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Kazakh president sets out five priorities for #Kazakhstan’s 'Third Stage of Modernization' 

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In his annual address to the nation, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president of Kazakhstan, announced five main priorities as part of what he described as “Kazakhstan’s third stage of modernization”. The priorities are aimed at ensuring economic growth and supporting the country to become one of the top 30 most developed countries in the world by 2050.

The five priorities are: Acceleration of technological modernization of the economy, improved business environment, macroeconomic stability, improved quality of human capital and institutional reforms, including improved security and more action to tackle corruption.

President Nazarbayev said in his annual address: “I am setting the task of ensuring the implementation of the Third Modernisation of Kazakhstan. It is necessary to create a new model of economic growth that will ensure the country's global competitiveness.”

He added: “This modernization is not a plan to combat current global challenges, but a reliable bridge to the future, to meet the objectives of Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy. It will be carried out on the basis of the 100 Concrete Steps Plan of the Nation.”

The Head of State also instructed the Government to developa package of measures for the technological re-equipment of basic industries by 2025.

The annual address followed a special announcement given by the President last week, in which he set out bold plansto increase the powers of parliament. President Nazarbayev stated that these constitutional reforms are aimed at furthering the democratic development of Kazakhstan, as the Government will be accountable to parliament.

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President Nursultan Nazarbayev has proposed a constitutional reform aimed at furthering the democratic development of Kazakhstan. During a special televised address to the nation on 25 January, the President announced a number of functions that would be transferred either to the Government or Parliament. Public discussions on the proposed constitutional reforms will take place for the next month, concluding on 26 February. After this, the reforms will be presented to Parliament.

The objectives of the proposed reform

  • President Nazarbayev said the point of the proposed reform was to create “a serious redistribution of powers and democratisation of the political system as a whole”. It will substantially contribute to Kazakhstan’s democratic development

  • The proposed reform will strengthen the control of the legislature over the executive

  • The reform is aimed at improving the efficiency of the public administration system and stability of the political system

  • Increasing the role of the government and parliament will provide a more effective mechanism of response to modern challenges

  • The reform will ensure that all branches of Government work effectively and responsibly and will create an appropriate system of checks and balances

  • The proposed reform meets Kazakhstan’s long-term development objectives, including the five institutional reforms and the aim to join the top 30 most developed countries in the world by 2050

Summary of the proposed reform

Approximately 40 functions would be transferred either to the Government or Parliament through relevant laws. More importantly, numerous changes will require amending the Constitution. These may include:

New parliamentary powers

  • Parliament will be empowered to negotiate the Government’s structure with the President

  • Parliaments control over the Government would be increased by simplifying the procedure of holding a “vote of no confidence” on a sitting Cabinet.

  • Parliament will be granted greater authority over local government

New Government powers

  • Government Ministers would have more power and responsibilities to manage social and economic development in Kazakhstan

  • The approval of state programmes will be transferred to the Government

The role of the president

  • The role of the President – who will focus mainly on strategic matters, foreign policy and national security – will be that of a “supreme arbiter” in relations between the different branches of Government

The President’s full address to the nation can be read here (in English).

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