Astana, September 30, 2026
Representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan gathered in Astana to discuss regional digital integration as part of the B5+1 platform. The meeting, a significant step towards developing the IT market and coordinating AI policy across Central Asian countries, was aimed at strengthening the region’s economic ties. The Regional IT & AI Working Group, led by Asel Kubanychbekova, Regional Program Manager for Central Asia at CIPE, consulted with entrepreneurs, industry associations, and experts over the course of the year.
The discussions fed into the B5+1 Regional Business Agenda for 2027. During the meeting, the group also discussed a draft intergovernmental agreement, a crucial step towards formalizing the B5+1 platform and enabling the private sector and government agencies to cooperate on regional economic integration. The B5+1 platform, first proposed in 2025, aims to foster economic growth, improve infrastructure, and increase trade among the five Central Asian countries and one external partner, traditionally the European Union.
The B5+1 platform is not the first regional economic initiative in Central Asia. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), established in 2001, includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as India and Pakistan as observers. However, the B5+1 platform focuses specifically on digital integration and AI policy, areas of significant growth and potential for the region.
The B5+1 platform’s success could have wide-reaching implications for the Central Asian IT market. Figures show that the region’s IT market was valued at approximately $10 billion in 2025, with a projected growth rate of 10% per year. The coordinated AI policy could attract foreign investment, further boosting the region’s IT sector.
As the B5+1 platform moves forward, it will be interesting to see how it affects the IT market and coordinates AI policy in Central Asia. The Regional Business Agenda for 2027 will provide a roadmap for the group’s efforts, and further meetings and discussions are expected in the coming months.
