KAZAKHSTAN
Our work in Kazakhstan focuses on the top-down state digitization programs undertaken by the Kazakhstani government and inspired by China among other states, as well as on the bottom-up localisation strategies of Chinese firms and their relations with local tech firms and entrepreneurs. Areas of particular interest for this research are Almaty, the country's largest city and a key economic center, Khorgos, a town on the China border hosting the second-largest dry port in the world, and Astana, the capital where major digital policies are formulated and tech centers like Astana Hub are located.
Latest blog posts
Encountering Almaty: Technology, People, and Everyday Life
VISUAL ESSAYS
Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital offers a unique insight into how mobile phones have become ubiquitous in daily life. Images captured during our field trip in July 2022 showcase markets dedicated to selling and repairing devices, mobile payments in street shops and everyday communication facilitated by smartphones
Seller with a mobile phone at a toy store. Photo: Shalen Fu
Women speaking on mobile phones in front of a shoe store. Photo: Shalen Fu
Lingerie street shop with a phone placard for mobile payments. Photo: Shalen Fu
Phone market displays Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi devices. Photo: Shalen Fu
Phone stall offers repair services and displays mobile devices and accessories. Photo: Shalen Fu
Placard advertises in Russian for repair of cellphones of American, Chinese and Korean brands. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova
Cellphone sellers prepare packages purchased online for shipping. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova
Xiaomi and Asus logos feature on the top of a building. Photo: Shalen Fu
Along the Silk Road:
heritage and hospitality in Uzbekistan
During a visit to Uzbekistan for the Central Eurasian Studies Society conference, our team explored the vibrant capital of Tashkent and the historic city of Samarkand. From bustling markets to stunning architecture, each image tells a story of the country's unique heritage on the historic Silk Road and the warm hospitality of its people.
The wall of the 15th-century Bibi Khanym Mosque with a man and a boy on a bicycle in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Uzbek women in front of the 15-th century Amir Temur Mausoleum in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Group photo in the 12th-century Shah-i-Zinda memorial complex in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Buyers of traditional Uzbek ceramics at the Siab Bazaar in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova / June-2022
Uzbek flatbread sold at the Siab Bazaar in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Boys and girls looking at Registan Square in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Spectators watching the light show at Registan Square in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Men chatting at the nuts and dried fruits stall at Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Waiters preparing plates of plov at Besh Qozon restaurant in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
A boy selling watermelons at a stall at the entrance to Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Paintings of Uzbekistan in front of a door in the souvenir shop quarter in Tashkent. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Women taking a photo in front of the “Love” sign at Tashkent City Park. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Boys riding a cart pulled by a donkey in Samarkand. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /June-2022
Scan the Day: Digital Living in Almaty and Astana
Life in Kazakhstan's major cities is highly digitised — living well without a smartphone is nearly impossible. Explore a collection of photos illustrating the digital side of daily life, from grocery shopping and transportation payments to sightseeing and accessing government services through QR codes
Fruit and vegetable stall displays phone placards for mobile payments in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Banner with a QR code for the Magnum Go grocery delivery app in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2022
Bus window with a QR code to be scanned via the Onay bus payment app in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
QR code for an online menu at a Coffee Boom cafe in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Sign displays parking payment QR codes to be scanned via Kazakhstani banking apps – Kaspi and Halyk - at the Nazarbayev Airport in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Hikvision face recognition entry system at the SmArt.Point co-working center in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/August-2022
Kaspi postomat at the SmArt.Point co-working center in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/August-2022
Banner with QR codes of official social media accounts of the Kazakhstani Gov4C (Government for Citizens) system. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Taxpayers’ information point with a phone number, online address and social media accounts of the State Revenue Committee of the Almaty city. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/July-2023
Placard with a QR code in front of the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Online Cashier banner displays QR codes of different payment systems’ apps at the Shymbulak mountain resort in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova /July-2022
Halls of tech:
industry networking in Kazakhstan
Experience the country's tech scene through images taken at ICT events in Almaty and Astana during 2022 and 2023. They showcase the dynamic national startup sector, collaborations between the government and local businesses, and the strong presence of international tech companies, particularly from Russia and China
Huawei logo displayed on the Nur Alem during the Digital Bridge Forum in Astana. The spherical building was built for the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the Expo 2017. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
On the central stage of the Digital Bridge Forum, heads of major Kazakhstani banks and the Minister of Digital Development discuss the development of govtech in collaboration with businesses. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
5G on the Silk Road: Huawei stand features information about the 5G technology during the Digital Bridge Forum in Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ September-2022
Participant of the Digital Bridge Forum interacts with a human-size robot. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/September-2022
Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO of fintech group Kaspi, speaks about providing governmental services on the platform during the Fintech Without Borders event in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Machines can see: VisionLabs stand at the Fintech Without Borders features information about the face recognition technology developed by the Russian firm. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Safder Nazir, Huawei's Senior Vice President, speaks about digital twins during the Tech Carnival 2023, a summit for the Chinese firm's partners from the Middle East and Central Asia. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ June-2023
Participants at Huawei's Tech Carnival 2023 take photos during a presentation by Dmitry Nikitov, Deputy Director General at Marvel Distribution, on market opportunities in Central Asia. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ June-2023
Tech Garden, a high-tech innovation cluster in Almaty, hosts an event organised by QazInnovations, a state agency promoting national innovation ecosystem. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ August-2022
Elnora Rozmut, head of the ER10 Media, an online media outlet specialised in business and IT, delivers an opening speech at the STARTUP Kitchen. The event showcased startups' achievements at the Restopark in Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/ October-2022
Aqkol: A Smart-City
of Contrasts in Kazakhstan
Selected as a prototype for Kazakhstan's future smart cities, Aqkol offers a striking blend of old and new. Its landscape juxtaposes Soviet-era buildings, rural outskirts, and ageing vehicles with a cutting-edge data centre designed to optimise traffic management and security, and monitor household utility consumption.
Passengers walk on a platform of the Aqkol train station where a train waits for departure to Astana. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Old and new cars are parked on a paved street of Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Unpaved roads on the outskirts of Aqkol on the way to the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
A 24/7 monitored area en route to the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
The Kazakhtelecom building housing the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Inside the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center, a board displays demonstrations of various smart sensors installed in homes throughout Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Duty officers monitor traffic and other data on the screens at the Aqkol Smart City Situational Center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
'I Love Akkol' sign features near one of the few traffic lights in the town. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Building showcases wall graffiti of a couple pointing to the sky near a banner advertising Kazakhstani Air Forces. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
Workers install traffic lights in the centre of Aqkol. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/June-2023
East-West Gateway: Khorgos and the promise of trade
at scale
Situated on the border between Kazakhstan and China, Khorgos special economic zone and international cross-border cooperation (ICBC) exemplify the ambitious scale of the Belt and Road Initiative. As one of the largest dry ports in the world, Khorgos is a vital logistics and trade hub, connecting Asia and Europe through rail and road networks
Main entrance to the Kazakhstani side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Kaspi Bank QR code for purchasing a ticket at the entrance to the Kazakhstani side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Central “Samruk” square and a cadillac car parked in front of a trade center. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Border crossing to the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Men sit in front of a shopping mall on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Cosmetics shop vendor waits for customers inside a shopping mall on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Traders in front of a baggage reception and transportation terminal on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Chinese culture pavilion on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
A motorbike rider approaches a mural depicting the Silk Road map on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Sunset over buildings on the Chinese side of the ICBC Khorgos, viewed from across the border in Kazakhstan. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
A drive through the Khorgos Gateway dry port. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Vehicle registration point en route to Almaty. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
A wind turbine blade being transported by road cargo, with trains carrying goods en route to Almaty in the background. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
The Khorgos Gateway Dry Port, with cargo set against the scenic backdrop of the Northern Tien Shan Mountains. Photo: Oyuna Baldakova/May-2023
Connectivity has become more essential than ever, but how is it evolving, what is working, what are the biggest challenges? DIGISILK, with the support of the ERC, and CCASC invited a group of academics, policy-makers, and NGO workers from Central Asia to discuss these topics for 2 days of closed and open-door sessions in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and online.