NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh President and Nur Otan Party candidate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s campaign platform is based on “peace and harmony, a decent life for all and democratisation.”
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Founded in 1999, Nur Otan has become the leading political party in the country under the leadership of former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The Nur Otan Party nominated incumbent President Tokayev April 23 at the party’s congress. Nazarbayev said Tokayev is the best candidate for the highest position in the country and noted his efforts and achievements.
Tokayev’s election programme focuses on continuation of existing policies, justice and progress. He said that he decided to participate in the presidential elections to ensure the continuity of former President Nazarbayev’s strategies and to strengthen the nation. The principle of continuing Nazarbayev strategic course is a major part of Tokayev’s platform.
“We will continue the course of the First President at the new stage of development of the country. This course ensures the strengthening of independence, sovereignty and national security. It provides stability, peace and harmony. It is about a dynamic economy and a strong social policy. My task is to increase incomes and improve the quality of life of citizens,” Tokayev stated in the platform.
Tokayev, 66, graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1975 and from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1992. He is a Candidate of Historical Sciences and Doctor of Political Sciences and has extensive experience in diplomacy and state affairs, having served as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Prime Minister and Speaker of the Senate.
“Every person should have a decent job and fair pay. Every person should have access to quality public services and healthcare, education with his or her rights protected by law. I am responsible for peace and security. It is my duty,” Tokayev said in announcing his campaign.
“My task is to create opportunities for every citizen to achieve success and improve their well-being. Progress is a solution to the challenges of our time. We are open, and we strive for the world’s best achievements and advanced technologies,” he said.
A balanced, constructive foreign policy is one of the priorities in the election programme. Tokayev will continue a policy of developing strategic relations with key countries for Kazakhstan.
The task is set “to provide conditions for Kazakhstan to enter the 30 most developed countries of the world and to implement the Five Institutional Reforms – Plan of the Nation to bring the country to a new level of sustainable development.” Strengthening domestic political stability and social cohesion and stimulating the business activity of the population as well as eliminating intolerance and extremism are also part of his platform.
To provide quality education for all young people, Tokayev plans to increase the number of state scholarships, to promote distance learning and academic mobility of students.
His strategies to boost employment include implementing Zhas Kasіpker, a programme for youth business initiatives, supporting start-ups in priority sectors of the economy.
“To support business, to ensure the safety of investments and to stimulate business activities” is also on Tokayev’s agenda.
The housing issue will be resolved by “consolidating all housing programmes into single housing policy.” Affordable and rental housing for young people and socially vulnerable groups will be provided through attracting private investment and public-private partnership mechanisms. At least 1,000 rental apartments will be provided annually for working youth in Almaty, Nur-Sultan, and Shymkent. Some 650,000 families or more than two million people will receive new housing as part of the state programmes until 2025.
The social policy in the regions will be unified to improve family well-being. The new forms of support for the older generation will be introduced and the pension system reform will be continued.
He also plans to continue the development of a container transportation system along the China-Europe route and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor. The mutual trade turnover between the EU and China has been at the level of $500-600 billion. Experts believe Kazakhstan will get considerable benefit from the transit of goods and increase the share in cargo flows between these countries to 8 percent by 2020.
Tokayev will also continue efforts initiated by Nazarbayev to fight corruption. The key areas of state anti-corruption policy include protecting the rights of citizens, strengthening the partnership of the government with civil society institutions, strengthening public control, increasing the transparency of fiscal policy, strengthening the role of regions in anti-corruption policies, accelerated digitalisation of public services, improving the public procurement system and reducing administrative pressure on business.
Environmental protection is also part of Tokayev’s platform. All large enterprises will have to develop specific plans to introduce the latest cleaning technologies and reduce emissions.
Each region in collaboration with the public will also develop a comprehensive plan to better protect the environment. Tokayev will also continue efforts to provide all citizens with high-quality drinking water by 2025.
