Kazakhstan celebrates Republic Day on Oct. 25 
Kazakhstan commemorates Republic Day every Oct. 25 — a day of unique significance — to mark the pivotal moment in 1991 when Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty. This declaration was more than a political statement; it signaled the nation’s commitment to its people to carve out a destiny reflecting their aspirations and cultural identity.
Today, Kazakhstan stands tall as the biggest economy in Central Asia. Since gaining sovereignty, the nation has witnessed a meteoric rise in living standards, with its citizens experiencing improved health, education, and overall quality of life.
In the realm of domestic politics, Kazakhstan’s journey since gaining sovereignty is nothing short of remarkable. Establishing a stable republic in a region historically characterized by empires and nomadic confederations was no minor achievement. The nation swiftly adopted a constitution, delineated the roles of president and parliament, and has since conducted several rounds of competitive elections. The emphasis has always been on unity in diversity, ensuring that its myriad ethnic groups find a voice and representation in the nation’s political fabric.
For the people of Kazakhstan, Republic Day is not just a nostalgic nod to the past but an embodiment of their commitment to a unified and prosperous future. This day is a celebration of their resilience and vision, a vision that elevated Kazakhstan from a former Soviet republic to a beacon of progress and diplomacy on the global stage. The promise of tomorrow, illuminated by the achievements of today, ensures that Republic Day remains a celebration of not just sovereignty but of endless possibilities.
The last few years have been especially transformative for Kazakhstan. The country has achieved substantial progress in its democratization journey, exemplified by the implementation of wide-ranging political reforms, including constitutional amendments following last year’s national referendum. These changes have enhanced the democratic fabric of the nation by enabling diverse political perspectives and by redistributing power in favor of the elected legislative body.
Kazakhstan’s commitment to progress is also evident in the country’s economic story, one that has earned international acclaim. With vast reserves of oil, gas, minerals, and metals, the nation effectively leveraged its natural wealth. Strategic infrastructural developments, enticing foreign investments, and diversification initiatives propelled Kazakhstan from an agrarian landscape to become a leading economic powerhouse. The decision to establish Astana as the capital in 1997 symbolized this forward-looking vision, melding modern architectural wonders with the indomitable spirit of the steppes.
More recently, Kazakhstan has become the top investment destination in the region and a major financial center. This is a result of concrete reforms and initiatives over the years, including the establishment of the Astana International Financial Centre.
Yet the journey is far from over. In his latest state of the nation address on Sept. 1, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed additional economic reforms with the aim of promoting fairness, inclusiveness, and pragmatism. He outlined objectives to diversify the economy, strengthening industry, and targeting stable economic growth of 6-7 percent.
The country’s new economic plan provides a clear vision for the country’s development over the next three years and will have broader ramifications for regional development and cooperation. These economic transformations, inspired by the president’s vision of a Just Kazakhstan, aim to contribute to the creation of a more balanced, sustainable, and globally integrated economy.
On the international stage, Kazakhstan has etched a unique identity through its astute diplomatic endeavors. By championing nuclear disarmament — evidenced by the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and the relinquishing of its nuclear arsenal after the country gained independence — the nation positioned itself as a global advocate for peace.
It initiated the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in 1992, a multilateral forum aimed at promoting peace, stability, and cooperation in the Asian region.
Additionally, Kazakhstan has fostered regional cooperation, playing significant roles in platforms such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union. By ensuring positive relations with major powers like Russia, China, the EU, and the US, Kazakhstan manifests as a bridge between East and West, offering a harmonizing narrative in an often divided world.
One of the important directions in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy is strengthening cooperation with the countries of the Middle East, including the leader of the Arab and Islamic world — Saudi Arabia.
During the last two years, President K. Tokayev has twice visited Saudi Arabia in accordance with the invitation of King Salman.
The first official visit took place in July 2022, which opened a new stage in bilateral relations and gave a serious impetus to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation.
During the meeting, the president and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the entire range of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the current international and regional agenda.
The two countries’ leaders confirmed their strong mutual desire to intensify trade, economic and investment contacts and expand and deepen political dialogue. Also, during the visit, the Kazakh-Saudi investment forum and several important bilateral documents were signed.
The second visit of the president to Saudi Arabia took place this year. It was organized during the first Central Asia-GCC Summit (July 19, in Jeddah). This summit was a truly important event in the history of interregional cooperation. For the first time, the leaders of the Central Asian and GCC countries sat at the same table to discuss issues of interregional cooperation, including the development of interaction in trade, economic, investment, tourism, transport and logistics, environmental, scientific, educational, and other spheres.
The results of the visits demonstrated the interest and readiness of the parties to intensify interstate cooperation, including the expansion of trade, investment, and business ties.
During the last two years, official visits have taken place by ministers and high officials from both countries. During these visits, special attention was paid to the implementation of agreements reached at a high level, and the intensification of comprehensive cooperation and mutual support in international issues.
As a result, trade turnover between the countries has increased significantly. In 2022, turnover increased almost two times compared to 2021, and during the first six months of 2023, this figure increased by 40 percent compared to the same period last year. Many Saudi companies have started getting interested in investing in the economy of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia are today reliable partners in the international arena. The positions of the two countries on international issues are largely similar; they have constructive cooperation within the UN, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Islamic Organization for Food Security, and other international organizations.
Kazakhstan supported the Kingdom’s initiative to hold Expo 2030 in Riyadh. We are confident that as part of the development of the strategic program Saudi Vision 2030, this event will be the culmination of social and economic transformations under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In turn, Kazakhstan expresses gratitude to the Saudi side for active participation in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions’ activities and for supporting Kazakhstan’s initiatives in promoting interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance.
Representatives of the Kingdom regularly participate in meetings of the congress and make a great contribution to the content of the forum and the preparation of the final documents of this event.
For centuries, Islam and spiritual values have connected our peoples with strong threads. With the launch of direct flights between our countries last year, the number of Kazakh pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah has increased significantly, and the number of Saudi tourists visiting Kazakhstan has reached an all-time record.
Today, Kazakhstan follows with interest the development of the political and economic life of Saudi Arabia, and it is encouraging for Kazakhstan to see the impressive social and economic transformations of the Kingdom as part of the implementation of the Saudi Vision 2030.
The breakthrough megaprojects Neom, The Line, and Oxagon are of particular interest and designed to become flagships and the embodiment of the “ecological city of the future.”
We applaud Saudi Arabia’s efforts to address environmental issues in the Middle East and the world, and support the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives. For its part, Kazakhstan is also working to promote global sustainable development, attracting foreign best practices, green technologies, investments, and implementing joint projects.
Kazakhstan sincerely welcomes the achievements of Saudi Arabia and attaches great importance to further strengthening comprehensive cooperation between our countries.
We are confident that under the wise leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia will realize its ambitious goals and achieve unprecedented heights, and further bolster its credibility among the world community.
• Berik Aryn is the ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia.
