Written by Dr. Abdul Rahim Abdul Wahid
ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev listed his country’s achievements in 2024, and highlighted the lessons of the country learned from these flood disasters, and revealed the systematic and difficult reforms, stressing that there are also reforms on the horizon, and his commitment to achieving the ambitious plans for the country’s development in the coming years, and the role of Kazakhstan in promoting dialogue for peace, and its positive impact on the security and sustainable economic development of his country.
In an interview with the “Ana tili” newspaper conducted by Yerlan Zunes, President Tokayev spoke about the Taza Kazakhstan initiative and the importance and role of the state in protecting the environment locally, regionally and globally, and about the economic situation and its stability, growth in labor productivity, and the creation of high-quality job opportunities, while he narrated many details about the January coup events, and spoke about “Fair Kazakhstan” and achieving social equality, as well as touching on the principle of “law and order” and democracy in Kazakhstan.
President Tokayev did not neglect to talk about the approval of various laws that contribute to enhancing the growth and stability of the state and the well-being of the people in all its categories, and denied that his country is on the way to replacing the presidential system with a parliamentary one, while he spoke about the adoption of the National Infrastructure Plan until 2029, which identifies more than 200 projects, and explained the government’s plans in the digital sector and the implementation of artificial intelligence and its role in the sustainable renaissance of Kazakhstan.
The President touched on the development of entrepreneurship for small and medium enterprises and investments, and acknowledged the existence of societal corruption, stressing that his country is working to align its efforts to combat corruption with leading international standards, while he spoke about cooperation with Russia in trade, economy, transportation, logistics, energy, cultural and educational sectors, and expressed his conviction in the issue of establishing a nuclear power plant and did not rule out that this would be achieved in the near future, and described his country’s relationship as good with the countries of the world, especially Russia, China, the United States and Turkey, stressing his constant readiness to help resolve global issues.
Replying to the first question, about the main achievements of the year, president Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich, said: “Last year was marked by many important events, and a great deal of work was accomplished. For example, engineering and communal infrastructure across all regions underwent modernization after having fallen into a deplorable state. A total of 18 million square meters of housing was completed, and 7,000 kilometers of highways were built or repaired. New passenger terminals were inaugurated at the airports in Almaty, Kyzylorda, and Shymkent. Large-scale projects were implemented in the mining, petrochemical, and metallurgical industries. The manufacturing sector also saw active development, with its share in the industrial structure now almost equal to that of the extractive sector”.
Kazakhstan is a social state, which is why last year we began payments under the National Fund for Children program. Pensions, allowances, scholarships, and salaries for civil servants were increased. Hundreds of new schools, kindergartens, and sports centers were built nationwide. More than ten branches of leading foreign universities were established. Funding for science was increased, and cultural figures received significant support. Special emphasis was placed on developing mass sports.
In the face of unprecedented geopolitical tension, Kazakhstan has solidified its position on the international stage as a country playing a constructive role in fostering dialogue for the sake of peace. This has positively influenced the security and sustainable economic development of our country.
Overall, the past year was challenging—one could even say difficult. Kazakhstan faced the negative impacts of external factors, and natural disasters disrupted some of our plans. Yet, we not only managed to stabilize the situation but also continued implementing reforms. Thus, our strategy of creation remains on course for further development.
About the unprecedented floods, president said: “temporary shelters were established, and material reserves were mobilized. Rescue operations involved not only the Ministry of Emergency Situations but also the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, and other agencies—amounting to about 63,000 personnel”.
In early December, I participated in the One Water Summit in Saudi Arabia, co-chaired by Kazakhstan and France. During this important event, I emphasized the need to enhance resilience to water-related disasters.
In late December, a tragic plane crash involving an Azerbaijani airline occurred in the Mangistau region, claiming the lives of 38 people, including six citizens of Kazakhstan, and leaving many others seriously injured.
About the preference of the president for foreign policy, he said:” Kazakhstan’s geographical location, economic potential, and modern geopolitical context position it as a country of strategic importance in the eyes of most nations. Globally, Kazakhstan is often referred to as a middle power.
My primary goal is to strengthen the economic potential, sovereignty, and international standing of our state. From the very beginning of my presidency to today, I have taken full responsibility for the decisions I make and their consequences. I cannot and will not work any other way.
One of the questions: Since you’ve mentioned the UN, I’d like to ask a sensitive question. Social media rumors suggest that you plan to lead the UN in 2026, prompting early presidential elections in our country. How accurate is this?
I had the opportunity to lead the UN Office at Geneva for nearly three years as Under-Secretary-General and Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament. This role provided me with invaluable experience and insight into the workings of international processes. I believe that experience is more than sufficient.
Answering the question about January events, Tokayev said:” When reflecting on the January events, we must remember the harrowing scenes of those days: shattered cars, looted stores, occupied government buildings, attacks on military personnel, theft of weapons, and violence against women. Irresponsible politicians must not be allowed to spread false and misleading narratives to obscure the very real danger that threatened our statehood at that time. Fortunately, most of our citizens can discern truth from falsehood. These thoughtful and reasonable individuals form the core and backbone of our state.
About which the most significant laws, in his opinion, President Tokayev said: “All laws are important; none can be deemed of lesser significance. For instance, the law on women’s rights and child safety was adopted to eradicate the shameful phenomenon of domestic violence. Punishments for any form of violence against women and children have been toughened. Life imprisonment is now imposed for the murder or rape of a minor, and administrative responsibility has been introduced for bullying minors for the first time”.
Regarding the possibility of holding early parliamentary elections, Tokayev said: “At present, I see no grounds for early parliamentary elections. Elections will take place within the timeframe established by law. Parliament is focused on long-term initiatives, and the Government is operating in accordance with approved programs and plans, gradually achieving positive results.
About the personal well-being, and projects are planned by the authorities to meet the citizens’ wishes in the near future, Tokayev said: “All our reforms and economic development measures aim to improve the quality of life for citizens. This is our sole objective and the Government’s top priority, and last summer, the National Infrastructure Plan through 2029 was adopted, outlining more than 200 projects with a total investment exceeding 40 trillion tenge”.
By the end of the year, the international artificial intelligence center Alem.AI will be inaugurated. This center is envisioned as a platform for attracting investments and implementing the best global practices and innovations.
Regarding his satisfaction with the development of entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan, Tokayev said: “The work to improve the investment and business climate, as well as to foster entrepreneurial initiatives, is an absolute priority for me. In my recent Address, I outlined specific instructions for the Government in this regard”.
About the corruption in society, the president said:” The Government is working not only to detect corruption offenses but also to prevent risks in this area, and Kazakhstan is aligning its anti-corruption efforts with leading international standards, including those set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This represents a very high standard, but it is one that we are committed to meeting.
At the same time, I continuously remind the leadership of the anti-corruption agency that it is essential to make decisions objectively and to avoid descending into campaigning, as the fate of individuals is at stake with every decision.
About the referendum on nuclear energy, president said: “This topic was discussed with Vladimir Putin during his visit to Astana. We agreed that the consortium would include Kazakhstan’s entity as the general operator, acting as the project’s customer. Discussions have mentioned the potential participation of Rosatom, a company with extensive expertise and a solid track record in building nuclear power plants abroad”.
About the Kazakh language, the president said: “Globally, there are more than 7,000 languages, over 3,000 of which are in danger of extinction. The Kazakh language is not among them. In 2024, it ranked 79th among the most widely spoken languages on the planet.
We should pay tribute to the representatives of the Kazakh intelligentsia—writers, journalists, teachers, scientists, cultural workers, and rural workers—true patriots who, during the complex and contradictory Soviet period, in fact, saved the Kazakh language from disappearing from the global linguistic map.
About the Kazakh youth, president said: “I emphasize our youth because I genuinely care about their future. Today’s youth know far more than we did at their age, which is natural in this technological era. Kazakhstan is home to many talented, driven, and educated young men and women. That is why I never tire of repeating that I believe in the potential of our youth.
My advice—or perhaps a parting word—is that our young citizens should develop a constructive worldview and a rational mindset. They should be guided by prudence, avoid ideas foreign to our mentality, resist apathy and nihilism, and strive to be energetic, disciplined, curious, and hardworking.
