On August 27, 2025, an important meeting was held in Shymkent. Representatives of the akimat met with the leaders of the Qatari company "Power International Holding" (PIH) and presented the investment potential of the city. This meeting may bring new opportunities to the city's economy, as foreign investors expressed their intention to implement large-scale projects in the areas of agriculture, tourism, housing construction, metallurgy and water treatment.

Initiatives aimed at the agricultural sector are of particular interest. In recent years, the issue of ensuring food security, efficient use of land resources, and the introduction of new agricultural technologies has been on the agenda in the Shymkent region. There are several reasons why representatives of the Qatari conglomerate are interested in this area. First, Shymkent is a region with favorable natural and climatic conditions, with great potential for the development of vegetable, fruit, and livestock farming. Second, the city's population is growing every year, and the demand for food is increasing. Third, the region has a high potential for the production of export-oriented products.

At the meeting, Qatari investors were presented with several projects that could be implemented in agriculture. Among them, the construction of greenhouse complexes, the development of modern warehouse infrastructure, the introduction of new technologies for irrigated lands, and the opening of processing enterprises were considered. If these projects are implemented, they will not only double the volume of production, but also create thousands of new jobs for local residents.

Power International Holding is one of the largest and fastest growing conglomerates in the Persian Gulf. They have extensive experience in the energy, telecommunications, oil and gas, and agriculture sectors. They have previously implemented several large projects in Kazakhstan. Therefore, this partnership is a reliable and long-term prospect for Shymkent.

This meeting can be compared with similar events in previous years. For example, in 2022, Turkish and Chinese investors came to Shymkent and held negotiations on establishing cooperation in agriculture. At that time, the main topics of discussion were the development of livestock farming and the export of meat products. However, most of these projects remained at the initial stage. And in 2023, a joint project was launched with Uzbekistan to expand greenhouse complexes. As a result, the volume of vegetable production in Shymkent increased, which had a positive effect on price stability.

In 2024, another step was taken towards attracting investment in agriculture - negotiations were held with investors from Europe on the production of organic products. But these initiatives were mainly focused on small-scale projects. The proposals of the Qatari conglomerate are much more extensive and multidisciplinary. That is, this time the negotiations are not limited to agriculture, but may also affect the infrastructure and social sectors.

The Shymkent akimat has clarified the main priorities for the development of agriculture. First of all, it is necessary to solve the water problem. In recent years, droughts have been frequent, causing significant damage to agriculture. In this regard, the interest of PIH in the construction of water treatment facilities will be of great help. If these projects are implemented, the quality of water supplied to farmers will improve, and productivity will increase.

In addition, improving the warehouse infrastructure is another important direction. Without modern warehouses for storing harvested products, half of the results of labor in agriculture can go to waste. This was one of the biggest problems of farmers in previous years. New warehouses and logistics centers will allow us to fundamentally solve this problem.

From an economic point of view, such projects also bring additional income to the city budget. Enterprises built through foreign investment expand the local tax base, and export-oriented production opens the way to increased foreign exchange earnings. From a social point of view, agricultural projects reduce unemployment in rural areas and help curb the migration of young people from rural areas to cities.

In comparison, most previous projects were small or medium-sized, so their impact was limited. The initiatives proposed by the Qatari Power International Holding are of a comprehensive nature, combining production and processing, storage and export into one system. This will be a major step towards transforming Shymkent into a regional agro-industrial center.

In conclusion, the meeting on August 27 is likely to be the beginning of a new stage in the investment history of Shymkent. If the proposed projects are fully implemented, the city will make a qualitative breakthrough in the agricultural sector and make a significant contribution to the food security of the country. As the experience of past years has shown, the main condition for attracting investment is concrete support and a systematic plan. This time, Shymkent has clearly demonstrated its readiness to fulfill these requirements.