Kazakhstan President Resigns: A Wise Choice

Nursultan Navarbayev announced his resignation after nearly 30 years as President of Kazakhstan. Photo: TASS

The last leader from the Soviet era

Immediately after his speech on the evening of March 19, news of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s resignation immediately appeared on a series of major news sites. Nursultan Nazarbayev’s decision to resign attracted special attention from the international media because he was the last person to hold a leadership position in Central Asian countries since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Nursultan Nazarbayev became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan in 1989, when it was still a republic of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed, he became President of the independent country of Kazakhstan. His first and greatest mark was leading Kazakhstan through the economic turmoil that beset many former Soviet republics in the early 1990s. During his later years in power, he also paid special attention to the country's economic development.

Kazakhstan’s economic achievements under Nursultan Nazarbayev have been highly praised by the World Bank: Kazakhstan has moved from lower-middle income to upper-middle income status in less than two decades. The world’s largest landlocked country, roughly the size of Western Europe, Kazakhstan’s economy has grown steadily over the past decades thanks to the exploitation of one of the world’s largest oil reserves: 80 billion barrels – the largest of any former Soviet republic.

Kazakhstan's huge oil and mineral reserves have attracted the attention of many foreign businesses, including large American corporations, bringing significant investment capital for economic development. Another major mark of his nearly 30 years leading Kazakhstan was the construction of the new capital Astana at huge cost, replacing the old capital Almaty. Astana now boasts a modern city with an artificial beach, with special sand imported from the Maldives.

Kazakhstan's Kashagan mine. Photo: Internet

Geographically, Kazakhstan occupies a strategic position, connecting the markets of China, South Asia, Russia and Western Europe through roads, railways and a major port on the Caspian Sea. In this position, Kazakhstan has also skillfully balanced between its two giant neighbors, Russia and China, while maintaining friendly relations with the United States. Militarily, Kazakhstan also “inherited” a large Soviet-era nuclear testing facility, Semipalatinsk, where the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb. However, Nursultan Nazarbayev later pursued a path of abandoning nuclear weapons, becoming one of the world leaders positively evaluated in the process of reducing the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation worldwide.

After nearly 30 years of dedication with remarkable achievements for Kazakhstan, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev surprised the world when he announced his resignation. The decree to end his authority took effect from yesterday (March 20). In his statement, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev said this was a difficult decision, but he emphasized that it was time for Kazakhstan to "need a new generation of leaders". The person who will replace him as acting President is Chairman of the Senate Kassym Jomart Tokayev until a new President is elected in April next year.

The wise choice

In his speech, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev mentioned the issue of “a new generation of leaders” for Kazakhstan. Analysts said that this preparation was a wise calculation of Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is 78 years old this year. The decision to resign will help him build a good image as one of the rare leaders in Central Asian countries who voluntarily resigned and did not stem from any political scandal. Careful preparation will help him ensure that his successor can maintain the achievements he has created.

Even the person who will hold the position of Acting President, Mr. Kassym Jomart Tokayev, is also considered a safe choice. This year, 65 years old, he has held the position of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, is a professional diplomat trained in Moscow, fluent in Kazakh, Russian, English and Chinese. Chairman of the Senate Kassym Jomart Tokayev is considered a loyal person to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, always supporting his previous action programs. With Mr. Jomart Tokayev holding the position of Acting President, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev can rest assured about his power transition process, rest assured that the plans he is implementing will continue.

The capital Astana - one of the most unique cities in the world and also a remarkable legacy of Mr. Nursultan Navarbayev. Photo: CNN

In case Jomart Tokayev cannot become the new President of Kazakhstan after the election next year, Nursultan Nazarbayev still has a way to show his role in the new government. After resigning as President, he still holds the position of Chairman of the National Security Council, Chairman of the Nur Otan Party - the party that is absolutely dominant in the Parliament. The power of the government and the military can completely help him maintain influence in the country's domestic and foreign policies. That is also what he said in his resignation speech, "I will still be with you. Taking care of the country and the people of Kazakhstan will remain my top concern."

Another reason why international public opinion considers Nursultan Nazarbayev’s decision wise is that Kazakhstan’s economy has begun to stagnate. Although Kazakhstan still has abundant oil reserves, in recent years there have been some discontents about the lack of expected increases in living standards and poor social services. Last February, Nursultan Nazarbayev fired his entire cabinet when he failed to adequately address domestic issues. By stepping down as Prime Minister, Nursultan Nazarbayev hopes that a new leader can bring a breath of fresh air to Kazakhstan after nearly three decades of his single-handed leadership.

However, analysts say that in the near future, no major changes can be expected in Kazakhstan after Nursultan Nazarbayev's resignation. The new government is likely to continue implementing the policies that Nursultan Nazarbayev has been implementing in recent months, such as increasing public sector salaries and investing heavily in infrastructure with a spending package that Nursultan Nazarbayev announced amounting to several billion USD.

In terms of foreign relations, Kazakhstan will continue to exploit its strategic location as a potential trade corridor between China and Europe. Nursultan Nazarbayev has previously welcomed Chinese investment in new infrastructure as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, seeing it as an opportunity for Kazakhstan to improve its competitiveness compared to other countries in the region.