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.
The Government of Kazakhstan is working to grow the economy, and it is necessary to improve the quality of life of the population. The goal determines the means. Maybe the wrong goals were initially chosen in the country? In which direction should the vector of the government's policy turn in order to grow not only the economy, but also the quality of life of Kazakhstanis? We are talking about this today.
The gap between income and expenditure of the domestic budget is growing. According to the most optimistic calculations of the government, this year the country's budget deficit will amount to more than 4 trillion tenge. What is the risk of this imbalance and what to do? We'll find out today. When state finances sing romances Expenditures of the local and national budgets in 2024 increased by 13.4%, eventually amounting to 34.7 trillion tenge.
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.
