SCO Digital Breakthrough: New Horizons for Kazakhstan

One of the central focuses was the creation of new platforms for technological cooperation: from cybersecurity competence centers to AI development initiatives. The Kazakh delegation, led by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized the need to accelerate the advancement of national digital projects. In particular, the head of state highlighted Alatau City as a future innovation hub — with a special status and a focus on FinTech, the crypto industry, and AI development.

We discussed the significance of these initiatives and their prospects for Kazakhstan with IT expert Temirlan Zinalabdin.

Temirlan Zinalabdin, city — Astana, General Director of Freedom Cloud

Key SCO Summit Decisions for the IT Sector

In my view, there are three key points.

1. Approval of the SCO Long-Term Strategy until 2035, where the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and innovation were established for the first time as a separate block.

2. The creation of four competence centers, including one focused on information security. This recognizes the fact that the number of cyberattacks worldwide is growing by 20-25% annually, and the SCO needs a unified response system.

3. The establishment of the SCO Development Bank, which will be able to finance large-scale digital projects: data centers, cloud platforms, and research hubs.

Additionally, a "roadmap" for digital cooperation was discussed at the summit. It involves joint steps in the areas of cybersecurity, data exchange, AI implementation, and standardization of digital services. For Kazakhstan, this is an opportunity to integrate into the region's common ecosystem and address not only local but also cross-border challenges in digitalization.

Competence Centers and Digital Cooperation

It is important for Kazakhstan to enter the project not as an observer, but as a full-fledged participant, as emphasized by the President. We can offer specific pilots, for example, in the field of logistics and railway transportation: more than 70% of China's land transit routes to Europe pass through our territory. Alatau City and the AlemAI center could serve as platforms for testing such solutions.

The Role of Alatau City in Digital Development

Alatau City is conceived as an international technology cluster. The project includes research centers, a supercomputer, FinTech, and the crypto industry. The signing of an agreement with the Chinese corporation CSCEC is a signal that this is not just about construction, but also about digital infrastructure: data centers, startup campuses, and innovation laboratories. Alatau City has the potential to become a link between national projects and SCO initiatives in the fields of AI, cybersecurity, and e-commerce.

It is important to note that the development of such hubs is impossible without addressing issues of digital security. This refers not only to network protection but also to building trust in new technologies. AI systems must be transparent and ethical; otherwise, the risks of discrimination and data leaks could undermine public trust. Here, Kazakhstan should rely on the best practices of SCO countries and implement them domestically.

Practical Benefits for Kazakhstan

Cybersecurity: exchange of threat intelligence, joint exercises, and the development of unified standards. This is critical, considering that in 2023, Kazakhstan faced more than 223 million cyberattack attempts from foreign hackers.

Artificial Intelligence: access to industrial datasets and participation in joint R&D. This will help accelerate the implementation of AI in medicine, transportation, and energy.

Financing: thanks to the SCO Development Bank, Kazakhstan will be able to attract preferential investments for digital parks and data centers.

Steps to Take Now

1. Launch a pilot on mutual recognition of electronic signatures with at least one regional country. This will simplify cross-border digital services.

2. Propose Alatau City as a node for an applied AI center, where international partners could engage.

3. Create a SOC proving ground — a cyberattack simulation center under the SCO in Almaty or Astana. This will allow our specialists to train together with colleagues from China, India, and Russia, thereby accelerating the improvement of cybersecurity resilience.

The President's initiative to adopt an AI law by October is of particular importance. This will not only accelerate the implementation of new technologies but also eliminate legal uncertainty for businesses and investors. Such a step demonstrates Kazakhstan's readiness to act without excessive bureaucracy and keep pace with global trends.