BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 30. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Acceleration Centre planned for Kazakhstan is expected to strengthen the country’s digital innovation ecosystem and contribute to regional cooperation across the CIS, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava told Trend in an interview.
“ITU enjoys a strong and longstanding partnership with Kazakhstan across a broad range of areas, including digital transformation, innovation, connectivity, spectrum management, cybersecurity, and digital capacity development,” Zavazava said.
He noted that Kazakhstan has consistently demonstrated its commitment to leveraging digital technologies to support sustainable development and is an important partner for regional cooperation in the CIS region.
“The Cooperation Agreement to establish an ITU Acceleration Centre and join the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development marks an important step towards advancing digital development in a priority area identified by Kazakhstan,” he said.
According to the ITU official, ITU Acceleration Centres provide countries with a practical framework to strengthen their digital ecosystems, foster innovation, and unlock new economic opportunities in strategic sectors.
He explained that the centres connect national innovation ecosystems with a global network of partners and expertise, facilitating knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, and the scaling of innovative digital solutions.
“The centre in Kazakhstan is expected to strengthen the country’s digital innovation ecosystem and create new entrepreneurial opportunities in its chosen priority area,” Zavazava said.
He added that the initiative will have a broader regional dimension alongside its contribution to Kazakhstan’s national digital ambitions.
“While supporting Kazakhstan’s national digital ambitions, it will also contribute to regional collaboration and the broader Alliance Network, contributing to cooperation efforts across the CIS region,” he said.
Zavazava also outlined the process for establishing the centre and its expected operationalization. According to him, the establishment of an ITU Acceleration Centre is a phased process that begins following the expression of interest and its acceptance.
The parties then formalize their partnership through a cooperation agreement defining the operating framework, governance arrangements, and respective roles and responsibilities.
“Following the signature of the agreement, the design and implementation phase begins. During this period, ITU works closely with the host country to establish governance mechanisms, build institutional and technical capacity, develop operational processes, and prepare the centre to become an active member of the Alliance Network,” Zavazava said.
He stressed that the exact timeline for the centre to become operational will depend on the completion of the implementation steps, and will be agreed jointly between ITU and the Government of Kazakhstan.
Zavazava also highlighted Kazakhstan’s role in the development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies at the regional and international levels.
According to him, Kazakhstan has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing digital technologies and artificial intelligence as part of its broader digital transformation agenda.
“ITU welcomes Kazakhstan’s growing engagement in international cooperation on AI and digital innovation and recognizes the country’s potential to contribute to capacity building, knowledge exchange, and the development of practical digital solutions,” Zavazava said.
Turning to the international AI agenda, Zavazava also highlighted Kazakhstan’s participation as a founding member of the AI for Good Global Commission.
He noted that the Commission brings together governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and civil society to help advance international dialogue on the governance and application of artificial intelligence for sustainable development.
“ITU welcomes Kazakhstan’s participation as a founding member of the AI for Good Global Commission,” Zavazava said.
He noted that Kazakhstan’s participation reflects its commitment to engaging in global discussions on the responsible, inclusive, and human-centred development of AI.
According to Zavazava, perspectives from countries and regions at different stages of digital development are important for ensuring that AI governance frameworks take into account different needs and priorities.
“Diverse perspectives are essential to ensuring that AI governance frameworks respond to the needs and priorities of countries and regions at different stages of digital development, and Kazakhstan’s contribution will help enrich these discussions,” he said.
Zavazava also outlined the areas where cooperation between ITU and Kazakhstan could expand in the coming years.
“We see significant opportunities to further expand cooperation with Kazakhstan across several strategic areas. These include digital innovation and entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, digital skills development, universal and meaningful connectivity, cybersecurity, digital resilience, and enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that support inclusive digital transformation,” he said.
According to Zavazava, the establishment of the ITU Acceleration Centre will provide a platform for further development of this cooperation.
“The establishment of the ITU Acceleration Centre provides an important platform for advancing our cooperation to support Kazakhstan’s national digital priorities and strengthen regional collaboration,” the ITU official said.
