Kazakhstan has appeared on the global map of China Mobile International (CMI) for the first time, as its Akashi Data Center has been chosen as a strategic platform for developing the digital infrastructure in Central Asia.
According to CMI, it plans to utilize Akashi’s Tier IV capacity (100 megawatt) as a backbone platform for servicing AI systems used by communication operators and government agencies.
During the recent CMI conference in Astana, Akashi Data Center CEO Vladislav Minkevich revealed why the partnership with CMI is vital for Kazakhstan.
«Today we made a decisive move. Akashi has received its first international recognition on the global cloud map. For Kazakhstan, this means that the country will serve as a digital hub in Central Asia, while for Akashi it marks the beginning of a large-scale partnership with one of the world’s leading telecom companies. We are confident that joint projects with China Mobile will open new horizons for the development of artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and the digital economy in the region,» he said.
At the conference in Astana, Akashi and China Mobile discussed a wide range of topics, such as potential contracts, investments in the AST-2 module, the launch of a joint cloud solution and new forms of data center operation. Additionally, Akashi’s booth at the exhibition drew the interest of several prominent tech companies, including Yandex and ServerCore.
In June 2025, Akashi announced the start of construction of Central Asia’s first Class IV data center in Astana. This project promises to be a key driver of the country’s economic development, creating up to 10,000 new jobs. Once the facility is fully operational in the first quarter of 2026, it will address a shortage of computing resources and attract leading IT companies to Kazakhstan.
Akashi Data Center in Astana is the first and the largest Tier IV data center in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the CIS, spanning 11 hectares. The center promotes the idea of establishing a digital hub in the region, offering reliable data storage and cybersecurity solutions.
China Mobile International Limited (CMI) is a subsidiary of China Mobile, the leading telecommunications operator in China. Founded in December 2010 and headquartered in Hong Kong, CMI specializes in telecommunications services, including voice, data, roaming, value-added services and cloud solutions for operators, enterprises and consumers worldwide.
