Azimzhan Khitakhunov
Senior Research fellow
Azimzhan Khitakhunov is a research fellow at the Eurasian Research Institute. He has received his bachelor, master and Ph.D. degrees from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Ph.D. degree was completed in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Bologna, Italy). Currently, he is a senior lecturer at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Higher School of Economics and Business, Economics Department, where he teaches macroeconomics related disciplines. His research experience includes participation as a research fellow in the government financed f
Staff's Publications
January 19, 2025
Kazakhstan’s economy experiences high pressure from external and internal factors. External factors include uncertainties caused by geopolitical issues and the global energy markets, while internal risks are associated with the country’s economic policy. Low economic diversification is one of Kazakhstan’s most important issues and challenges. According to the World Bank […]
December 19, 2024
The abundance of natural resources, such as oil and gas, plays a substantial role in economic development. Some resource-abundant countries achieved significant progress in human capital development, while others remain on the list of least developed economies. In fact, differences in economic development between Norway and Venezuela are significant. Taking […]
October 20, 2024
In August 2024, Kazakhstan hosted the VI Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia (CA) in Astana. During the meeting, the countries of the region signed the Concept for the development of regional cooperation “Central Asia – 2040”. The Concept was developed by Kazakhstan and its priorities include […]
July 19, 2024
On June 6, 2024, the intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway was signed in Beijing. Presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and China sent to the participants of the meeting congratulatory video messages. According to Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, the CKU railway is one of the important components […]
May 21, 2024
Uzbekistan’s economic reform and development are different than in other countries of Central Asia. The country’s initial, post-independence policy was mainly based on gradual economic reforms, which allowed it to mitigate the negative effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union and maintain higher economic growth rates. Initially, dependent on […]
March 9, 2024
On December 25, 2023, members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Iran on the sidelines of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council’s meeting. The FTA will eliminate import tariffs on almost 90% of the product range, which accounts for more than 95% of bilateral […]
January 9, 2024
In November 2023, Kazakhstan and Russia conducted the 19th Interregional Cooperation Forum, which was devoted to agricultural cooperation between the two countries with the participation of Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Vladimir Putin. Kazakhstan’s Kostanay city hosted the forum. However, the Presidents participated online from Kazakhstan’s capital Astana. The governments of […]
November 7, 2023
Services have been an increasingly important sector, which currently dominates many economies. Changes in demand, structural transformation, development of technologies, and changing patterns of trade can explain the rise of services. According to the World Bank (2023) data, global value-added services increased from $20 trillion in 1995 to almost $62 […]
September 7, 2023
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the most controversial issues in Central Asia. The protracted military conflict has led to intense debate about the economic and political future of Central Asia. Experts and society are actively discussing the future of Eurasian integration, the strategic initiatives promoted by China, as […]
May 28, 2023
Bilateral relations between Türkiye and Russia have been one of the frequently discussed issues among experts. This is due to both political and economic reasons. Türkiye and Russia play an important role in the Middle East and are involved in the resolution of the Syrian crisis by coordinating their policies. […]