Kazakhstan Presents Its Digital Development Strategy at the UN ESCAP Session

The Kazakhstani delegation participated in the work of the 82nd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific — ESCAP — which brought together representatives of more than 50 countries in the region.

As part of the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev addressed the high-level participants, while First Deputy Minister Rostislav Konyashkin presented the practical aspects of the digital agenda at the Bangkok venue.

An important outcome of the Kazakhstani delegation's work was the election of Kazakhstan as Co-Chair of the Session, confirming international recognition of the country's experience in shaping a coordinated regional sustainable development agenda.

An in-depth discussion on the prospects for artificial intelligence took place during a dedicated side event, jointly organised by Kazakhstan and ESCAP, which brought together more than 100 participants — including ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and telecommunications ministers from regional countries — to discuss the responsible deployment of AI.

Rostislav Konyashkin presented Kazakhstan's IT industry vision, built on four pillars: high-quality data, computing capacity, talent development, and strong institutions. It was noted that Kazakhstan is ready for open partnership and the transfer of proven solutions — such as the Smart Bridge system and eGov services — to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across the region.

This session marked an important stage in the development of the initiatives laid out at the Ministerial Conference in Astana in 2024, reinforced by the recent visit of delegations from 15 countries to the alem.ai international centre at the beginning of 2026, where representatives from China, India, Bangladesh, and other Asia-Pacific states expressed strong interest in Kazakhstan's GovTech digital solutions.

In his address, Zhaslan Madiyev emphasised that under the personal oversight of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan has built a sustainable digital ecosystem, today ranking 10th in the world in the UN E-Government Survey online services index. Building on this experience, Kazakhstan is ready to share its knowledge and solutions with all interested countries.

A series of bilateral meetings also took place on the sidelines of the session, including talks with representatives of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, and ETDA Thailand Executive Director Chaichana Mitrpant. Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to share expertise in the "Listening State" concept, eGov mobile solutions, and the Smart Bridge platform, and joined the 2025 Bangkok Declaration as a co-author to combat cross-border cyber threats.