Smithsonian Institution to set up Kazakhstan Cultural Heritage Fund
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is on a working visit to New York, participated in a roundtable discussion with the representatives of American businesses, Kazinform News Agency reports citing Akorda.
The fifth priority outlined in his speech was digital transformation.
Tokayev reminded of Kazakhstan’s plans to become a fully digital state within the next three years and to establish itself as a leading IT hub in Eurasia, particularly in the fields of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
According to the President, the active involvement of global tech giants such as Nvidia, Amazon, Starlink, and Microsoft in Kazakhstan’s ecosystem reflects the country’s significant potential. He said that digital assets, Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, and smart city solutions could be the most promising areas for collaboration.
Speaking on financial sector, the Head of State informed participants about the potential of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC), which hosts over 4,200 registered companies from more than 80 countries, including more than 60 from the U.S.
The President also highlighted human capital development as the seventh priority.
“Kazakhstan is gradually becoming a regional academic and research hub. Today, 33 branches of foreign universities operate in our country, including leading U.S. institutions such as the University of Arizona, Colorado School of Mines, Duke University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, and the New York Film Academy,” he noted.
He then said that more than 800 Bolashak scholarship students are currently studying in the United States - at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, the University of Chicago, and other prestigious institutions.
In this context, the President proposed expanding joint projects with American universities and research centers aimed at cultivating a new generation of leaders.
Tokayev also addressed the issue of cultural support from business community.
“Today, I was pleased to learn of the Smithsonian Institution’s decision to establish the Kazakhstan Cultural Heritage Fund, which will focus on preserving, studying, and promoting our country’s rich heritage on the global stage. We are especially grateful to Michael Wirth, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Chevron, for his active support of this important initiative,” the Kazakh President said.