BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 9. Kazakhstan is steadily strengthening its position in the global digital transformation and innovation landscape, emerging as one of Central Asia’s leading digital economies, Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), Deemah AlYahya, told Trend in an exclusive interview.
“According to the Digital Economy Navigator (DEN) 2025 developed by the DCO, Kazakhstan demonstrates particularly strong performance in several key pillars that are essential for building an inclusive and future-ready digital economy,” she said.
AlYahya noted that the DEN is a comprehensive global framework that measures the maturity of the digital economy across 80 countries, representing 85% of the world’s population and 94% of global GDP. Built on 145 indicators from internationally recognized data sources and global surveys, the DEN evaluates countries across three dimensions: Digital Enablers, Digital Business, and Digital Society, with countries assessed on a scale of 0 to 100 across the various pillars and subpillars.
“Kazakhstan’s performance reflects a balanced and forward-looking approach to digital development. One of its strongest areas is Digital Finance, where the country scored 75.4, including an impressive 85.7 in access to digital banking and finance. This highlights Kazakhstan’s rapid adoption of digital financial services and its efforts to expand financial inclusion through technology. These achievements indicate that Kazakhstan has established an enabling regulatory environment capable of supporting innovation, digital trade, and investment”, the secretary-general said.
AlYahya pointed out that another notable strength is Kazakhstan’s progress in digital education and workforce readiness.
“The country scored 82.7 in Digital for Education and 74.6 in Digital for Work and Training, reflecting significant investments in digital skills development and technology-enabled opportunities. Kazakhstan’s high internet access score of 93.4 further demonstrates the country’s commitment to expanding connectivity and ensuring broad participation in the digital economy,” she said.
At the same time, she added, the DEN highlights important opportunities for future growth, particularly in digital innovation and startup ecosystem development.
According to her, Kazakhstan’s strong regulatory foundations position it well to further strengthen research and development, attract investment into emerging technologies, and scale digital entrepreneurship. As digital transformation increasingly shapes global competitiveness, Kazakhstan is demonstrating the ambition and institutional capacity needed to become an important regional digital hub connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
“Several areas offer strong potential for deeper cooperation between Kazakhstan and the DCO in the near future, particularly in fields that are becoming increasingly central to economic competitiveness and digital resilience worldwide”, AlYahya said.
According to the secretary-general, one important area is artificial intelligence. Kazakhstan has increasingly prioritized artificial intelligence and emerging technologies within its national digital transformation agenda, including through the Digital Kazakhstan program, the development of an AI Development Concept for 2024–2029, and recent initiatives focused on AI governance and digital innovation.
“This policy direction is reinforced by a strong compute foundation: the country operates two supercomputers and is advancing a national 'Data Centers Valley' with a planned capacity of 1 GW, positioning Kazakhstan as one of the region's emerging hubs for AI-ready infrastructure”, AlYahya said.
She noted that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, underlining the importance of ensuring countries are prepared to participate in this transformation.
According to her, cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Digital Cooperation Organization could focus on AI policy frameworks, talent development, digital skills, and fostering inclusive innovation ecosystems.
Furthermore, the secretary-general pointed out that digital governance is another promising area for collaboration. The DCO works closely with governments and international partners to advance agile, interoperable, and citizen-centered digital governance frameworks that enable trusted digital services, cross-border data flows, and digital trade.
She noted that Kazakhstan’s efforts to modernize public services and strengthen e-government capabilities align naturally with these priorities. Cooperation could focus on sharing international best practices in digital public infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and digital inclusion policies.
“Fintech and digital finance also present significant opportunities. Kazakhstan has emerged as one of Central Asia's leading fintech ecosystems, supported by initiatives such as the Astana International Financial Centre. The broader startup landscape is maturing in parallel: in September 2025, Kazakh-founded Higgsfield AI crossed a $1 billion valuation to become the country's first unicorn, backed by global investors including Menlo Ventures, a milestone widely seen as a signal that Kazakhstan's tech ecosystem has reached a new stage of global competitiveness. The DCO's work in enabling inclusive digital economies and fostering cross-border digital cooperation could support further growth in digital payments, startup ecosystems, and SME participation in the digital economy”, she said.
AlYahya also noted that the DCO serves as a multistakeholder platform, bringing together governments, the private sector, international organizations, academia, and civil society to address challenges and opportunities in the digital economy. According to her, digital transformation requires joint efforts, with innovation often driven by the private sector, regulation shaped by governments, and inclusive development supported by broader societal participation.
The secretary-general added that Kazakhstan presents strong potential for future cooperation across areas such as digital investment, AI governance, digital entrepreneurship, skills development, and inclusive innovation.
She pointed to several practical examples of the DCO’s cooperation model, including the Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum in Pakistan, which brought together more than 700 delegates from over 45 countries and helped attract over $700 million in digital economy inflows, as well as the WE-Elevate initiative, which supports women-led SMEs in transitioning to digital-first businesses and has trained more than 10,000 enterprises, with 2,500 already engaged in cross-border trade. According to her, these initiatives reflect the DCO’s approach of adapting successful models to local priorities while connecting countries with global expertise, investment opportunities, and implementation partners.
“This creates strong potential for Kazakhstan to explore tailored initiatives that build on its own digital ambitions while benefiting from experiences and lessons learned across the DCO ecosystem”, she said.
AlYahya added that there is a significant opportunity to explore similar collaborative initiatives adapted to the country’s own priorities and strengths. As Kazakhstan continues advancing its digital economy ambitions, the DCO stands ready to support efforts that foster innovation, attract investment, strengthen digital skills, and ensure that the benefits of the digital economy are accessible to all segments of society.
“The DCO sees significant potential for Kazakhstan to further strengthen its role as a regional digital hub connecting Central Asia with broader markets across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Kazakhstan combines several important advantages: strong government commitment to digital transformation, expanding digital infrastructure, expanding innovation ecosystem, and a strategic geographic position that naturally supports cross-border digital connectivity and trade”, she said.
Furthermore, AlYahya noted that over the past several years, Kazakhstan has made notable progress in areas such as e-government, fintech, digital public services, and emerging technologies.
“According to the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index, Kazakhstan ranked 24th globally and was among the world’s top-performing countries in online government services, reflecting the country’s substantial investments in digital governance and public sector modernization,” she said.
The secretary-general pointed out that the country is also seeing steady growth in its digital economy. E-commerce accounted for 14.1% of total retail trade in 2024, with the government targeting an increase to 18.5% in the coming years. Kazakhstan also ranked 47th globally in the 2025 ICT Development Index, highlighting continued progress in connectivity, digital infrastructure, and technology adoption, she said, citing official data.
According to her, these trends demonstrate both growing consumer participation in the digital economy and sustained institutional commitment to digital transformation.
“Kazakhstan is also positioning itself as an important digital connectivity corridor between Asia and Europe. Ongoing investments in fiber-optic infrastructure, data centers, cloud services, and next-generation telecommunications are strengthening the country’s ambitions to become a regional technology and data transit hub,” AlYahya said.
She noted that Kazakhstan’s innovation ecosystem continues to expand. Astana Hub, the country’s international technology park for IT startups, has become one of the region’s fastest-growing innovation platforms, supporting over 1,800 startups and technology companies while attracting international partnerships and investment.
According to her, Kazakhstan’s growing digital entrepreneurship ecosystem, combined with its increasing focus on AI development and digital skills, reflects a broader ambition to position itself as a leading technology player in the region.
“Importantly, Kazakhstan’s potential extends beyond technology itself. The country can play a broader regional role by facilitating digital cooperation, encouraging knowledge exchange, and helping connect regional markets and talent ecosystems. As digital transformation increasingly reshapes global economies, countries that can bridge regions, foster trusted digital environments, and support innovation ecosystems will play an increasingly strategic role,” the secretary general said.
She added that from the DCO’s perspective, Kazakhstan is well-positioned to become not only a national success story in digital development but also a key regional partner in shaping a more inclusive, connected, and resilient digital economy across Central Asia and beyond.
“My recent meeting with H.E. Madiyar Menilbekov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was an important step toward strengthening dialogue and exploring future avenues for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the DCO,” AlYahya noted.
She said that a key focus of the discussions was the Digital Economy Navigator (DEN) 2025 report and the insights it provides into Kazakhstan’s digital transformation progress and future opportunities. In this context, the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on Kazakhstan’s digital development priorities and discuss areas where greater collaboration could create long-term value.
"Looking ahead, the next practical steps are expected to focus on deepening institutional engagement and identifying areas of mutual interest where cooperation can be translated into concrete action. This includes continued coordination between the DCO and relevant stakeholders in Kazakhstan’s public and private sectors", the secretary general said.
AlYahya added that there is also strong potential for follow-up technical engagement around areas such as digital economy measurement, innovation ecosystems, digital investment, AI governance, digital skills, and inclusive digital transformation. Through platforms such as the DEN, the DCO seeks not only to provide data and analysis but also to help countries connect with international expertise, successful policy models, and cross-border cooperation opportunities.
"Importantly, the DCO approaches cooperation as a long-term partnership built on dialogue, shared priorities, and practical implementation. Importantly, the DCO approaches cooperation as a long-term partnership built on dialogue, shared priorities, and practical implementation. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model, the organization works closely with countries to understand national priorities and identify initiatives that can deliver meaningful and sustainable impact," she said.
AlYahya noted that as discussions continue, both sides share a common interest in fostering innovation-driven growth, strengthening digital resilience, and ensuring that digital transformation remains inclusive and beneficial to all segments of society.
