ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 18. Thirty new projects will soon get a total of 1.5 billion tenge (about $2.85 million) in funding through a massive Mangystau business program, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a meeting on the socio-economic development of the Mangystau region, Trend reports.
The president also pointed out that at present, 77,000 small and medium-sized businesses are up and running in the region, putting bread on the table for 150,000 people.
“In 2024, the volume of products produced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increased by 270.5 billion tenge (approximately $513 million), reaching 2.2 trillion tenge (approximately $4.18 billion). As you know, Mangystau exhibits distinct attributes, characterized by a dominant oil extraction sector, arid topography, insufficient irrigation resources, and a reliance on external food supply chains,” said the president.
According to him, the Special Economic Zone "Seaport Aktau" should become a center capable of giving a special boost to the development of entrepreneurship in the region.
“This year, it is planned to increase the area of the SEZ sevenfold (from 3,700 hectares to 26,500 hectares). This is a good decision. The Akim also has proposals regarding the SEZ. It is necessary to include the production of consumer goods, including food products, in the list of economic activities,” he added.
During his working trip to Mangystau, the president also engaged with several pivotal economic infrastructures, including the Aktau International Maritime Hub, Yessenov Technological Park, and the BS Arena athletic complex, among others.
