2025 was the establishment of Alatau City’s own governance system. The same Presidential Decree that granted its special status also created a dedicated decision-making structure, comprising both strategic and operational bodies. 

At the core of this system is the Alatau City Development Council, which includes representatives of the national government, the National Bank, local authorities, and international experts. The Council defines the city’s strategic priorities, approves major investment and innovation projects, and shapes long-term policy under the special legal regime.

In November, the Council held its inaugural meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The session set priorities for infrastructure development, outlined parameters for the emerging legal regime, and approved a roadmap for utility infrastructure - the first step toward full-scale urban development.

To execute the Council’s decisions, the government established a dedicated development fund - Alatau City Authority (ACA) - tasked with supporting investors, implementing infrastructure projects, and introducing global standards in urban governance.

The formation of this structure culminated in the appointment of Alisher Abdykadyrov as CEO of ACA. The new governance architecture makes Alatau City a predictable, transparent environment for investors and sets the stage for active territorial development starting in 2026.

From Master Plan to Construction 

In November 2025, the government approved revisions to the city’s General Plan, expanding the Special Economic Zone to 98,982.98 hectares and detailing updated zoning parameters.

The expanded SEZ and revised urban layout have driven an uptick in business activity. According to the Almaty Region administration, Alatau City’s budget totaled KZT 8.8 billion over the first 10 months of 2025. Industrial output reached KZT 115.6 billion, and investment volume stood at KZT 46.4 billion. The city’s investment portfolio includes 41 projects, collectively generating over 21,000 jobs. Of these, 18 projects totaling around KZT 1 trillion are currently in active development. More than 103,000 square meters of residential space were commissioned in 2025 alone.

The city’s first anchor project, K-PARK, broke ground in September 2025 in the Golden District. Conceived by the Association of Koreans of Kazakhstan, K-PARK is a cultural-business complex and theme park celebrating Korean heritage. The site will feature parks, educational spaces, a museum, exhibition halls, and public gathering areas. The total green area will span 40,000 square meters.

Choosing a cultural project as the first investment entry point signals Alatau City’s human-centered development approach - where the quality of life becomes the foundation for economic growth. As Almaty Region Akim Marat Sultangaziev noted, “A new city begins not with highways, but with a park. K-PARK will become a magnet for investment.”

Meanwhile, work has begun on the city’s integrated transport scheme and urban design code, in partnership with international experts.

Global Partnerships 

In 2025, Alatau City emerged on the global stage as one of Kazakhstan’s flagship development initiatives. It was showcased at the Singapore Forum on International Industrial Cooperation as a next-generation city designed to attract international capital and technology. 

In May, Alatau City was featured prominently at the Astana International Forum during the panel session “Alatau City: The Future is Now.” Discussions focused on the city’s legal and investment frameworks, digital and mobility technologies, and its vision as an international business and education hub.

The city’s global rollout culminated in the “Alatau Rise with Kazakhstan” roadshow in Seoul, which drew over 800 Korean companies, including Hyundai Motor Group, Samsung C&T, Lotte Group, KEPCO, KOGAS, and others. Memoranda of understanding were signed with KIND, GGGI, and Korea Airports Corporation.

As Park Hong-keun, Chair of the Korea-Kazakhstan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, remarked, “Alatau City is a strong statement of Kazakhstan’s intent to move beyond a resource-based economy.”

Transport of the Future 

2025 also marked the launch of Alatau City’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) program. The Ministry of Digital Development of Kazakhstan, eVTOL aviation leader Joby Aviation, and Alatau Advance Air Group (AAAG) signed an agreement for the delivery of electric aircraft worth $250 million.

Joining the project was UrbanV, an Italian operator of advanced air mobility infrastructure. In partnership with AAAG and Korea Airports Corporation, they began designing a test center and vertiport network in Alatau City. These facilities will support certification, demo flights, and future commercial operations between Alatau City and Almaty. The first test sites are scheduled to open by 2027.

What’s Next?

In 2025, Alatau City transitioned from vision to system - with its own legal framework, governance model, construction pipeline, and growing international relevance. It moved beyond declarations and began building a tangible environment for business, technology, and urban life.

In 2026, the focus will shift to launching trunk utility networks, expanding industrial and tech clusters, and growing the investment pool. Alatau City is entering its next chapter as a regional magnet for capital, innovation, and human potential - not only for Kazakhstan, but for all of Central Asia.