Almaty:Ankara Trkiye and Kazakhstan are enhancing their economic partnership through significant new investments in Almaty Airport.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Turkish firm TAV Airports is accelerating its investment projects in Kazakhstan in conjunction with the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in Ankara. This development follows a cooperation protocol signed in May by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan and Kazakh Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev have signed an agreement to expand TAV's investment program, which now totals approximately $642.5 million. The agreement builds on the company's initial $288.7 million investment in 2024, which led to the development of new international and VIP terminals at Almaty Airport. The newly agreed second phase of investments, amounting to $353.9 million, is scheduled for completion by the end of next year.

Since 2021, TAV Airports has been operating Almaty Airport, with its subsidiaries providing a range of services including food and beverage, duty-free sales, and technology infrastructure. These enhancements have significantly increased the airport's annual passenger traffic, which nearly doubled to 11.9 million by 2025. From January to September this year, the airport handled 9.47 million passengers, partly due to an 11% rise in international traffic.

Kaptan highlighted Almaty Airport's strategic position along the modern Silk Road and the Middle Corridor, emphasizing its role as a key hub in Central Asia for both passenger and air cargo traffic. As the main hub for Air Astana, the airport serves 42 airlines flying to 86 destinations across 30 countries, fostering the development of air transport and economic ties between Trkiye and Kazakhstan.