Qazinform reported on 18 August, citing the regional authorities, that the Saryarka SEZ will be expanded with three sub-zones, in Balkhash and in the Karkaraly and Bukhar-Zhyrau districts. Investors are to get plots with the engineering infrastructure already in place.
Two of the three sub-zones are for tourism. The Balkhash one is meant for hotels, restaurants and service and leisure facilities, and the head of the regional entrepreneurship and industry department puts the first stage at about KZT 26.5 billion of investment and more than 600 jobs. The Karkaraly district sub-zone is aimed at eco, ethnographic, wellness and sports tourism, and no investment or job figures are given for it.
The third, an industrial sub-zone, will be in Bukhar-Zhyrau district near the village of Sevan, with 40 hectares set aside and ten new industrial projects planned. The sectors are not named.
Rules related to this news
- What is the Korkyt Ata SEZ in Kyzylorda?The Korkyt Ata SEZ was created by Government Decree No.Text and legal basis →
- 外国人能否成为边境类经济特区（与欧亚经济联盟关境重合）的参与者No.Text and legal basis →
- What is the Alatau Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex SEZ in Zhambyl region?The Alatau Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex SEZ was created by Government Decree No.Text and legal basis →
Altogether the expansion is expected to bring in about KZT 90 billion and around 2,000 new jobs. That is a total with no split by sub-zone, and the KZT 26.5 billion for Balkhash covers only the first stage, so the two numbers cannot simply be subtracted or divided.
Some context. The SEZ regulations on Adilet, as amended in 2025, place the zone within the boundaries of the city of Karaganda and Bukhar-Zhyrau district, with an area of 1,271.626 hectares, on the basis of Government Resolution No. 641 of 18 August 2025. The three new sub-zones are still at the planning stage and Qazinform mentions no resolution, so area, timing and admission terms cannot be checked against an official text. The article also recalls that the President earlier told the government to draw up and approve a new development model for SEZs within three months, so the rules may change.
Source: Qazinform, https://qazinform.com/news/saryarka-sez-expansion-to-attract-nearly-kzt90-billion-in-investment-to-karaganda-region-2d5b92
SEZ regulations (Adilet), https://www.adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P2100000277
Key facts
- Karaganda Region plans to add three new sub-zones in Balkhash, Karkaraly District and Bukhar-Zhyrau District for the Saryarka Special Economic Zone.
- The three new sub-zones are expected to attract about 90 billion tenge in investment in total and create about 2,000 jobs.
- The Balkhash sub-zone plans to build hotels, restaurants and service and leisure facilities; in its initial phase, it is expected to attract about 26.5 billion tenge in investment and create more than 600 jobs.
- The industrial sub-zone in Bukhar-Zhyrau District is near the village of Shevan, covers an area of 40 hectares, and plans to implement 10 new industrial projects.
- According to the Adilet SEZ regulations, the Saryarka Special Economic Zone is located within the administrative boundaries of Karaganda city and Bukhar-Zhyrau District, with an area of 1271.626 hectares.
- The three new sub-zones are still at the planning stage; the report does not mention corresponding government resolutions, and there is no official text available to verify the area, term and entry conditions.
FAQ
Which new sub-zones is the Saryarka Special Economic Zone planning to add this time?
Karaganda Region plans to add three new sub-zones in Balkhash, Karkaraly District and Bukhar-Zhyrau District, two of which are for tourism and one is an industrial sub-zone.
How much investment and how many jobs are these three sub-zones expected to bring?
According to Kazinform, the three sub-zones are expected to attract about 90 billion tenge in investment in total and create about 2,000 jobs; in its initial phase, the Balkhash sub-zone is expected to attract about 26.5 billion tenge in investment and create more than 600 jobs.
Which sectors can investors focus on?
The Balkhash sub-zone plans to build hotels, restaurants and service and leisure facilities; the Karkaraly District sub-zone covers ecological, folk, wellness and sports tourism; Bukhar-Zhyrau District is a 40-hectare industrial sub-zone, where 10 new industrial projects are planned; the specific sectors were not disclosed in the report.
Can the area, term and entry conditions be verified against official documents now?
The three new sub-zones are currently still at the planning stage; the report does not mention corresponding government resolutions, and there is no official text available to verify the area, term and entry conditions.
What is the status of the land that investors entering the zone receive?
According to the report, investors entering the zone will receive land plots equipped with engineering infrastructure.