2050 Kazakhstan Strategy: "New political course"

(Published in abridged version of WKT)

By 2050 Kazakhstan must enter the top 30 club of most developed states in the world. 

I offer a draft of a new political direction for the nation until 2050. This will be my Address to the nation of Kazakhstan. 

Today I will also outline the primary tasks for 2013 that will ensure the successful start of the New political course 2050. 

On election of the rural governors

We will provide villages, rural governors with additional powers to improve their influence on the situation in villages. 

However, at the same time we need to improve public control and citizens’ influence on the situation on the ground. Therefore I decided to introduce appointment by election of the rural governors through local councils. We will start the elections in 2013.

In total 2533 governors will be elected, including governors of rural districts, villages and 50 governors of towns of regional significance.

This makes 91.7% of governors of all levels! Thus election process will cover all governors who directly work with citizens and resolve the problems on the ground.

We should continue our policy of strengthening the Parliaments powers.

First of all the state apparatus will be reformed. I have signed the “New Public Service” Law. We will create a National Personnel Policy Commission. A principally new class of professional managers of A-class will be created, which will be responsible for implementation of certain areas of the state policy. First of all the A-class will include the Responsible Secretaries and Heads of Administrations of regional authorities, Committees’ chairmen, governors of the regions and towns. I task my Administrations to prepare a draft Order regarding qualification requirements to the A-class candidates,

From now on every public servant has to demonstrate clear progression in their career through the development of skills and experience that allow as them to increase their professional level. Exceptions should be made to cover those public servants who demonstrate outstanding performance against key indicators and demonstrating clear achievement at a senior level.

Introducing “zero tolerance” principle towards disorder

I task the Government jointly with my Administration in 2013:

To prepare and submit to the Parliament drafts of 4 new Codes: Criminal Proceedings, Criminal Executive and Administrative Infringements Code.

The State should be bound to the zero tolerance policy towards disorder.

We need to connect destructive social behavior with employment opportunity. We must introduce punishment measures for hooligan behavior in public places that will be reflected on their criminal files and should be considered by business at employment and promotion.

I task my Administration jointly with the Security Council and the Government:

To prepare an action plan to increase the pay and retirement benefits of law enforcement employees. I task them to increase additional payments for special ranks up to one-month salary according to their military ranks.

On transferrence to Latin Alphabet

Kazakh language – is our spiritual pivot.

Our aim is to develop the Kazakh language actively using it in all areas.

From 2025 we need to modernize our language to use Latin fonts and a Latin alphabet. 

For the sake of the future of our children we should make this decision and create it as a condition of entry for our wider global integration. This will enable our children to have a better understanding of the English language, the internet and reinforce our desire to modernize the Kazakh language.

We should conduct modernization of Kazakh language. It is necessary to make the language modern, to look for consensus in terminology issues, forever resolving the issues of translating international and foreign words into Kazakh language. These issues should not be resolved by a circle of solitary figures. The Government should resolve this.

I suggest a contest where our youth suggest to us a hundred modern books that are translated into Kazakh in a modern way.

You know about our policy – by 2025 95% of Kazakhstan citizens should gain Kazakh language. We are creating the conditions for that. Today more than 60% of schoolchildren are educated in the state language. Education in Kazakh is being introduced in all schools. This means that if child has been enrolled into a school this year, in ten to twelve years we will have a new generation of Kazakhstan citizens all bearing Kazakh language.

Nowadays we take active measures to create conditions for our children to learn Russian and English equally as Kazakh language.

This three language policy should be encouraged on a State level.

We should treat Russian language and Cyrillic writing in the same caring way as we do for Kazakh. It is clear to us all, that knowing the Russian language provided a historic advantage to our nation.

No one can ignore the fact that through Russian language in centuries the Kazakhstan citizens gain additional knowledge, increase their perspective and communications both domestically and abroad.

We should work to breakthrough in learning the English language. Having this “lingua franca” of the modern world will reveal new and unlimited opportunities for each citizen of our country.

About Shejire (Genealogy Tree)  and “Shala” (“Not 100%”) Kazakhs

Our history teaches us: a country is strong only if its people are united therefore, the unity of Kazakhs is a key issue for us.

Who would be interested in building a strong Kazakhstan besides us? The answer is clear.

We are facing the same problems faced by all nations in various periods of history. Those countries that overcame them have become strong nations and States.

As the Leader of Nation I am concerned that there are forces who wish to destroy inter-Kazakh unity.

The one, who follows these calls either consciously or non-consciously, then starts to get divided according to various properties, first of all by Shejire.

People should not forget the essence of the Shejire tradition, it does not stop on a single tribe. Shejire is a Tree of generations, which tends to a common root. Shejire demonstrates and proves that our roots are common, that we Kazakhs are all one. Shejire does not divide us, but unites.

I am concerned that the nation is artificially divided into “true Kazakhs” and “false Kazakhs”. I feel very ashamed for those who do that, for those who divide the society. It is dangerous that this is being done covered in ideas of love to the homeland.

Kazakhstan Identity 

Kazakhstan2050 should be a society of progressive ideals.

Universal Kazakhstan identity must become the cornerstone in the minds of our people.

Today a Kazakhstan citizen of any ethnical and religious belonging – is an equal member and citizen of our country.

Kazakhstan people and state language serve as unifying core in the developing civil unity of Kazakhstan. 

On Religion in Kazakhstan of 21st century

Today the pressing issue for Kazakhstan in the religious arena is religions that have not been traditionally practiced in our country. We have also seen an influx of people claiming to represent a non recognized faith or belief.

Some of the young people unconsciously accept these views due to a lack of immunity on the part of our society against pseudo-religious influence.

It is a fact that our Constitution guarantees freedom of faith. However, as you might know this is not unrestricted freedom as this would produce chaos. Everything should be a subject to the constitution and our laws.

Everyone enjoys a freedom of choice. It is necessary to be very responsible in choosing religious preferences: lifestyle, households and, often whole lives depends on this choice.

In this internet age with many new technologies and incredible volumes of information flows, people should apply a filter to what the see and here.

Your Internal “filter” must ask questions: do we need our mothers, sisters and daughters to wear the clothes of foreign nationals? Do they need to be wrapped in headscarves? To not sit at the same table with us? To not allowed drive cars? These all are matured traditions of other nations. They are our brothers and we respect them, but those customs have never existed in our Steppe.

Read the classical literature, watch the movies. Our women have national pride, own traditional style of clothes, but it is covered by a modesty, that we, men, often abuse.

We are proud of being a part of the Muslim Ummah. It belongs to our traditions. However we should not forget that we also have secular traditions, and that Kazakhstan is a secular state. We should create a religious conscience relevant to the traditions and cultural norms of our country. We should use the best models of behavior. The strategy I am announcing prepares our people to live in the 21st century, not in the middle ages.

The State and citizens should come forward against forms and types of radicalism, extremism and terrorism as a united team.

A particular concern is caused by a threat of so-called religious extremism. This concern is also shared by the spiritual hierarchy. We cannot allow the true faith in God to be replaced by aggressive and destructive fanaticism.

This blind fanaticism is absolutely alien to the psychology and mentality of our peaceful people. It contradicts the hatafit mazhab, held to by believers of Kazakhstan.

Extremism and terrorism in Kazakhstan has not an ideological but criminal foundation. The pseudo-religious rhetoric hides criminal activities that undermine basis of the society.

It is an assault to the peace and stability of our country. It is a durability test of our statehood and civil maturity.

The secular nature of our State is an important condition of the successful development of Kazakhstan. This should be clearly understood by current and future Kazakhstan officials and all Kazakhstan citizens.

I task the Government in conjunction with my Administration to continue to develop a State program on the fight against religious extremism and terrorism.

At the same time I would like to warn the nation. The fight against extremism should not be used as a witch hunt or to be used to fight religion. Whenever we contemplate religion we must adopt a thoughtful approach and proceed with extreme caution. It is not the States’ role to intervene on the internal affairs of religious communities. We remain steadfastly committed to the freedom of conscience, tolerance of traditions and principles.

The Future of Kazakhstan

I am strongly confident that Kazakhstan citizens of 2050 represent a society of educated, free people speaking in three languages.

They are citizens of the world. They travel. They are open to new knowledge. They are industrious. They are patriots of their country.

I am convinced that Kazakhstan of 2050 is a society of universal labor. It is a State with a strong economy, with everything devoted for a person. With the strong education, and great healthcare. With peace and serenity. With citizens who are free and equal, and the authority is fair. With supremacy of the Law.

I believe that we are committed to the right course and nothing can distract us from this.

If we would be strong, we will be reckoned with.

If we would hope for a miracle or rely on others we will lose what we have achieved.

And today we have to make the only right choice.

Special responsibility for implementation of the Kazakhstan 2050 is laid first of all on us, Kazakhs.

We should not forget that we would be able to adequately respond to the challenges of the time only if we preserve our cultural code: language, spirituality, traditions and values.

I say this in a clear way, especially for our youth, terms. When does the bug happen in the computer program?

The bug happens when the program coding is broken. Real life if the same. If a nation loses its cultural code, the nation is broken. We cannot let this happen!

I believe that our deserved history and memories of our glorious ancestors will help us overcome the adversities of the future years. The history witnesses that in the difficult times our people has always united and turned our burdens into victories.

This happened almost 300 years ago by Anyrakay where the Kazakh people united. At that moment devotion to our land and common sense won. That exploit was made by an ancestor of each of us.

The way we will come out of the future burdens also depends on our unity. Our ancestors used to say: “The Homeland is hotter than fire”.

I appeal to our senior generation. Your wisdom should help the junior generations follow the right path, to love the Homeland.

I appeal to the middle generation you have witnessed falling of one country and raising of a new one. That was a time of complicated and hard decisions. The experience you have gained is a priceless asset that will help all of us to overcome adversities.

And finally, I appeal to our youth. You embody all our dreams for the future. Everything we are doing today we are doing for you. Most of you are of the same age as our independent Kazakhstan. And by 2050 you will all be mature citizens, who have taken part in implementation of this program. The further course of our country will be defined by You.

You are educated in the conditions of independence – something we did not have. Your new independent vision is a factor that will lead the country to new aims that look unattainable for us today.

I call on all of our people to arm themselves with eternal qualities – diligence, industry and purposefulness; those qualities will help us stand firm and provide our Homeland with a deserved future.

I believe in you. I believe that this historic chance will not be lost.

Astana, Akorda, 2012