The Astana Economic Forum (AEF) is an international and regional platform for dialogue and a non-profit organization headquartered in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. It was organized by the Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists Association and the Government of Kazakhstan in 2008. After a decade the forum is taking on an additional name – The Global Challenges Summit – to reflect the topics and draw of attendees from around the world. Since 2015 the Forum is organized by the Economic Initiatives Fund of Kazakhstan, which is a part of the Economic Research Institute under the Ministry of National Economy. A meeting is held each year in Nur-Sultan in which more than eight thousand delegates from one hundred countries are brought together: They include chief executive officers of businesses, politicia