BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 30. The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Acceleration Centre
planned for Kazakhstan is expected to strengthen the country’s
digital innovation ecosystem and contribute to regional cooperation
across the CIS, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development
Bureau (BDT) Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava told Trend in an interview.
“ITU enjoys a strong and longstanding partnership with
Kazakhstan across a broad range of areas, including digital
transformation, innovation, connectivity, spectrum management,
cybersecurity, and digital capacity development,” Zavazava
said.
He noted that Kazakhstan has consistently demonstrated its
commitment to leveraging digital technologies to support
sustainable development and is an important partner for regional
cooperation in the CIS region.
“The Cooperation Agreement to establish an ITU Acceleration
Centre and join the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for
Digital Development marks an important step towards advancing
digital development in a priority area identified by Kazakhstan,”
he said.
According to the ITU official, ITU Acceleration Centres provide
countries with a practical framework to strengthen their digital
ecosystems, foster innovation, and unlock new economic
opportunities in strategic sectors.
He explained that the centres connect national innovation
ecosystems with a global network of partners and expertise,
facilitating knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, and the scaling
of innovative digital solutions.
“The centre in Kazakhstan is expected to strengthen the
country’s digital innovation ecosystem and create new
entrepreneurial opportunities in its chosen priority area,”
Zavazava said.
He added that the initiative will have a broader regional
dimension alongside its contribution to Kazakhstan’s national
digital ambitions.
“While supporting Kazakhstan’s national digital ambitions, it
will also contribute to regional collaboration and the broader
Alliance Network, contributing to cooperation efforts across the
CIS region,” he said.
Zavazava also outlined the process for establishing the centre
and its expected operationalization. According to him, the
establishment of an ITU Acceleration Centre is a phased process
that begins following the expression of interest and its
acceptance.
The parties then formalize their partnership through a
cooperation agreement defining the operating framework, governance
arrangements, and respective roles and responsibilities.
“Following the signature of the agreement, the design and
implementation phase begins. During this period, ITU works closely
with the host country to establish governance mechanisms, build
institutional and technical capacity, develop operational
processes, and prepare the centre to become an active member of the
Alliance Network,” Zavazava said.
He stressed that the exact timeline for the centre to become
operational will depend on the completion of the implementation
steps, and will be agreed jointly between ITU and the Government of
Kazakhstan.
Zavazava also highlighted Kazakhstan’s role in the development
of artificial intelligence and digital technologies at the regional
and international levels.
According to him, Kazakhstan has demonstrated a strong
commitment to advancing digital technologies and artificial
intelligence as part of its broader digital transformation
agenda.
“ITU welcomes Kazakhstan’s growing engagement in international
cooperation on AI and digital innovation and recognizes the
country’s potential to contribute to capacity building, knowledge
exchange, and the development of practical digital solutions,”
Zavazava said.
Turning to the international AI agenda, Zavazava also
highlighted Kazakhstan’s participation as a founding member of the
AI for Good Global Commission.
He noted that the Commission brings together governments,
international organizations, academia, the private sector, and
civil society to help advance international dialogue on the
governance and application of artificial intelligence for
sustainable development.
“ITU welcomes Kazakhstan’s participation as a founding member of
the AI for Good Global Commission,” Zavazava said.
He noted that Kazakhstan’s participation reflects its commitment
to engaging in global discussions on the responsible, inclusive,
and human-centred development of AI.
According to Zavazava, perspectives from countries and regions
at different stages of digital development are important for
ensuring that AI governance frameworks take into account different
needs and priorities.
“Diverse perspectives are essential to ensuring that AI
governance frameworks respond to the needs and priorities of
countries and regions at different stages of digital development,
and Kazakhstan’s contribution will help enrich these discussions,”
he said.
Zavazava also outlined the areas where cooperation between ITU
and Kazakhstan could expand in the coming years.
“We see significant opportunities to further expand cooperation
with Kazakhstan across several strategic areas. These include
digital innovation and entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence,
digital skills development, universal and meaningful connectivity,
cybersecurity, digital resilience, and enabling policy and
regulatory frameworks that support inclusive digital
transformation,” he said.
According to Zavazava, the establishment of the ITU Acceleration
Centre will provide a platform for further development of this
cooperation.
“The establishment of the ITU Acceleration Centre provides an
important platform for advancing our cooperation to support
Kazakhstan’s national digital priorities and strengthen regional
collaboration,” the ITU official said.
