President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in an interview with the newspaper “Turkistan”, spoke in detail about the strategic importance of the country’s transit and logistics potential and its participation in international transport projects.
Answering a question about priorities in the field of transit and logistics, the head of state emphasized that for landlocked Kazakhstan, located in the center of the Eurasian continent, strengthening transit potential is a task of strategic importance. “There is a vision and a desire to turn Kazakhstan into a transport hub of Eurasia; this is the main direction of the upcoming work in this sector,” Tokayev stated.
The President highlighted significant achievements in infrastructure: the commissioning of the new railway line “Dostyk – Moyynty”, which will allow increasing the volume of cargo transportation between China and Europe fivefold.
Plans include the construction of lines “Moyynty – Kyzylzhar”, “Bakhty – Ayagoz”, “Darbaza – Maktaaral”, as well as the construction and modernization of 5 thousand kilometers and the repair of 11 thousand kilometers of railways by 2030.
Tokayev paid special attention to international corridors. “Our country is actively participating in the development of the Chinese megaproject ‘One Belt – One Road’, the ‘North – South’ corridor, as well as the Trans-Caspian transport route, or ‘Middle Corridor’. We consider promising transportation along the route ‘Russia – Kazakhstan – Turkmenistan – Iran’ with access to seaports. We welcome China’s involvement in the work on the ‘Middle Corridor’,” said the President of Kazakhstan.
According to him, 12 international transport corridors (5 railway and 7 highway) pass through the territory of Kazakhstan, accounting for up to 85% of land cargo transportation between China and Europe. The country has formed a network of cargo terminals from the Yellow Sea to the Black Sea.
Tokayev emphasized that transport and logistics have become part of geopolitics.
“Of course, all this does not mean that we can count on easy income. Competition in this sphere is intensifying, since transport and logistics have become an integral part of geopolitics. This topic has firmly entered the agenda of high-level negotiations, which predetermines its exceptional importance for Kazakhstan,” he noted.
Overall, in the interview, President Tokayev summed up the results of 2025 and outlined key priorities for 2026. The head of Kazakhstan focused on large-scale modernization, the transition to market tariffs in energy, and the introduction of artificial intelligence as the basis for future sovereignty. The interview addresses acute social issues, including the fight against corruption, the return of illegally withdrawn assets, and the reform of the taxation system.
Tokayev also clarified his position on issues of foreign policy, strengthening defense capabilities, and the need to form a responsible entrepreneurial class. Particular importance in the conversation is given to ideological values such as hard work, the rule of law, and the consolidation of society around the idea of justice.///nCa, 6 January 2026