Kazakhstan's "Shenzhen": Draft of the "Special Status Law of Almaty City" passes first reading near the China border
Kazakh International News Agency, on Friday, at a joint session of the two chambers of parliament, the draft of the "Special Status Law of Almaty City" was passed in the first reading.
According to the state leader's 2025 State of the Nation Address and related decrees on the development of Almaty City, the government has formulated this constitutional law. The bill is centered on the development ideas and principles established by the head of state, aiming to create necessary conditions for the rapid and sustainable development of Almaty City.
According to the vice premier of the government, Kanaat Pozhimbaev, investors have consistently shown confidence in its development potential since the establishment of Almaty City.
Currently, the first 44 investment projects have basically taken shape, with a total investment of 1.8 trillion tenge, which is expected to create about 30,000 jobs. This lays the foundation for building the city into a center for science, tourism, medical care, and innovation.
Pozhimbaev said that at the same time, in order to gradually improve urban infrastructure, the government has approved the "2030 Development Plan." According to predictions by international experts, if the set goals are successfully achieved, the gross regional product (GRP) of the Almaty City area is expected to reach 50 billion US dollars by 2050.
According to the bill, Almaty City will establish a special legal system covering core business areas. As a result, the city will become a modern regulatory platform for introducing new management models and technological solutions. The effective mechanisms tested and verified here are expected to be promoted to other regions across the country in the future. Almaty City not only plans to provide tax incentives but will also build a complete system of commercial regulation, investment attraction, and investment dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Management system of Almaty City -
"The [Almaty City Administration] will be established as a new government agency oriented towards strategic development. Its direction is determined by a committee led by the Prime Minister, and the executive work is handled by the Chief Executive Officer. The committee is responsible for formulating core strategic decisions and approving relevant administrative regulations, while the local council (Maslikhat) and the municipal government are responsible for coordinating social, municipal, and public affairs," Pozhimbaev introduced.
The Almaty City Administration will operate as an independent administrative entity within the national budget system. Its budget will be prepared according to the "block budget" principle within the national budget framework, mainly used for infrastructure construction and long-term project support. The project selection and funding allocation procedures will be uniformly approved by the aforementioned committee.
In addition, the city's local budget will mainly be used to ensure social welfare and daily administrative expenses. Before achieving financial self-sufficiency,原则上, the city's budget funds shall not be transferred to other budget items.
It is understood that the land relations of Almaty City will be regulated and supervised through special legal mechanisms. At the same time, urban construction will follow the "digital priority" principle from the beginning, and core public services will be operated in a digital manner. To promote the application of innovative technologies, Almaty City will also establish experimental legal systems for communication, digital networks, artificial intelligence, robotic systems, and autonomous transportation fields.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1860181941918740/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.