The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) presented its first regional aviation finance report — "Aviation Finance in Kazakhstan and Central Asia: Global Trends and the Role of the Astana International Financial Centre" (10.09.2026). The report forecasts commercial fleet growth across five Central Asian countries through 2030.
For Kyrgyzstan, the forecast is a fleet expansion from 20 to 35 aircraft, a 75% increase. This is the third-highest growth rate in the region, behind Tajikistan (10 to 25, +150%) and Kazakhstan (109 to 221, +102%), and ahead of Uzbekistan (105 to 180, +71%) and Turkmenistan (27 to 43, +59%).
Zhanbolat Kakishev, AIFC's Chief Product Officer, noted that the centre is exploring Kazakhstan's potential as a regional hub for aviation finance and leasing, drawing on growing demand across Central Asia and the Caucasus. Assel Bagissova, Head of AIFC's Aviation Finance Hub, said that only 45% of the global commercial aircraft fleet remains owned by airlines today, while 55-80% of the region's fleet operates under leasing arrangements — above the global average of roughly 60%.
AIFC's jurisdiction operates under English common law, has signed more than 55 tax treaties, and is a member of the Cape Town Convention — factors that provide a legal framework for cross-border aircraft financing in the region.