Kazakhstan Establishes 600-Hectare Semey Special Economic Zone With 1.4 Trillion Tenge Investment Target

FTZ News: Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed a decree this week establishing a special economic zone here, in Kazakhstan's Abai Region. The zone covers 600 hectares in the Zhanasemey district.

The government says the project is meant to attract high-tech manufacturing, including plants built for export. Total investment in projects planned for the zone is estimated at 1.4 trillion tenge, according to the government announcement. With Semey added, Kazakhstan will have 19 special economic zones.

The Ministry of Industry and Construction said in early October that the 18 existing zones had drawn 11.5 trillion tenge in investment and created more than 38,000 jobs combined. Four of those zones opened in 2025 or 2026. The Abai project itself isn't new.

The government backed the concept in May, when regional officials spoke of starting with 600 hectares — the same figure in this week's decree. But the investment and job numbers tied to the project have shifted since then.

A regional official cited one set of figures around that time; other officials have cited different ones. The government has not explained the gap, and it's not clear from this week's announcement whether the 1.4 trillion tenge figure reflects investment already committed by specific companies or a longer-range target. Special economic zones in Kazakhstan offer qualifying companies reduced corporate tax and customs duties.

In exchange, the state builds out infrastructure, investors get the tax breaks, and officials tell residents to expect jobs and local businesses to expect more demand for their goods and services. The decree's formal title and effective date weren't included in the government's release./.