AKTAU – Senate Chairman Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the Mangystau oblast on Feb. 4 to discuss President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s state-of-the-nation address, “The Kazakhstan Way 2050: Common Goal, Common Interests, Common Future.”
In Aktau, the administrative centre of the region, Tokayev addressed a public gathering of the region’s prominent personalities, entrepreneurs and the general public. In his speech, he underscored the historical significance of the country’s strategy for entering the world’s 30 most developed countries by 2050.
“This is no exaggeration, since we are talking about the successful development and eventually the prosperity of our nation in this restless and complex world,” Tokayev said. “As the President has rightly pointed out, strong nations rely on strategic planning rather than a policy of survival. All successful countries are guided by future-oriented strategies.”
According to Tokayev, implementing the Mangilik El (“Eternal Nation”) idea will require the whole society to work “extremely hard.” In the coming 15 years, Kazakhstan has to ensure sustainable development by creating a science-driven economy, a very complex task that will lead the country to becoming part of the post-industrial world.
Speaking on the role of Parliament with regard to the implementation of the country’s long-term plans, Tokayev underlined the need for timely and qualitative legislative support for the Kazakhstan 2050 strategy.
“The Parliament holds a unique place in the country’s political system. Compared to many other nations, the legislative body of Kazakhstan is endowed with significant powers,” Tokayev noted. He stressed that the interests of the country’s regions are efficiently represented through the Senate, which is the chamber formed mainly by representatives from regions.
In his speech, Tokayev pointed out the special role of the Mangystau region in the country’s economic, cultural and spiritual development. Gross regional product per capita is high in this region. Rich oil and gas reserves have made Mangystau a zone with a concentration of serious financial interests of big domestic and foreign companies. According to Tokayev, the region has huge economic potential in petrochemicals, petroleum processing, transport and other spheres.
The Senate Chairman also elaborated on issues in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. He emphasised the importance of ensuring the rule of law, fair competition and a high level of jurisprudential culture.
During his visit to Mangystau, Tokayev also met with members of the Nur Otan party’s regional branch and representatives of its youth organisation, Zhas Otan. He also spoke to students and faculty of the Yessenov Caspian State University of Technology and Engineering and visited the MagaBread bakery plant.
