This week The Times of Central Asia will be attending the CAMCA Regional Forum, which this year is being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The CAMCA network is a collection of professionals and policymakers dedicated to developing Eurasia by sharing ideas, knowledge and inspiration; its name stands for Central Asia, Mongolia, the Caucasus and Afghanistan.
Ahead of the Forum, The Times of Central Asia spoke with Ainura Umaeva, the Owner and CEO of TIDAM Communications Agency in Almaty — and a leader in strategic communications and advisory — about what the CAMCA program means for the Eurasian communications and digital industries, and what the future might hold for women doing business in Central Asia.
TCA: What condition do you feel the digital and information spaces are currently in – in Kazakhstan, and elsewhere in the Eurasia region?
AU: Kazakhstan has made remarkable progress in digitalizing public services and fintech. For many of us, it’s now second nature to access government or commercial services instantly through a smartphone. This level of convenience has become so embedded in our daily lives that we often take it for granted.
However, when we look deeper, we notice a different reality. Despite this visible digital infrastructure, there’s a significant lack of digital literacy — especially in the private sector. Many businesses are still not leveraging the full potential of digital technologies, including AI, data analytics, or automation. While we appear digitally advanced on the surface, in practice the digital transformation often remains quite superficial. The real challenge now is to deepen that transformation — to build not only user-facing digital tools but also internal digital capacity and data culture.
In what areas do you think CAMCA initiatives can help them improve?
One of the greatest strengths of CAMCA is its ability to bridge regional fragmentation. Although the CAMCA region is often perceived by the outside world as a cohesive bloc, internally we remain deeply segmented — informationally, economically, and culturally. Many countries in the region lack awareness of one another’s realities, opportunities, and success stories.
Several years ago, I worked with a client on a cross-regional study, and it became clear to me how little we actually know about our neighbors. This informational disconnect leads to missed opportunities for collaboration and shared growth. Initiatives like the CAMCA Forum are essential because they foster not just dialogue, but a sense of common regional identity. Paradoxically, it often takes an external initiative to help us better recognize how much we share.
Being born and raised in Kazakhstan, with roots in the Caucasus, I constantly reflect on the contrast between the two regions. Despite its political and linguistic diversity, the Caucasus is often perceived — and perceives itself — as more cohesive than Central Asia. In our region, we are still discovering our collective identity.
You’re speaking in a session dedicated to women’s networks. How will women’s authority in Eurasian business look in 10 years compared to now?
In our work with the She Business Women Community — a regional network supporting women entrepreneurs — we focus on helping women-led businesses grow and scale. Right now, women make up a substantial portion of small business owners and startup founders in the region. However, they receive less than 10% of available investment capital. What’s even more concerning is that women-led businesses rarely scale, even when data shows that companies with women in leadership are more stable and resilient.
Today, many women-run businesses remain small, informal, and aimed primarily at survival. My hope — and what we are working toward — is that in the next 10 years we will see a very different landscape: one where women-led businesses are larger, more visible, more digital, and far more influential in shaping our economies. I truly believe we are on that path.
In which ways do you feel the CAMCA Forum brings together businesses from all of its member regions and countries?
I answer this with a smile — because one of the main reasons I’m traveling to Mongolia for CAMCA is precisely this opportunity to connect. I’ve never been to Mongolia before, and I’m genuinely curious and excited to discover the country and its people. But more importantly, I see CAMCA as a platform to meet fellow entrepreneurs, potential partners, and peers from across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
This forum creates the kind of setting that fosters long-term partnerships. It’s not just about attending sessions — it’s about building trust, finding shared interests, and laying the foundation for future projects together. In that sense, CAMCA plays a vital role in knitting our region more tightly — one relationship at a time.
