The Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, convened a strategic session focused on the design of the Akim’s Digital Cabinet, a forward-looking digital tool aimed at enhancing regional development governance through data-driven decision-making.
The initiative is being developed in line with a Presidential directive to provide local executive bodies with access to state information platforms and databases. Participants agreed to continue joint work on identifying approaches and solutions that will allow regional authorities to more effectively integrate existing digital resources into local governance practices.
The Akim’s Digital Cabinet is envisioned as a unified digital architecture that brings together economic, social, environmental, and spatial data in the form of a "digital twin" of the territory. This model could serve as a foundation for scenario-based planning, assessment of development potential, and the prioritization of investments aligned with national strategies, the Sustainable Development Goals, and climate commitments.
The session brought together representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of National Economy, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as officials from the city of Astana, North Kazakhstan Region, and several other ministries and affiliated organizations.
Dmitry Mun, Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized importance of the initiative:
“Developing a full-fledged Akim’s Digital Cabinet is a practical step toward making government data and digital platforms an integral part of decision-making at the local level. We are working consistently to ensure that local authorities can leverage information resources and databases for more accurate and timely governance.”
Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, highlighted the importance of data-driven policy tools:
“Harnessing data presents a real opportunity to fundamentally change the approach to development management. UNDP supports the Government of Kazakhstan in creating modern governance tools that connect digital innovation with sustainability and economic planning. This strategic session is a key milestone in shaping a shared vision and next steps toward data-informed, effective, and resilient planning systems.”
Participants discussed the importance of strengthening the national planning system through deeper integration of data from various sources and their practical application for strategic decision-making, investment forecasting, and identifying growth priorities. Special attention was given to the integration of climate risks, land degradation, climate adaptation, and the status of natural capital in regional development strategies.
The session also included an analysis of the current situation and existing digital solutions, the development of a preliminary architectural framework for the system, and the agreement on future steps. Following the session, participants agreed to establish an interdepartmental working group, prepare a roadmap, and develop a joint work plan for further development of the initiative, including the development of a minimum viable product (MVP) and the definition of institutional and technical requirements.
The initiative is being developed with the support of a portfolio of UNDP projects piloted in the North Kazakhstan region, including the projects Promotion of sustainable food systems and improved ecosystems services in Northern Kazakhstan Landscape (FOLUR), "Integrating climate change adaptation into Kazakhstan’s strategic planning (NAP)," and the project Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia.