Foreign media highlights Kazakhstan’s reduced dependence on raw materials

An international media outlet has highlighted Kazakhstan’s economic performance, noting that the country’s economy grew by 3.7% in the first five months of 2026 after 6.5% GDP growth in 2025.

The publication says recent figures point to a growth model that is becoming less dependent on a single commodity and increasingly supported by investment, manufacturing and modern services.

In January-May 2026, the real sector expanded by 4%, while services grew by 3.6%. Foreign direct investment reached $20.5 billion in 2025, increasing by 14.4% year-on-year.

Citing UNESCAP data, the publication also noted that greenfield investment in Kazakhstan reached $19 billion in 2025, rising by 266%. Kazakhstan accounted for nearly 89% of all greenfield investment in Central Asia.

Capital investment rose by 7% in the first five months of 2026, while private investment increased by 17.4%.

“These figures describe a clear shift. Kazakhstan is increasingly growing on investment, manufacturing, and modern services rather than commodities alone, and it is doing so while much of the global economy slows,” said Jasmine Abdul, Chief Editor, World Impact Media Organization.

Growth was recorded across several key sectors. Construction rose by 13.4% in the first five months of 2026, manufacturing by 9%, transport and warehousing by 8.4%, and trade by 5.6%. Agriculture and telecommunications grew by 3.6% and 3.7%, respectively.

Investment was described as one of the main drivers of Kazakhstan’s economic transformation, with the strongest gains seen in energy infrastructure, information and communications technologies, manufacturing, agriculture and transport.

The publication also pointed to Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve its investment environment, including the updated Investment Policy Concept through 2030, the Investment Headquarters mechanism and the National Digital Investment Platform.

Kazakhstan has set a goal to double the size of its economy to $450 billion by 2029 and attract at least $150 billion in foreign investment.

The country currently operates 18 special economic zones and 67 industrial zones, where 586 investment projects have already been implemented. The Astana International Financial Centre operates under English common law and provides access to independent dispute resolution, green finance, Islamic finance and fintech instruments.

In manufacturing, investment grew by more than 47.4% in 2025. In agriculture, output rose by 3.6% in the first five months of 2026, while investment in the sector increased by 36.4%. Investment in food manufacturing grew 2.7 times.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s new Constitution entered into force on July 1, 2026, after being adopted in a nationwide referendum held on March 15, 2026.