2023

Official recognition and launch

Before 2023, Kazakhstani experts and activists regularly participated in regional and global IGF events as speakers and attendees. In early 2023, a multistakeholder team was formed, bringing together representatives of Kazakhstan’s civil society, academia, government agencies, business and IT sector. The team submitted an official request to the Secretariat of the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to accredit a national forum in Kazakhstan.

On 4 July 2023, the Qazaqstan IGF National Internet Governance Forum was officially recognized and accredited by the Global IGF Secretariat.

On 18 October 2023, the first national forum, Qazaqstan IGF 2023, took place in Almaty at the SmArt.Point IT hub. Thirteen panel sessions were held, resulting in more than 100 recommendations for government, business and civil society on improving Internet governance, protecting digital rights and developing legislation.

2024

Growth and the Parliamentary Track

The second forum, Qazaqstan IGF 2024, focused on broad public outreach, attracting more than 250 in-person participants and 300 online attendees. Participants included representatives of the UN Mission in Kazakhstan, the Embassy of Estonia in Astana, the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, international and non-governmental organizations, and universities.

2025

Building a sustainable QIGF

The Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) established a sustainable model for the Forum’s development by building a network of long-term partners and organizing the work of a communications team, including the event’s media partners. QIGF 2025 focused on discussing approaches to Internet governance that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2026

Thanks to the efforts of MAG, its partners and a diverse range of participants, the Forum was successfully held for the fourth time. More than 150 people attended Qazaqstan IGF 2026 in person. They included representatives of UN Global Compact in Central Asia and European Union projects; UNICEF Kazakhstan specialists; members of the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan; experts from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Ministry of Culture and Information, and Freedom Holding Corp.; representatives of international organizations RIPE NCC, RKS Global and International Data Corporation, and Kazakhstani NGOs; experts and students from SDU University, NARXOZ University, Maqsut Narikbayev University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kunaev University and Almaty Management University; representatives of business and the IT sector; and many others. More than 300 people joined the online broadcasts of the event’s sessions.