#Kazakhstan: 100 Concrete Steps

In a few weeks, Kazakhstan celebrates a special occasion: its 25th anniversary.

The 16 December landmark is, according to the country's ambassador to Belgium Almaz Khamzayev (pictured), a good opportunity to take stock on how far the country had come in the last quarter century – and its plans for the future, writes Martin Banks.

Speaking exclusively to EU Reporter, he said: “I recall us being told, back in 1991, that many doubted our chances of surviving as an independent state. That was not surprising given that the economy was in tatters and infrastructure barely existed.

“But I am happy to say that we have more than proved the doubters wrong.”

The diplomat, who was speaking in Brussels, outlined the progress his country has made since gaining independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991.

One of the biggest achievements is one of the most recent: Kazakhstan’s election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2017-2018, he said.

“This is something we will take very seriously,” said the ambassador. “The overall aim will be to help promote our region, not least on security issues and climate change.”

He added: “We take our election to the Security Council as an international recognition of the soundness and maturity of our foreign policy.

"Our foreign policy is a reflection of a deep-rooted belief in the power of dialogue. Indeed the two-year tenure in the Security Council is a responsibility which we take with the utmost seriousness and pride. 

"We will strive to contribute to the Council's work in the area of maintenance of international peace and security, preventive diplomacy, conflict settlement and post-conflict rehabilitation, peacekeeping, human rights, gender equality and international law," said Khamzayev, who has been the country's ambassador in Brussels for more than five years.

Another sign of the progress made by his country is it being chosen to host Expo-2017, an occasion which the ambassador believes can provide a “much-needed boost” to the energy sector.

He told this website, “Some 105 countries have agreed to participate at the Expo and the event will enable them to showcase the latest technologies and innovations in energy.

“This will give us, in turn, an opportunity to look at the different alternatives to oil and gas such as solar and wind.”

The event, he revealed, is expected to attract more than 4 million people in three months.

“Future energy” will be theme of this international exhibition which will focus on the environmental challenges facing humanity, and how to overcome them.

Khamzayev, one of Kazakhstan's most senior diplomats in Europe, pointed out that his country is a party to the Paris Agreement which aims to limit CO2 emissions, confirming that Kazakhstan will soon formally sign the deal.

“We have a very well developed mining industry and, indeed, most of the fuel used in our power stations is coal. We are, though, committed to finding alternatives to fossil fuels.”

The ambassador said it is important the Expo 2017 infrastructure is fully utilized when the event concludes and Kazakhstan is working on the establishment of an International Financial Centre and a Centre for Transfer of Green Technologies in Astana in some of the Expo buildings. 

Realization of these projects includes a set of special provisions, such as ten years' tax exemption and a liberalized monetary, labour and visa regime.

“Yes, there has been a good level of achievements over the past 25 years but we are not complacent and there is still a lot more to do,” he added.

To this end, he outlined the five institutional reforms and the so-called Plan of the Nation consisting of '100 Concrete Steps'.

These reforms are, he said, guidelines for the future and cover the following areas: formation of the modern state apparatus, ensuring the rule of law, industrialization and economic growth, the future of a united nation and creating transparent and accountable government.

“We are already implementing some of these measures but the objective is to ensure that all the reforms are fully enforced over the coming years, he said.

This is part of an ambitious objective of joining the rank of the top 30 most developed countries.

In a wide-ranging interview, he underlined that success of Kazakhstan depends on regional stability and prosperity and the support and friendship of partners such as the European Union. 

Therefore, the Kazakhstan-EU Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation (EPCA), signed December 2015 in Astana, should give a "significant" boost to economic and political ties between the two sides, he noted.

The ambassador also opened a special photographic exhibition "Kazakhstan: Land of the Great Steppe” at Brussels Press Club to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

The opening, on 14 November, was attended by representatives of the EU institutions, Belgian authorities, think tanks, European and Belgian-based journalists.

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