Alatau City has discussed how the existing industrial zones will be integrated into the city's new economic and regulatory system. The round table, organised by the Alatau City Authority special management organisation, brought together the management of the Alatau SEZ managing company and representatives of the Birlik, G-Trans Service, GORIZONT, TULIP, Damu Logistics and Estcomtrans industrial zones.
The main topics were the transition of SEZ participants to Alatau City residency, the development of engineering and transport infrastructure, the inclusion of existing industrial zones in the city's master plan, and the future operating conditions for investors and land users.
One of the key issues is the transition of SEZ participants to Alatau City residency. The proposed mechanism means that existing contracts will not need to be terminated and participants' terms will be preserved at their current level. The relevant provisions are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2027, and participants will be able to move to the new status until 1 July 2027.
A significant part of the meeting was devoted to infrastructure. Developing the industrial sites requires synchronising the construction of enterprises with the provision of electricity, gas and water, as well as with the development of road and rail infrastructure. Transport access to a number of sites was discussed separately, including the need to build a bypass road around the Almaty transport hub.
Another block concerned the future master plan of Alatau City. Participants were presented with approaches to zoning the territory and to defining the place of existing industrial zones within the structure of the new city. The discussion also covered how land plots held in private ownership or under temporary land use will be taken into account.
The parties also reviewed future conditions for investors — namely approaches to tax preferences, the identification of priority sectors, the engagement of international expertise and licensing. The tokenisation of rights to real-world assets was a separate topic. In 2026, the necessary regulatory and technical framework is to be put in place and the first pilot projects in this area launched.
In turn, representatives of the industrial zones of the city of Alatau presented their current and prospective projects and set out the practical issues that need to be resolved for their further development. These include connection to utility networks, transport accessibility, tax conditions, the status of land plots and the procedure for existing SEZ participants to move to Alatau City residency.
Following the round table, the parties agreed to continue working together on each of these areas. The task is to synchronise the development of the industrial zones with the infrastructure and regulatory changes in Alatau City and to establish clear conditions for existing and new investors. The next meeting with representatives of the industrial zones is scheduled for October 2026.
