President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Akim (Governor) of the Abai region, Berik Uali, and heard a report on the results of the region's socio-economic development for 2025 and performance indicators for the first four months of the current year.

The region's socio-economic indicators are impressive: in 2025, the gross regional product reached 3.9 trillion tenge. From the beginning of this year, during the period of January to April 2026, the short-term economic indicator stood at 103.8%. The volume of investments increased by 19.4%, and positive dynamics are observed in industrial development, the manufacturing sector, agriculture, construction, and transportation.

Considerable work has been done to attract investment. The number of projects included in the common investment pool has increased from 29 to 112 since last year, thereby raising the volume of attracted investments from 2.2 trillion to 4.4 trillion tenge. Major investment projects were named – including the construction of the Ayagoz – Bakhty railway line, costing 577.5 billion tenge. Attention is also being paid to the energy sector. For instance, a new thermal power plant is under construction in the city of Semey, with 714 billion tenge invested in this facility. Another significant project for the region is a mining and processing plant with a total investment of 255 billion tenge.

Discussions also covered the creation of a special economic zone in the regional center. It is planned to implement production projects worth 400 billion tenge there, creating 2,500 new jobs. In addition, proposals for three large-scale projects are being considered.

Reporting on plans for the development of the tourist zone around Lake Alakol, the head of the region emphasized that 15.4 billion tenge has been allocated for the modernization of the coastal infrastructure this year. Of this amount, 11.6 billion tenge will come from the Special State Fund for the installation of power grids and the reconstruction of the airport terminal in Urzhar.

Among the projects presented to the Head of State were those launched as part of the modernization of engineering infrastructure. These involve work to upgrade water supply, sewerage, and heating networks; the completion of a new bridge in Semey; as well as the development of housing construction and road infrastructure.

After hearing the report, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave a number of specific instructions aimed at implementing measures to attract investment to the region, diversify the economy, modernize infrastructure, and improve the quality of life of the population. The Head of State also emphasized the importance of holding the "Abaiğa qūrmet" (Respect for Abai) campaign at an appropriate level.

Asiya NURIMBETOVA