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Jan 30, 2024 (newstodate): Kazakhstan is keen to develop its air connectivity and the country's infrastructure to become an Asia-Europe cargo hub.
   At the opening of a two-day forum in Brussels dedicated to EU-Central Asia transport connectivity, Kazakhstan's Transport Minister offered its Caspian Sea ports of Aktau and Kuryk, as well as 22 airports, to European investors for management.
   -We are ready to hand over the remaining 22 airports of Kazakhstan to European investors for management, which will really make Kazakhstan a transit hub between Asia and Europe, the minister told delegates.
   The forum is part of the efforts to establish and consolidate the western strategy Global Gateway as an alternative to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.
   Kazakhstan's two largest airports have already been transferred to private ownership – Almaty Airport to the Turkish-French company TAV managing Airport de Paris, and Astana Airport to the company Terminals, which manages Abu Dhabi Airports.
   Kazakhstan is keen to develop its air connectivity, seeing Open Skies policy as a key instrument.
   In November 2019, the Kazakh government announced Open Skies to be implemented for an initial period of three years at 11 airports in the country including Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktau, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Pavlodar, Kokshetau, Taraz, Petropavlovsk, and Semey.
   In 2023, the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan extended by another five years the open skies' policy at 12 airports of the country until the end of 2027.
   The Open Skies policy now comprises 12 international airports in the cities of Astana, Alma-Ata, Taraz, Chimkent, Aktau, Semipalatinsk, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Kokshetau and Turkestan, and has also been implemented at the international airport of Aktobe.
   Hopes are that lifting restrictions on foreign airlines by granting 5th Freedom Rights will attract more carriers to operate via Kazakhstan on routes to other destinations in third countries not served by Kazakh carriers.