Kazakh President Proposes SCO Investment Hub at Astana International Financial Centre

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed establishing a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Office at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to support promising investment projects during the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Tokayev emphasized the vital importance of expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation within the SCO, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

He reiterated Kazakhstan’s backing for practical initiatives to promote free and fair international trade and expressed opposition to the use of sanctions as a tool of political pressure.

Highlighting the SCO’s growing global influence, Tokayev noted that since its founding, the organization’s share of global GDP has doubled to 30 per cent, with intra-regional trade surpassing $650 billion in 2024. Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with SCO member states has also steadily risen, reaching nearly $70 billion last year.

President Tokayev voiced support for China’s proposal to create an SCO Development Bank and expressed Kazakhstan’s readiness to participate. He also suggested the creation of an SCO Office at the AIFC to facilitate major investment projects and coordinate the activities of legal, consulting, and financial firms.