European experts and representatives of the business community discussed the results of the first year of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s presidency
On June 11, 2020, at the initiative of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Belgium, a round table was held entitled «The first year of the presidency of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: reforms and public trust» in the form of a video conference.
The event was attended by representatives of European expert circles and the Belgian business community. The keynote speakers were Alberto Turkstra, Senior Associate at the European Institute for Asian Studies, George Gotev, Senior Editor at Euractiv Media Agency, and Jean de Brabander, President of Jucon.
The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium, Aigul Kuspan, in her welcoming remarks noted that with the election of K. Tokayev, Kazakhstan entered a new stage of development, which coincided with a period of global changes and challenges.
A.Kuspan informed about the priority directions of K. Tokayev’s presidency, which are implemented within the framework of new domestic political paradigms: «hearing state», «different opinions - a single nation» and «successful economic reforms are impossible without modernization of the country's socio-political life», «strong President - influential Parliament - accountable Government».
The ambassador also noted that the key task of President K. Tokayev is to increase confidence in the state and the effectiveness of public administration. To this end, the National Council of Public Trust was established and is fruitfully working.
The diplomat voiced the idea of establishing an award for successful business projects of Belgian and Luxembourg companies operating in Kazakhstan. The proposal found support among the participants in the video conference.
A. Turkstra noted that Kazakhstan is gradually moving from the doctrine of «first economics, then politics» to the understanding that «socio-economic reforms are impossible without socio-political modernization».
Among the positive changes in the socio-political life of the country, he noted the creation of the NCPT, as well as the new law on political parties, lowering the threshold for their formation from 40 to 20 thousand people, as well as a 30 percent quota for women and youth in the electoral lists of political parties.
«Finally, on the foreign policy track, despite the increasingly destructive global geopolitical situation, we see in the new Concept of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy for 2020-2030 important elements of continuity - the preservation of the guidelines of a multi-vector, active and balanced foreign policy, the maintenance of good and equidistant relations with by all major world powers», - A. Turkstra noted.
G. Gotev noted the successful transit of power in Kazakhstan, which can serve as a positive example for the post-Soviet countries. He praised the role of Nursultan Nazarabayev, the First President of Kazakhstan, in strengthening a multicultural society, in establishing a balanced multivector foreign policy that meets geopolitical realities.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan, as an important international partner in Central Asia, deserves more recognition from the European Union. G. Gotev expressed optimism about the future relations between the EU and Kazakhstan.
President of the «Jucon» company J. De Brabander dwelt in detail on decisive measures taken by President K. Tokayev to overcome the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the global economic recession. The entrepreneur noted the timeliness of steps to support small and medium-sized businesses, as well as agriculture.
J. De Brabander believes that Kazakhstan should continue to pay great attention to the development of high-tech and «green» production. In this context, he announced his readiness to promote the establishment of fruitful cooperation with Belgium in this area.
The expert and business community of Belgium praised K. Tokayev’s political reforms, in particular, the creation of the National Council of Public Trust, the adoption of laws on the opposition, on elections and peaceful assemblies. This is a big step forward on the path of democratization of Kazakhstani society.