The President is now focusing on economic reforms. After a period of intense political reforms in 2022-2023, the Head of State is now setting goals for fundamental reform of the country’s economy. This approach, where political modernization lays the groundwork for economic growth, was at the core of his pre-election platform in 2019 and 2022.
The post-crisis management under former Prime Minister Alihan Smailov was carried out in challenging geopolitical and macroeconomic conditions. The new Prime Minister, Olzhas Bektenov, is taking up his duties with guidance from the President in the form of a clear vision for the economic development agenda of the country in the coming years, which was articulated in last year’s September Address and his speech at the extended Government meeting.
It should be noted that the Head of State is prepared to make personnel decisions to achieve strategic goals. However, the President does not set any unattainable or unrealistic goals for the updated composition of the Government. Achievable tasks include annual economic growth of 6%, completion of long-standing infrastructure projects, gasification of Almaty CHP-2, and restoration of the energy unit at Ekibastuz GRES-1.
We have seen that the President has diligently implemented all the political reforms he promised. Therefore, any skepticism regarding the implementation of the economic course of the “Just Kazakhstan” can be dispelled by the real results of the Government’s work under the leadership of Olzhas Bektenov.
There is no time for delay. The old infrastructure’s resilience has long been exhausted, and inefficient practices persist in the government’s work. However, state officials have no right to postpone problems for later. The Head of State has made it clear that he expects tangible results in the near future.
Yermek Toktarov,
Head of the Strategic Analysis Department,
Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies
under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
