President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

At the outset of the new year, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave a wideranging interview to Ana Tili newspaper. In this article, Diplomatic World's Project Director Alberto Turkstra provides some insights into the most notable highlights of the interview. 

President Tokayev's exclusive Ana Tili interview highlighted Kazakhstan's 2024 milestones, from economic resilience to international diplomacy, offering insights into the nation's future trajectory. Last year was a defining year for Kazakhstan with economic reforms that laid a solid foundation for its future development. Despite the external headwinds which may prevail into 2025, Kazakhstan seems to be well equipped to navigate a challenging landscape. 

It should be said at the outset that the interview was not merely a succession of selfcongratulatory messages but rather an in-depth and critical assessment of all areas of government, both domestic and foreign policy, including notable achievements and areas where work needs to be intensified in 2025 – and beyond. In this brief article, I will focus on a number of aspects raised in the interview grouped in three thematic blocks: foreign policy, political reforms and economic reforms. 

In expert and analytical circles, Kazakhstan is increasingly associated with the status of "middle power". Last year, for example, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) identified Kazakhstan as one of the 12 middle powers. According to President Tokayev, Kazakhstan's role as a middle power "comes with significant responsibilities, including the need for responsible conduct on the international stage and a constructive approach to addressing the most pressing issues of our time". 

While there is no universally agreed definition of middle power, there are a few common characteristics that scholars of International Relations agree upon. Middle powers support the status quo, the liberal international order and are strong advocates of multilateralism. Indeed, in the interview, President Tokayev points to the centrality and irreplaceability of the UN system ("Kazakhstan is a steadfast supporter of the United Nations as the "common home of all humanity"). The UN has played an important part in Kazakh diplomacy, the country having served as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2017-2018.

In the current geopolitical context, there is a growing consensus that middle powers perform an essential catalyst role in resolving crises that destabilise and/or threaten the liberal order. Kazakhstan's policy of multi-vectorism and equi-distance from the major centres of world power (Beijing, Washington, Brussels, Moscow and others) make it a respected mediator. Plenty are the examples of international mediation that Kazakhstan has undertaken: Astana's role in hosting talks on the Iranian nuclear program in 2013 which led to the further negotiations that culminated in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; hosting several rounds of the Syria peace talks as part of the so-called Astana process; temporarily offering shelter to staff of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) following the Taliban takeover in 2021; and facilitating last year the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for negotiations towards a peace agreement.

It should also be highlighted that despite the fact that Kazakhstan is a young country, it has already become a net contributor to global development (Kazakhstan's Agency of International Development (KazAID) was established in 2020 and provides technical assistance to third countries across many spheres, including education, healthcare and entrepreneurship) and stability and security (through its active contribution to various UN Peacekeeping Operations, including in the Golan Heights). 

Plenty are also the home-grown initiatives from Kazakhstan in the form to foster dialogue and trust among the international community, from the Conference on Interaction and ConfidenceBuilding Measures in Asia (CICA) to the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions – a platform aimed at promoting interfaith harmony and unity among diverse confessions. Since 2023, Kazakhstan's capital hosts on an annual basis the Astana International Forum, a new, inclusive international conference aimed at rebuilding a culture of multilateralism on a global level. 

In the chapter of political reforms, President Tokayev places his trust in the concept of a "Strong President – Influential Parliament – Accountable Government" as the most appropriate model for Kazakhstan's political system. In 2022, through a nationwide referendum approved by 77 percent of voters, amendments were introduced to one third of the constitution's articles resulting in the transitioning government system from a super-presidential regime, to a presidential republic, enhancing the status and powers of the parliament.

While for some pundits, political reforms have not been fast (or far-reaching) enough, there is no universal model of political reforms. What works in one country, may not work in another. The reforms should be judged by their quality and impact on citizen's lives, and certainly not by their speed. 

There are numerous examples whereby uncontrolled liberalization has led not to stability but to internal strife, the takeover of government by oligarchic interests and external manipulation. As political scientist Svante Cornell argues: "political reform, to be sustainable, must be undertaken in a manner that sustains rather than weakens sovereignty, and in a manner that is synchronized with the country's security against external threats". 

The focus of Kazakhstan is on improving the efficiency and transparency of government in a controlled fashion, something which in the medium and long term, may generate conditions for further political reforms and opening up. 

Strengthening the economy is one of the main recurring themes throughout the President's interview. This includes several vectors of work, including strengthening the private sector, embracing a high-tech, innovation-driven model of development, with special emphasis on digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, paving the way for a more resilient and diversified economy and the country's transformation into a business-friendly, entrepreneurial hub. 

The government of Kazakhstan has been steadfastly committed to entrepreneurship through funding (through programmes such as the National Entrepreneurship Development Fund of Kazakhstan), tax incentives, and regulatory support creating a favourable environment for startups. Various accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces throughout the country have been established for startups. A prime example is Astana Hub International Tech Park, a leading innovation centre supporting over 1,500 startups (out of which one third foreign), and attracting millions in investments since its establishment – according to latest statistics, the park has seen its total revenue reach USD 2.3 billion. 

Startups contribute to innovation and technological advancements and enhance Kazakhstan's competitiveness in the global market. They create numerous jobs for Kazakhstan's youthful demographic (with nearly 40 percent of its population under the age of 25), particularly in the technology and service sectors, further bolstering economic growth and prosperity, and contributing to Kazakhstan's ultimate objective of reaching the select group of the 30 most developed economies by 2050.

Special attention is being paid to increasing the share of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the economy. Currently, they provide jobs for 4.3 million people, nearly half of the employed population. In advanced industrialised countries, SMEs are recognized as the sine qua non of economic growth, both as a source of job creation and an engine of economic growth and innovation. Coming back to the context of Kazakhstan, it is worth quoting the words of David Knight, the lead country economist of the World Bank for Central Asia: "For Kazakhstan, the focus should be on unleashing the dynamic and innovative forces of the private sector to lead the way, with the public sector taking a back seat by facilitating this growth, rather than directing it. In practice this means reducing the state's footprint in competitive, economic sectors and upgrading the regulatory framework for state-owned enterprises to ensure a level playing field and encourage the private sector to thrive, which in turn can create new sources of jobs". 

Lastly, Kazakhstan is also a pioneer in the region embracing the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence. Based on the Concept for the Development of Artificial Intelligence for 2024–2029, the coming year will be full of important milestones, including the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Center and the establishment of a Digital Solutions Center under the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) framework to foster exchange of best practices with other countries. Such efforts are already bearing fruits, with Kazakhstan having secured 48th position globally (out of 174 countries ranked) for Artificial Intelligence readiness in the latest AI Preparedness Index developed by the International Monetary Fund.