The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) have signed a memorandum of cooperation on developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — the agreement was timed to Astana Finance Days 2026 and is tied to ICAO's Finvest initiative, which aims to mobilize financing for climate-related aviation projects.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel is regarded by the industry as one of the key tools for decarbonizing air travel — unlike electric or hydrogen aircraft, SAF is compatible with existing engines and infrastructure, making it the most realistic path to emissions reduction in the near and medium term.
The memorandum was signed the same day AIFC presented its first regional report on aviation finance and announced support for the first leasing transaction of new cargo carrier Jupiter Jet — indicating that SAF is entering the region's agenda not in isolation, but as part of a broader AIFC program to build comprehensive aviation finance infrastructure in Central Asia.
Specific parameters of the AIFC–DBK cooperation on SAF — funding volumes, timelines, or pilot projects — were not disclosed.