At a Government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, the issue of the development and digitalization of the manufacturing sector was discussed. The ministers of industry and construction, energy, agriculture, health, artificial intelligence, and digital development reported on the work being carried out. The akims of the Kostanay, Atyrau, and North Kazakhstan regions were heard.

The Prime Minister noted that the development of the manufacturing industry is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable economic growth. As of the first 10 months of this year, production volume exceeded 24 trillion tenge, an increase of 5.8%. This growth was driven primarily by increased production in key sectors: metallurgy, machine building, the chemical industry, and construction materials.

Overall, production in the manufacturing sector has grown by nearly a third over the past five years. Dozens of new enterprises have been launched, including those involving global leaders such as Kia, Sinopec, John Deere, and Claas. Exports of manufactured goods last year exceeded $23 billion. And this includes not only metals, but also machinery, chemicals, and food products.

“The Head of State has clearly outlined the tasks of diversifying the economy, increasing labor productivity, introducing new technologies, and strengthening the country’s industrial potential. It is in the manufacturing sector that added value is created. This is where highly skilled jobs are created. Manufacturing forms the basis of the country’s technological sovereignty. Today, the sector’s share in the country’s GDP structure is about 13%. It is important to continue actively diversifying the economy. Our goal is to increase the manufacturing industry’s share of GDP to 15% by 2030 and to 18–20% by 2035. “I would like to emphasize that this is a realistic goal. We have everything we need to achieve it—raw materials, energy, a favorable geographic location, and a young and educated workforce,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

The Prime Minister noted that the implementation of systematic measures to support domestic producers is a key factor in achieving the goal of expanding the manufacturing sector’s share of the economy.

The mechanism adopted to supply processing enterprises with raw materials in a number of industries is already yielding results. Enterprises have gained predictable conditions for capacity utilization and modernization planning.

Starting next year, a registry of Kazakhstani manufacturers will be launched, which will ensure priority for actively operating domestic enterprises in the regulated procurement market.

In his Address to the People of Kazakhstan, the Head of State identified investment in the manufacturing industry as a priority. Investment in the sector over the first 10 months of this year amounted to 1.7 trillion tenge, which is 30% higher than the same period last year.

This growth is primarily due to the launch of new production facilities under the Unified Industrialization Map. This year, 190 projects worth 1.5 trillion tenge are scheduled for implementation, and 147 of them have already been launched. Last year, 180 projects were launched. The Ministry of Industry, in collaboration with sectoral government agencies and regional akimats, has been tasked with ensuring that the remaining projects on the map are commissioned by the end of this year.

The majority of the country’s industrial projects are being implemented within special economic and industrial zones. This underscores their key role as hubs for industrialization. The Ministry of Industry, in conjunction with the Ministries of National Economy and Finance, as well as regional akimats, has been tasked with developing a detailed plan to provide infrastructure for priority SEZs and industrial zones, specifying concrete timelines and sources of funding.

A comprehensive plan for the development of product processing through 2028, being implemented in the agro-industrial sector, includes measures to provide enterprises with affordable raw materials, offer preferential loans, and increase export potential. Next year, the sector plans to implement a number of major projects, including the launch of a sugar factory in the Zhambyl region, fruit and berry processing in the Almaty region, and a poultry farm in the city of Shymkent. The Ministry of Agriculture has been tasked with ensuring the timely commissioning of all planned projects.

Digital transformation, including the application of artificial intelligence technologies, plays a key role in the development of the manufacturing industry.

Kazakhstan already has positive examples of the use of such technologies. For example, the Altynalmas gold mining enterprise uses digital systems to optimize logistics and monitor equipment operations in open-pit mines.

At KAZ Minerals’ mines, artificial intelligence analyzes large data sets, optimizes equipment performance, and identifies various risks.

ERG already has dozens of digital assistants in operation.

Olzhas Bektenov noted that enterprises must more actively implement digital solutions and artificial intelligence, while government agencies must ensure the necessary institutional and infrastructural conditions. At the same time, people hold a special place in any industry. Without modern engineers, technologists, and skilled workers, high-quality and effective development is impossible.

In this regard, the Ministries of Education and Science must integrate digitalization modules into the curricula of technical universities and colleges, with mandatory partnerships with industrial enterprises. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has been tasked with launching a program to train employees of industrial enterprises in basic digital competencies using online platforms.

Following a review of the development and digitalization of the manufacturing industry at a government meeting, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined several key tasks.

In particular, one of the most effective tools for supporting domestic manufacturers is the mechanism of long-term agreements and off-take contracts. This year, 879 such agreements were concluded with Kazakhstani manufacturers, allowing enterprises to confidently plan their production and development. In this regard, the Ministry of Industry, in conjunction with relevant government agencies, has been tasked with increasing the total number of concluded long-term contracts and off-take agreements to at least 1,000 by the end of next year.

In Kazakhstan, less than 20% of manufacturing enterprises use modern digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. In contrast, in developed countries such as Germany and the United States, predictive monitoring systems enable a reduction of up to 15% in equipment maintenance costs.

The Ministries of Industry and Artificial Intelligence are tasked with ensuring the implementation of new projects at manufacturing enterprises to introduce artificial intelligence for predictive equipment maintenance, automated quality control, and production optimization.

It is necessary to expand the capacity for scientific research in the manufacturing sector. The Ministry of Industry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, is to develop a comprehensive package of measures to support scientific research in the manufacturing sector.

Overall oversight and coordination have been assigned to First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar.

Source: primeminister.kz