Institute of World Economics and Politics

What Institute of World Economics and Politics does

The Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP / Институт мировой экономики и политики) is a Kazakhstani non-profit think tank headquartered in Astana at Bokeikhan Street 1, in operation since 2004. The institute specializes in policy research and expert commentary on international economics, geopolitics, and Central Asian regional dynamics, with a particular focus on Kazakhstan's multi-vector foreign policy and Eurasian security. Its core offerings consist of analytical reports, expert publications and articles, multimedia video content featuring expert interviews, and — most prominently — the Astana Club, an international discussion platform that annually convenes experts to debate security, geopolitics, and economic integration in Greater Eurasia. The institute has a small team of approximately 15 employees and is associated with the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation ecosystem through website references to institutional resources of Kazakhstan's leadership, although no formal ownership structure is disclosed.

IWEP serves three primary stakeholder groups: government institutions, ministries, and policymakers in Kazakhstan and Central Asia seeking evidence-based analysis; the academic and research community studying Central Asian geopolitics and economics; and media outlets requiring authoritative expert commentary on international affairs. The institute does not operate a commercial revenue model — pricing is explicitly noted as not applicable — and publishes analysis as part of its public mission rather than selling products or services. Its go-to-market is essentially top-of-funnel thought leadership: publications on iwep.kz, expert interviews in domestic and international media, international round tables and conferences, the Astana Club's annual convenings (with offshoots in Paris), and a partnership with Italian analytical center Vision & Gl formalized via a May 2023 Memorandum of Cooperation. Geographic scope is described as regional — Central Asia, Eurasia, and Europe — though the institute itself does not claim a global footprint.

Name

Institute of World Economics and Politics

Legal name

Institute of World Economics and Politics (Институт мировой экономики и политики)

Website

https://iwep.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IWEP is a Kazakhstani non-profit think tank in Astana providing policy research, expert commentary, and analytical reports on international economics and Eurasian geopolitics, serving government policymakers, academics, and media primarily via its website and the Astana Club dialogue platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advisory Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Economic & Trade Diplomacy (Commercial, Investment, Sanctions Policy) (BPAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Geopolitical analysis
• International economics research
• Think tank publications
• Diplomatic dialogue platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Astana

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP/ИМЭП) is a Kazakhstani think tank that produces analytical reports, expert articles, and commentaries on international economics, geopolitics, and Kazakhstan's foreign policy with a Central Asian regional focus. It organizes international conferences, round tables, and convenes the Astana Club, a prominent dialogue platform for Eurasian security and economic integration discussions.

Product overview

The Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) is a Kazakh research institute offering a portfolio of research products centered on analytical reports, expert publications, international events, and multimedia content. The core offering consists of analytical reports providing in-depth policy research, publications featuring expert articles and interviews on economics and geopolitics, and events including round tables and the prominent Astana Club international dialogue platform. Multimedia content complements these offerings with video expert commentary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Astana Club: International discussion platform focused on Greater Eurasia security, geopolitics, and regional cooperation

Products and services

• Analytical Reports (Аналитические доклады)
• Expert Publications (Публикации)
• Events and Round Tables (События)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vision & Gl (Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2023Partnership based on a Memorandum of Cooperation with Vision & Gl, an analytical center based in Italy. The partnership includes joint seminars such as 'Europe, Italy and Central Asia: Paths of Culture, Innovation and Technologies' held in Rome on May 12, 2023.
• Astana ClubcoreOthersAstana Club is an international discussion platform organized/facilitated by IWEP. The platform convenes experts annually to discuss Eurasian security, geopolitics, and economic integration. Notable meetings include VII session in December 2023 on 'New formula of peace: on the threshold of transformation', sessions in Paris, and working meetings on 'Greater Eurasia: construction of the future'.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR):

Broad incumbents

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global think tank with an active Central Asia program publishing on Eurasian geopolitics, Kazakhstan's foreign policy, and regional security — comparable in analytical focus and policy-research product mix, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Chatham House: Royal Institute of International Affairs; comparable as a foreign-affairs and international economics think tank producing analytical reports, expert commentary, and convening events on Eurasia and global geopolitics.
• International Crisis Group: Global conflict-prevention think tank with Central Asia coverage; comparable in producing analytical reports and policy briefings on regional geopolitics, though with a narrower crisis-prevention focus.
• French Institute of International Relations (IFRI): Leading French think tank with a Russia/Eurasia center; comparable in publishing analytical reports on Eurasian geopolitics and convening expert dialogue on international security and economics.
• Clingendael Institute: Dutch think tank for international affairs; comparable as an international-relations research institute producing analytical reports, expert commentary, and policy convenings on Eurasian and global security topics.

Direct peers

• Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC): Moscow-based think tank focused on international economics, foreign policy, and Eurasian security; directly comparable to IWEP in mandate, product mix (reports, conferences, expert commentary), and emphasis on post-Soviet regional integration.
• OSCE Academy in Bishkek: Bishkek-based policy research and education institution focused on Central Asian security, governance, and regional cooperation; comparable as a regional think tank producing expert analysis and convening events on similar topics.
• Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS): Kazakhstan's leading state-affiliated strategic research institute; directly comparable as a domestic Kazakhstani think tank producing policy analysis on foreign policy, security, and regional geopolitics for government clients.

Regional players

• Central Asia Policy Studies (CAPS) / Public Policy Research Center: Kazakhstani policy research center producing analysis on domestic and regional policy; directly comparable as a domestic Kazakhstani think tank competing for government and academic audiences, though focused more on domestic policy than IWEP's foreign-policy lens.

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-world-economics-and-politics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of World Economics and Politics