NUR SULTAN, Kazakhstan, (Pakistan Point News - 03rd Sep, 2020) President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, set new milestones for the next phase, titled strategic and radical reforms in all areas of economic, legislative, judicial and human rights life and the protection of Kazakh citizens from cyberbullying, stressing the need for changes in public administration approaches, employee policy, decision-making system, and responsibility on its implementation.
President Tokayev made this announcement while delivering his annual address to the nation, announcing the start of a new stage of reforms, and stressing the need for modernisation and modern development of all areas of life in his country.
To implement the proposed reforms, the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms will be established, which will report directly to the President.
The address of the President Tokayev focused substantially on economic reforms, an issue that has become ever more relevant due to the likely end of the "long oil supercycle".
According to the President Tokayev, the new economic course of Kazakhstan should be based on 7 basic principles: fair distribution of benefits and responsibilities; the leading role of private enterprise; fair competition, opening up the market to a new generation of entrepreneurs; an increase in productivity and in the complexity and technological effectiveness of the economy; development of human capital, investment in a new type of education; promotion of the "green" economy, environmental protection and the adoption by the state of informed decisions and responsibility for them before society.
The President said, "The government will have to determine strategically important industries, key export priorities, and significantly expand the toolkit of support measures. For strategic projects, it is necessary to envisage a package provision of in-kind grants, preferential financing, partial guarantees and export support mechanisms."
In addition, some of the capital expenditures of investors can be reimbursed through an offset against tax liabilities. The specific level of support will depend on the volume of capital investments and the priority of projects. The list of projects that will be included in strategic agreements will be formed by the Government by April 2021.
President Tokayev instructed to establish the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition, which will report directly to the President.
The address also focused on the issues of law enforcement, judicial systems and protection of human rights.
The President stressed that it is "critically important" for Kazakhstan to take new measures to protect human rights. "This problem is a priority for me," he said.
Concluding his statement, President Tokayev said that in order to protect citizens from cyberbullying, especially children, it is necessary to accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure.
