The year 2023 was full of significant events for Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in an interview with the Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper. The country completed major political reforms, including the establishment of the Constitutional Court, holding elections of the Mazhilis (parliament) and maslikhats (local councils) of all levels according to the new rules, and the first-ever elections of akims (mayors) of districts and cities of regional significance.
Tokayev said that Kazakhstan had begun to build a fair and competitive economic system, diversifying and demonopolizing the economy, updating infrastructure, supporting business and attracting investment.
President Tokayev said that his goal of doubling the size of the national economy up to $450 billion by 2029 “is completely achievable”. According to analysts of the International Monetary Fund, by the end of 2023, the volume of GDP in current prices in Kazakhstan should be over $259 billion, which is 15% more than in 2022. This is the most significant nominal growth in Central Asia, Tokayev said. Positive dynamics are also registered in GDP per capita, the forecast figure for 2023 was almost 13 thousand dollars, annual growth is estimated at 1.6 thousand dollars. According to the IMF forecast, by 2028 this figure will increase by a third – up to 16.8 thousand dollars.
The President said that Kazakhstan will continue a constructive and balanced foreign policy, adding that in 2024, the country will chair several authoritative international organizations: the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, the Organization of Turkic States, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and the Islamic Organization for Food Security.
Commenting on the government plans for a nuclear power plant construction in Kazakhstan, Tokayev said that he proposed submitting the issue of building a nuclear plant to a national referendum. “Citizens must consider and discuss all the experts’ arguments pro and con in order to make a balanced, thoughtful decision during the free expression of their will. This will be the decision of the people,” Tokayev said.
Asked about relations with China, the President said that today, the Kazakhstan-China relations are developing in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness, and eternal strategic partnership.
Kazakhstan firmly supports China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Tokayev said, and emphasized a record-high growth of bilateral trade, which reached $24.3 billion from January-October 2023. China is also one of the largest investors in the Kazakh economy, with Chinese investments having reached $24 billion so far.
Tokayev said that the common border with China and the favorable geographical position of Kazakhstan between the East and West open up broad prospects for the transit of Chinese goods in various directions, adding that regarding China, “we should not have fears brought in from the outside or based on ideas of bygone days. Now China is a highly developed state, including in the field of high technology. Therefore, it is extremely important for Kazakhstan to cooperate with our eastern neighbor and to effectively use all the advantages of such friendly relations and mutual trust”.
