Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan has signed an investment agreement with Terminals Astana Airport Limited (a subsidiary of Terminals Holding, UAE) for the trust management of Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport for a period of 25 years.
The decision on substantial investments was made after a year-long due diligence procedure that began in November 2023, when the company took over the airport under operational management. Thanks to the introduction of modern management systems, including biometric passenger identification and automated security checkpoints, as well as the optimisation of commercial spaces and a review of tenant relationships, the airport has already shown positive momentum, moving from losses of 14 billion tenge in 2023 to a profit of 790 million tenge in 2024. Passenger traffic over this period grew from 7.5 to 8.3 million people.
The development programme envisages direct investments of 153 billion tenge and the attraction of indirect investments from third parties of up to 393 billion tenge. The funds are planned to be used for the construction of a new runway 3.5 km in length, which will enable parallel take-off and landing operations and significantly increase the airport's capacity. Also planned are the expansion of the existing Terminal T2 and the construction of a new international terminal T3, the modernisation of the cargo terminal with the introduction of modern logistics technologies, and the development of the fuel and refuelling complex, more than doubling its area — from 5.2 to 11.6 hectares.
Special attention is planned to be given to the creation of the Aero City multi-functional cluster with hotel complexes, business and shopping centres, exhibition and conference venues. This project could not only increase the airport's attractiveness but also create new jobs, acting as a catalyst for the economic development of the entire region. It is reported that comprehensive development will increase the airport's capacity to 15 million passengers by 2033, and to 30 million by 2053. Cargo turnover is planned to increase from the current maximum of 12,000 tonnes to 130,000 tonnes by 2053.
At the same time, all investments are planned to be carried out without attracting state budget funds. Ownership of the key infrastructure is to remain with Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport JSC (MANN JSC), and the state, according to the plan, will continue to receive stable budget revenues. It is also reported that all airport employees will retain their jobs with guarantees of stable employment, and the development programme includes special initiatives for staff training and professional development.
It is worth noting that the signing of the agreement comes at a time when many countries are facing difficulties in attracting foreign investment due to global economic instability. At the same time, the timely modernisation of transport infrastructure is of strategic importance for strengthening Kazakhstan's position as an important transit hub in Central Asia, which is particularly important amid growing regional competition for international transport routes. And here, the consistency of the country's leadership's foreign policy, international contacts and Kazakhstan's overall reputation will, without doubt, play a significant role.
In addition to the investment agreement, the Ministry of Transport signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the UAE in the field of road transport. In the future, the signing of an intergovernmental agreement on the regulation of international road transport between the countries is expected.