UN ESCAP Asia and Pacific Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development established in Kazakhstan in the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
During the 82nd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, a resolution establishing a UN ESCAP Asia and Pacific Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development in Almaty was adopted by consensus of all 52 member States.
It is symbolic that the establishment of this new United Nations entity in Kazakhstan has taken place in the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, as proclaimed by H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan.
The Centre will become ESCAP’s sixth regional institution, alongside its existing specialized centres in Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, India and Iran.
The Centre is envisaged as a neutral international platform under the auspices of the United Nations, aimed at identifying and disseminating best digital solutions from across the Asia-Pacific region in the field of public and social services.
As noted by Ambassador Margulan Baimukhan, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UN ESCAP, the adoption of the resolution marks the successful conclusion of a multilateral negotiation process that lasted more than five years and was coordinated by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to ESCAP. As part of this process, seven analytical studies were conducted and three milestone resolutions were adopted at the 79th, 80th and 81st ESCAP sessions. An important milestone was the ESCAP Ministerial Conference on Digital Inclusion and Transformation, held in Astana in September 2024. At the final stage in 2026, a broad group of countries joined the initiative as co-sponsors, including
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Türkiye, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu.
In terms of its format, the Centre will become the largest ESCAP institution in the region, with a projected capacity of up to 130 staff. It is planned to be located in the UN Plaza building in Almaty. The concept provides for the establishment of an international repository of best digital solutions and practices.
The activities of the new United Nations entity will contribute to bridging the digital divide across the region, with a particular focus on supporting least developed countries, landlock countries and small island developing States. In the context of rapid digital transformation, particular importance is attached to developing inclusive mechanisms for the exchange of technologies and expertise, enabling countries to design solutions tailored to national contexts and to ensure equitable access to the benefits of digitalization.
For Kazakhstan, the establishment of the Centre opens up additional opportunities to attract advanced digital technologies, international expertise and highly qualified professionals. Strengthening Almaty’s role as a regional hub under the auspices of the United Nations will foster greater international cooperation, promote partnerships with leading technology companies and development institutions, and further reinforce the country’s position as a reliable provider of modern digital solutions across the Asia-Pacific region.
The initiative also creates conditions for enhancing Kazakhstan’s export potential in IT services and promoting domestic digital solutions in international markets.
The implementation of projects on the transfer of digital solutions, including those aimed at supporting least developed countries, creates conditions for attracting resources from international financial institutions that provide institutional support to countries in the region.
The establishment of the UN ESCAP Asia-Pacific Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development in Almaty will constitute a significant contribution to advancing the priorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s state policy in the fields of digitalization and artificial intelligence development.