ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke about the nation’s unity and cohesion at an Oct. 23 ceremony of presenting state awards to mark the upcoming Republic Day.
Tokayev congratulated his compatriots on the national holiday. According to him, the day of adopting the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Kazakhstan marks the beginning of the nation’s sacred independence.
The President said that only the nation that looks to the future with confidence and overcomes all difficulties and adversities can achieve success, reported the Akorda.
Tokayev emphasized that by implementing large-scale political transformations, the country has set a new vector for democratic development. The constitutional reform helped restructure key power institutions, thereby creating a sustainable political system. The basis of this system, according to Tokayev, is openness and fairness, efficiency and competitiveness, and, most importantly, the principle of serving the people and not a narrow layer of people far from the interests of the country. These values have resulted in important changes in socio-political life.
“The results of the recent referendum on nuclear power plant construction are a vivid example of this. More than 70% of residents supported the construction of a nuclear power plant. This decision reaffirmed that our country chooses growth in critical moments. One of the key tenets of our state policy is ‘different opinions – one nation’. In general, the problem of growing energy deficit is extremely relevant for our country. If it is not resolved in a timely way, it will slow down the development of our economy and reduce the quality of life of citizens,” he said.
During the meeting, the President focused on foreign policy, which directly impacts the country’s domestic situation and citizens’ well-being. He recalled several large-scale events hosted by Kazakhstan this year, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and the fifth World Nomad Games.
“The task of Kazakh diplomacy, based on the centuries-old traditions of the Great Steppe, is to make Kazakhstan’s voice on the world stage more significant. Kazakhstan has begun to be called a middle power abroad, but this is not a reason for complacency, but an incentive for further active work. You see that various conflicts are multiplying in the world, a new arms race is gaining momentum, and trade wars are escalating. However, the most dangerous thing is the militarization of consciousness, the growth of mistrust and rejection of each other’s positions, the narrowing of the field for dialogue and consensus. All these are signs of a radically changing world order. We are doing everything possible to remain a territory of stability and harmony in such realities,” he said.
Tokayev once again emphasized that Kazakhstan’s achievements are the common success of the entire nation.
Following the meeting, Tokayev presented high awards and state prizes to citizens whose merits were noted on the eve of Republic Day. The President also presented awards to civil servants and heads of national companies who have significantly contributed to the country’s socio-economic development.