ISLAMABAD: Editor’s Desk – President of Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is looking forward to achievement of double the GDP by 2029. He has set it as strategic goal and aims at the transition to a new economic model. For that, the President has set the main agenda for the country’s economic, socio-political, and humanitarian spheres will be established in the first quarter of 2024.
President has shared his vision in an interview to Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper conducted by Director General of LLP Qazaq gazetteri Dikhan Kamzabekuly, shedding light on the issues related to domestic and foreign policy, socioeconomic development of the country, the tragic January events, domestic violence, construction of a nuclear power plant and other pressing topics, Kazinform News Agency reports.
“In my September Address, I set the task of transitioning to a new economic model. The strategic goal is to double GDP by 2029. Soon, there will be an extended meeting of the Government, where we will summarize the results of socio-economic development and determine the tactics for further actions in this direction, President said.
The meetings of the National Kurultai have become a useful platform for discussing issues in the ideological sphere, the formation of a new quality of the nation, and the renewal of the society’s value system. Traditionally, they have been held in the summer, but this year, we are likely to hold the meeting in the spring.
We will continue a constructive and balanced foreign policy, taking into account the national interests of the country. In 2024, our country will host a number of representative summits and forums. Kazakhstan will chair several authoritative international organizations at once, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Organisation of Turkic States, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and the Islamic Food Security Organisation.
A significant event will be the hosting of the World Nomadic Games in Kazakhstan. They are important both for promoting national sports and a healthy lifestyle and for expanding cultural and humanitarian ties between fraternal peoples, heirs of the nomadic civilization of the Great Steppe.
The honouring of outstanding historical figures of our people will be useful from the point of view of strengthening national identity. This year is the 125th anniversary of the birth of the famous scientist Kanysh Satpayev and the 100th anniversary of the birth of the famous heroes Sagadat Nurmagambetov and Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev.
In addition, historians note that 2024 marks 800 years since the actual formation of the Ulus Jochi. In connection with such a significant date, showing the centuries-old roots of our statehood, extensive research work will be launched. This year, the preparation of a multi-volume book on the history of Kazakhstan will be completed. This is a thorough work on which more than 200 domestic scientists and about 60 foreign specialists are working.
In addition to many important events, there will be even more routine daily work. The efforts of all citizens will determine how this year will remain in the history of the country. In my New Year’s address, I said that next year we will witness a new rise of our nation, but we will all have to work hard to achieve this goal.
President also reviewed the year 2023 and termed it as full of significant events for country with special focus on political, constitutional reforms that paved the way towards New Kazakhstan.
“We have seen the completion of major political reforms. The Constitutional Court began its work. Elections for deputies of the Mazhilis (lower chamber of Parliament) and maslikhats of all levels were held under new rules. Elections of akims of districts and cities of regional significance were held for the first time. Elections of heads of villages and cities of regional significance continued, resulting in about 700 rural akims being elected last year, Mr. Tokayev said.
He shared that the pressing issues of the social sphere were consistently addressed. The construction of schools, including “comfortable schools”, began throughout the country, and medical facilities are being built in villages. The Social Code, aimed at comprehensive support for vulnerable categories of citizens, has been introduced. A special payment has been approved for persons employed in harmful working conditions.
President said, “An additional payment has been established for environmental protection officers for risks to life and health. The salaries of medical workers, teachers at schools, colleges and kindergartens have been raised. A law regulating contributions to children from the National Fund has been adopted. A new methodology for determining the minimum wage was adopted, taking into account key economic indicators, including the inflation rate.”
“All this work will gain momentum in 2024. We will act scrupulously and systematically, steadily moving towards the set goals. This year is particularly important because it lays the foundation for the next five-year cycle of the country’s development, he noted.
On the new economic course for Just Kazakhstan and set the goal of doubling the national economy’s size to $450 billion by 2029, President opened his heart to a related question. He also expressed his opinion on International Monetary Fund and the World Bank forecasts, that Kazakhstan’s economic growth is projected to be no more than 3-4 percent for 2023-2024.
Kazakh Leader said, “It is quite an achievable goal. According to International Monetary Fund analysts, by the end of 2023, Kazakhstan’s GDP in current prices is expected to exceed $259 billion, marking a 15 percent increase from 2022. This is the highest nominal growth in Central Asia.Positive dynamics are also evident in GDP per capita, forecasted to reach almost $13,000 in 2023, with an estimated annual growth of $1,600. According to the IMF forecast, by 2028, this figure is expected to grow by a third, reaching $16,800.”
“However, I would like to point out that for me, macroeconomic indicators are not the most important thing, but the real well-being of the citizens.These favourable forecasts will become a reality if the government adopts new approaches to economic management. I see two main directions.”
IMF World Economic Outlook: Kazakhstan Leads in GDP Growth Among Central Asian, CIS States
