Head of Uzbek Presidential Administration Studies AIFC Experience in Astana

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 21 June, a delegation from the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, led by the Head of the Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva, visited the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC, Centre) in Astana. The visit aimed to study the experience of the AIFC in building and developing an international financial center.

During the visit, special attention was paid to the institutional structure of the AIFC, its legal framework and regulatory model, as well as opportunities for expanding investment and financial cooperation between the two countries.

AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov presented the key areas of the center's work, including tools for attracting investment and developing the capital market, supporting international projects, and innovative financial solutions for the region.

"I am confident that the exchange of experience will contribute to increasing the investment attractiveness of not only our countries, but of the whole of Central Asia," Saida Mirziyoyeva noted.

It was noted that the cumulative volume of attracted investments into Kazakhstan since the launch of the AIFC amounted to US$25.3 billion.

More than 5,800 companies from 90 countries have been registered. AIFC participants contributed 317.4 billion tenge to the country's budget in the form of taxes (as of 1 April 2026).

As part of the visit, the delegation also familiarized itself with the activities of the AIFC Court and the International Arbitration Centre.

Representatives of the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) spoke about the regulatory ecosystem of the center, including the principles of licensing, supervision, the tax advantages of the jurisdiction, opportunities for conducting cross-border operations, and the development of innovative financial instruments.

The delegation also visited the AIFC art space — the Museum of Trust, and the AIFC Expat Centre, which operates on a "one-stop-shop" principle and provides administrative support to foreign participants of the AIFC.

Earlier, in February 2026, a delegation from the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan also visited the AIFC. The purpose was to study the practical experience of establishing and developing an international financial center within the framework of forming the Tashkent International Financial Centre (TIFC).

Cooperation between the AIFC and Uzbekistan is also actively developing in the fields of Islamic, green, and sustainable finance, and capital markets, with regular visits taking place to participate in key industry events. An important area of joint work is the preparation of analytical research, including the reports "Strategies for Promoting Central Asia as a Unified Investment Destination" and "Capital Markets in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan: Prospects and Trends."

There are 23 companies from Uzbekistan registered within the AIFC jurisdiction, represented in the fields of financial services and insurance, information and communication technologies, professional, scientific and technical activities, the mining industry, and wholesale and retail trade.

Uzbekistan remains one of the significant investment partners of Kazakhstan. During the period from 2005 to September 2025, the gross inflow of foreign direct investment into the economy of Kazakhstan amounted to US$75.6 million. Within the framework of the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev to the Republic of Uzbekistan, 7 joint projects worth US$1.2 billion were launched in the fields of industry, construction, petrochemicals, finance, logistics, and tourism.

Trade and economic cooperation between the two countries also continues to develop. At the end of 2025, trade turnover amounted to US$4.8 billion, increasing by 16.2% compared to 2024. The basis of Kazakh exports consists of wheat, metal products, flour, and petroleum products.

In turn, motor vehicles, fruit and vegetable products, and fertilizers are supplied to Kazakhstan.

The visit highlighted the importance of exchanging experience and best practices to strengthen the investment attractiveness of the Central Asian region.