Digital Event of 2021: Online Conference attended by Leaders of Eurasian Economic Union Countries
In the heart of Kazakhstan, the Digital 2021 Forum is currently underway in Almaty, attracting heads of governments from Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member countries and numerous participants. This event marks a significant milestone in Kazakhstan's digital transformation journey and underscores the EAEU's strategic vision for digital development by 2025.
During the crisis, around 6.5 million citizens in Kazakhstan received state support through digital systems, demonstrating the deep penetration of digital technologies. As a result, over 90% of state services are now provided in an electronic format, ensuring the continuity of public services under limited physical presence.
Prime Minister Askar Mamin noted that the accelerated implementation of digital solutions by state institutions has been a response to the need for such services amidst the pandemic. He also stated that thousands of installations for "millionaire connectivity" have been put in place, ensuring that over 15 million people in Kazakhstan are users of wireless internet.
The widespread adoption of remote work and learning formats has allowed society's functions to be stabilized, preventing a collapse in income and living standards. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized this point, stating that the future will depend on digitalization.
The Digital 2021 Forum is not just a Kazakhstan-centric event. It is a platform for regional digital progress and strategic dialogues among Eurasian countries. While specific event details like the Digital 2021 Forum in Almaty are not found, related forums occur in the region, such as the FinnoWay Armenia 2025 forum, showcasing regional digital advancements.
The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the technical body of the EAEU, actively promotes digital cooperation among member countries. It focuses on areas such as e-government, fintech, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the digital economy. EAEU member countries are advancing in regional digital development, aiming for stronger integration in information and communication technologies (ICT), digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems by 2025.
This aligns with broader economic and trade cooperation goals. The EAEU cooperation memoranda, such as the one with Thailand, include strong components on digital economy collaboration, covering trade policy, customs regulation, technical standards, and ICT development. This signals that EAEU digital strategies by 2025 emphasize cross-border digital trade facilitation and regulatory alignment.
Regional partnerships and economic dialogues in neighboring Central Asia (including Kazakhstan, an EAEU member) highlight collective strategies to enhance digital connectivity and e-governance, which are integral aspects of the EAEU’s digital vision.
At the Digital 2021 Forum, many participants are making their first foreign visit of the year, some even since the pandemic began. While the event is primarily physical, some events are being organized online to accommodate a wider audience. Heads of governments from the EAEU countries are participating in person, underscoring the importance of this forum in the regional digital landscape.
The Digital 2021 Forum in Almaty serves as a testament to Kazakhstan's commitment to digital transformation and the EAEU's strategic vision for digital development by 2025. It is a stepping stone towards a more digitally integrated Eurasia, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
- The wide-scale application of digital technologies in Kazakhstan, as demonstrated during the pandemic, exemplifies the strategic vision of the EAEU for digital development by 2025, particularly in areas such as e-government, fintech, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the digital economy.
- The Digital 2021 Forum in Almaty, a platform for regional digital progress, not only underscores Kazakhstan's commitment to digital transformation but also highlights the EAEU's strategic goal of fostering stronger integration in information and communication technologies (ICT), digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems by 2025, thereby contributing to economic growth and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
