Geneva, 5 July 2026 – a meeting took place at the headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva between Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhaslan Madiyev and ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. The central outcome of the meeting was the exchange of a Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan and the ITU on establishing an ITU Acceleration Centre in Kazakhstan.
The Centre will serve as a platform for digital innovation, development of artificial intelligence competencies, capacity building, GovTech solutions, and regional cooperation. According to the parties, it is intended to serve not only Kazakhstan but also to foster broader engagement across Central Asia, helping translate the ITU's global priorities into practical regional solutions, including efforts to narrow the domestic digital divide.
"We are glad that our cooperation with the ITU is producing a concrete practical result. We see this Centre as an important platform for digital innovation, development of artificial intelligence skills, capacity building, and regional cooperation," said Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev.
The meeting was held as part of "digital week" in Geneva, which brought together the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the AI for Good Global Summit, and the WSIS Forum. The parties noted the ITU's growing role at the intersection of the technical and political AI agenda, as well as their commitment to advancing partnership in connectivity, standardization, and digital transformation.
The meeting also noted Zhaslan Madiyev's inclusion among the Founding Members of the newly established AI for Good Global Commission, where he represents Kazakhstan alongside heads of state and government and global technology leaders. The Kazakhstani side views this as a sign of confidence in the country's growing role in shaping a fair and inclusive global agenda for artificial intelligence. The Commission's first meeting is taking place in Geneva these days.
The Kazakhstani side provided an update on preparations for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (Doha, 2026), including Kazakhstan's candidacy for the ITU Council for Region C for the 2027–2030 term and the candidacy of Rizat Nurshabekov for re-election to the Radio Regulations Board. Kazakhstan's active and constructive role within the Union was underlined.
It should be noted that these days Kazakhstan is represented by a national pavilion at the AI for Good summit, showcasing the country's achievements in artificial intelligence infrastructure (the Data Center Valley project), GovTech solutions, and the Astana Hub technology park. The Deputy Prime Minister invited the ITU Secretary-General to visit Kazakhstan again on the occasion of the Digital Bridge 2026 forum in Astana.
