Kazakhstan positions itself as key logistics hub linking Europe with Asia & regional AI hub

Central Asia’s biggest state Kazakhstan has unveiled a new phase of its transport infrastructure strategy, launching construction of the Beineu–Saksaulsk highway and announcing the expansion of two additional road corridors as part of a broader effort to position the country as a key logistics hub linking Europe and Asia.

Speaking at a meeting on Aug. 3, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the projects are designed not only to improve domestic connectivity but also to increase transit capacity, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s role in Eurasian supply chains.



“Our main goal is to transform Kazakhstan into one of the leading logistics hubs connecting Europe and Asia,” Tokayev said.


Tokayev announced the expansion and reconstruction of the Kyzylorda–Saksaulsk and Ulgaysyn–Saksaulsk highways, covering a combined 774 kilometers. According to him, domestic companies will lead construction, creating more than 10,000 jobs, while annual freight volumes along the corridor are expected to increase 2.5-fold to 13.2 million tons after completion.


“Undoubtedly, these projects will contribute to the development of the national economy and tourism, as well as to improving the welfare of the population. Each of these projects is seamlessly integrated into the transportation system of Kazakhstan. The historically established vertical transportation networks are now complemented by horizontal connections,” Tokayev said, instructing that all projects should be completed no later than 2029.


The road projects form part of a wider effort to transform transport into one of Kazakhstan’s principal growth sectors. According to Tokayev, freight transportation reached nearly 37 million tons in 2025, a 6% increase from the previous year.


Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan’s transport ambitions now extend beyond physical infrastructure. Rather than simply expanding highways, he said the country must build a modern digital transport ecosystem, supported by a forthcoming national program for domestic freight carriers and the local automotive industry.Tokayev argued that Kazakhstan’s transport ambitions now extend beyond physical infrastructure. Rather than simply expanding highways, he said the country must build a modern digital transport ecosystem, supported by a forthcoming national program for domestic freight carriers and the local automotive industry.

Meanwhile more than 500 high school students from 106 countries gathered in Astana for the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI). Tokayev used the event to showcase Kazakhstan’s broader ambition to become one of Eurasia’s leading AI economies. Tokayev described artificial intelligence as one of the central pillars of Kazakhstan’s long-term development strategy.


The country has also positioned itself more actively within global AI governance, becoming a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), while securing major partnerships with NVIDIA and U.S.-based AI infrastructure company Firebird to develop large-scale computing infrastructure.