BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10. Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has chaired a meeting of the Alatau City Council to review the implementation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's instructions on the development of the new city and the rollout of its special legal regime, according to the government's press service.
During the meeting, participants discussed the implementation of the Constitutional Law "On the Special Legal Regime of Alatau City" and further steps to advance the Alatau City project.
"With the Constitutional Law 'On the Special Legal Regime of Alatau City' entering into force in line with the provisions of the new Constitution, the Alatau City project is expected to become one of the drivers of Kazakhstan's economic development in accordance with the President's instructions. Therefore, the main task of the Alatau City Council is to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the special legal regime," Bektenov said.
During the meeting, Chief Executive Officer of Alatau City Authority Alisher Abdykadyrov presented the organization's current activities and development plans. Work is underway to establish the city's regulatory framework, prepare strategic planning documents, build a modern public administration system, attract investment and support investment projects.
Infrastructure development is also continuing in Alatau's existing settlements, including the Yntymaq, Qoyanqus, Zhetigen, Zhanadauir and Zhanatalap districts.
He noted that by the end of this year, authorities plan to complete the city's Long-Term Development Plan through 2055, the Development Strategy and the Master Plan through 2040 with the participation of international consulting firms ARUP and BCG.
The meeting also reviewed several flagship initiatives, including K-Smart City, Alatau AI-Driven City and Alatau Crypto City. The projects envisage the creation of a 330-hectare smart district based on South Korean technologies, deployment of AI, Big Data and a digital twin for real-time city management, as well as the development of tokenization projects and a Web3 ecosystem.
According to the Alatau City Authority, the city has compiled a portfolio of 53 investment projects worth 2 trillion tenge (about $4.2 billion), expected to create around 51,000 jobs. Major projects include the over $1 billion Iconic Complex, production facilities for PepsiCo, Mars and Hyundai Green Food, the Khan Tengri Biopharma plant, urban air mobility projects with AutoFlight and Joby, and the construction of a KAIST university campus.
The authority also plans to launch the first tokenization projects by the end of 2026, attract residents and establish an integrated virtual and real economy ecosystem.
Following the meeting, the Council approved the regulations governing the Alatau City Authority, transforming the state fund into a specialized government body responsible for managing and developing the city.
The Council also approved the establishment of an Operational Committee to address urgent issues and a Regulatory Commission to adopt legal acts and introduce international best practices under the city's special legal regime.
In addition, members supported the creation of a Temporary Land Relations Commission under the Alatau city administration to oversee land-related transition issues and facilitate priority investment projects until the city's Master Plan is approved.
Bektenov instructed government agencies and the Alatau City Authority to accelerate work on the project's key development priorities.
