Kazakhstan’s SEZ Strategy and the Road to Eurasian Leadership
Kazakhstan is increasingly positioned as a strategic economic hub in Eurasia through a development model centered on fifteen Special Economic Zones. Located at the core of the China–Europe overland trade corridors, the country aims to transform its role from a transit territory into a center of production, investment, and logistics. These Special Economic Zones are thematically designed to support industry, petrochemicals, logistics, technology, tourism, and processing sectors. Among them, the TURAN Special Economic Zone stands out due to its large territorial scale, multi-sectoral structure, and comprehensive incentive framework. Established in the Turkistan Region, TURAN SEZ combines tourism development with manufacturing, food processing, textiles, and logistics. Expanded activity classifications, long-term tax exemptions, and free land allocation have strengthened investor interest. Between 2019 and 2025, the zone attracted significant investment volumes, generated employment, and completed a large number of projects. Overall, current trends indicate that Kazakhstan is emerging as one of the most promising economic actors in the Eurasian region, with Special Economic Zones serving as the backbone of this transformation.
Introduction
At a time when global trade routes are being reshaped along the Asia–Europe axis, Kazakhstan is steadily emerging as one of the most dynamic economic centers of Eurasia. Located at the core of overland China–Europe trade corridors, the country has adopted a development strategy based on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to strengthen industrial production, logistics capacity, technological development, and tourism infrastructure. Currently, fifteen SEZs operate across Kazakhstan, representing a comprehensive policy instrument aimed at transforming the country into a key Eurasian hub rather than a simple transit territory.
1. A Network of Fifteen Special Economic Zones in the Eurasian Space
Kazakhstan currently hosts 15 Special Economic Zones, namely: Astana – New City, Astana – Technopol, Alatau (ITP / Alatau IT City), Ontustik, Saryarka, Pavlodar, Horgos – Eastern Gate, Aktau Seaport, National Industrial Petrochemical Technopark (NINT), Chemical Park Taraz, Aktobe, Qyzyljar, TURAN, Borabay, and Almaty Industrial Zone.
These SEZs are designed as thematically specialized zones focusing on industry, petrochemicals, logistics, technology, tourism, and processing industries. Horgos – Eastern Gate and Aktau Seaport play a central role within the China–Europe trade corridor, while Alatau IT City and Astana – Technopol support innovation-driven growth. This diversified SEZ structure reflects Kazakhstan’s ambition to shift toward value-added production and to consolidate its position within Eurasian supply chains.
2. TURAN SEZ: An Emerging Economic Hub in Turkistan Region
Within this extensive SEZ framework, the TURAN Special Economic Zone stands out due to its scale and multi-sectoral structure. TURAN SEZ was established by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan through Resolution No. 693 dated 29 September 2018 and is located in the Turkistan Region. The zone covers a total area of 4,414.39 hectares and consists of a historical center, administrative and business areas, industrial zones, an airport, and an international industrial cooperation center.
The primary objective of TURAN SEZ is to enhance the tourism potential of Turkistan city while developing a modern and competitive tourism infrastructure. At the same time, the zone promotes investment in manufacturing, food production, textiles, logistics, and processing industries. This integrated structure positions TURAN SEZ as a comprehensive development platform rather than a conventional industrial zone.
3. Incentives, Investments, and Quantitative Outcomes of TURAN SEZ
TURAN SEZ offers a wide range of incentives designed to attract both domestic and foreign investors. These include exemptions from corporate income tax, land tax, and property tax; exemptions from customs duties and value-added tax on imports; free land allocation; and tax incentives applied for periods of 7, 15, or 25 years, depending on project scale.
The effectiveness of these incentives is reflected in measurable outcomes. During the 2019–2025 period, TURAN SEZ registered 45 participant projects, attracted 1.19 trillion tenge in investment, generated 1,330 permanent and temporary jobs, and completed 44 projects. As of 2024, the number of permitted activities within the zone increased from 19 to 35, with 408 sub-activities defined under the OKED (Economic Activity Classification). These figures demonstrate a rapid expansion trajectory and a growing level of investor confidence.
Conclusion: Kazakhstan as a Rising Star of Eurasia
Kazakhstan’s SEZ-based development model, supported by a network of fifteen Special Economic Zones and reinforced by large-scale initiatives such as TURAN SEZ, is reshaping the country’s role within Eurasia. Positioned at the intersection of major transcontinental trade routes, Kazakhstan is advancing toward a function as a production, investment, and logistics center. Current indicators suggest that the country is on a path toward becoming one of Eurasia’s most prominent emerging economies in the coming years.
https://invest.gov.kz/doing-business-here/fez-and/the-list-of-sez-and/
Aigerim Absamatova
Contributing writer at EUReflect.