Kazakhstan's abandoned presidential estates leave children's dreams on hold
Five former presidential residences across Kazakhstan were set aside for children’s use in early 2023. But two years later, some still sit empty or face delays. The most prominent, a 226-hectare estate on the Caspian Sea near Aktau, remains largely undeveloped despite multiple plans for its future.
Local officials have proposed everything from tourism projects to sports complexes, yet little progress has been made by 2026. In February 2023, presidential residences in Kostanay, Taraz, Aktau, Atyrau, and Aktobe were earmarked for conversion into children’s facilities. By late 2024, only the sites in Zhambyl and Kostanay had been successfully repurposed into specialised centres for young people.
The Aktau residence, sprawling across 226 hectares along the Caspian shore, became a focal point of uncertainty. In August 2024, Nurdaulet Kilybay, the regional akim, first proposed keeping the site for tourism. Four months later, he unveiled a broader plan: a 10,000-seat stadium, a mosque, playgrounds, and business hubs along the coast. Yet no construction had begun by early 2026.
A different approach came in September 2025 from Aktau’s akim, Abilkair Baipakov. His vision included residential blocks, government offices, and cultural venues. Still, the land—now under the ‘Aktau Seaport’ special economic zone—remained untouched. No state funds were allocated for upkeep, leaving buildings and grounds in disrepair.
Elsewhere, progress stalled for different reasons. In Atyrau, flooding in 2024 halted repurposing efforts. Aktobe’s residence, meanwhile, was ruled out for children’s use entirely, though no alternative plan emerged. As of 2026, the Aktau estate stays vacant, tied to shifting proposals but no action. The residences in Atyrau and Aktobe also remain in limbo, one due to natural disasters, the other without a clear purpose. Only two of the five original sites now serve the children they were intended for.
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