The overall objective is to promote regional development and SMEs development in Kazakhstan and diversify economy and more specifically to contribute to the strengthening of SMEs regional capabilities through an approach using FDI potential at the regional level.
This involves helping to diversify investment and increase competitiveness and private sector development in Kazakhstan’s regions through the design and implementation of reforms to improve the business climate.
More specifically, the project will provide a policy framework to:
Attract FDI to the different regions;
Lead to stronger regional, sector and SMEs competitiveness and thus reduce inequalities;
Reduce gross regional product inequalities;
Highlight regional capabilities;
Reduce policy barriers at the regional and national levels.

Phase 1 is dedicated to collecting data which will guide and lead to:
The selection of the three pilot regions (Atyrau, Kyzylorda and East Kazakhstan) and the region-specific sectors for FDI and SME development;
The production of investment documents for foreign investors;
The organisation design of an Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) network;
The design of a linkage strategy for the three pilot regions;
The definition of the overall strategy for a monitoring system and key performance indicators including a PSE (Producer Support Estimate);
Operational key regional stakeholders.

Phases 2 and 3 aim at implementing the programmes designed during Phase 1 while maintaining a focus on assisting, training and coaching regional key stakeholders:
Implementing investment promotion roadmaps for three selected pilot regions;
Implementing the governance mechanism to attract FDI at both the regional and national level;Implementing a monitoring system of the overall regional investment promotion strategy;
Implementing FDI-SME linkage programmes in the regions;
Building capabilities by training and coaching the key regional stakeholders of the project.