An applied research center that helps people navigate a changing economy. We analyze what is happening, understand how technology is changing it, and help prepare for the future.
We do not simply offer services. We solve real problems faced by the state, business, and civil society in conditions of uncertainty.
Open to collaboration, expert dialogue, and joint projects. Write to us — we’ll tell you more and discuss how we can be of help.
A candid conversation about other people’s forecasts and your own actions. Key takeaways. Watch the full version on Rahim Oshakbaev’s channel.
Digital tenge will be used to pay for at least 100 large projects in Kazakhstan. We are talking about projects funded from the budget and the National Fund. This became known during a government meeting. Experts admit that, on the one hand, such a currency will help control government spending. On the other hand, there are risks of data leakage. When are they planning to fully implement the currency? And how much do we need it?
The exchange rate of the Kazakh currency is staggering under the pressure of the budget, vacations and emotions. The National Bank intervenes pointwise, but the market is already living up to expectations of a dollar appreciation.
Only 16% of Kazakhstanis consider themselves healthy. A unique study on the health of Kazakhstanis was conducted by the TALAP Center for Applied Research. In Almaty, people move less and sleep less, in Astana, they are more stressed and eat fast food, in Shymkent, there is a greater emphasis on fruits and vegetables, but only 7.3% of Kazakhstanis regularly visit a doctor for preventive examinations.
A major exclusive in the early days of 2024 – an interview given by the head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper. The president devoted part of the detailed conversation to discussing a painful topic for the Republic - domestic violence. According to Tokayev, he "supports the tightening of punishment for domestic violence."
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz became the largest oil supply disruption in history. But the global market did not go into an uncontrolled price spiral. The shock was sharp, but shorter than the most severe forecasts had anticipated. This is a story not only about oil, but also about which forecasting methods work better under conditions of war, physical supply shortage, and high uncertainty.
Everyone was watching oil, food, and aviation kerosene. But the most durable consequences of the war manifested themselves in other sectors: fertilizers, petrochemicals, aluminum, insurance, and ocean freight. This is a story about why the loudest fears do not always turn out to be the main impact.
The Gulf War passed by Kazakhstan’s export route — but not by its economy. The real blow came not through Hormuz, but through the Black Sea, the CPC, Tengiz, and the limited capacity of alternative routes. This is the story of a country for which a high oil price proved weaker than an infrastructure disruption.
