"The world will never be the ssame. To overcome the pandemic with minimal losses for the economy and public health is not an easy task for all. But these countries will become the leaders of the post-crisis world," wrote Maulen ashibayev, Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Kazakhstan in his Facebook post. Kazinform has published the full text of the post in a short analytical article format, which we are happy to deliver to your attention, having translated it into English.  

According to Ashimbayev, the observations show that only in countries demonstrating strong communication between socially active and responsible citizen and strong state machine, COVID-19 is still under control. These are examples like, first of all, the South Korea, Singapore, China. 

We are on the eve of the New World Order. Global and regional problems piling up for long have turned more serious as the result of economic and social consequences of the pandemic. the current model of globalization and the system of international economic institutions demonstrated limited capacities and inappropriate reaction to the new trends. The choice of the further strategy has become the key issues on agendas of the most countries of the world. At the same time, the crisis means opportunities. Opportunities to change, drop some ballast, review the agendas and frameworks. that is what Kazakhstan will also face. 

Which lessons do we have to understand? 

First, review the priorities. The cornerstone must not be efforts to increase abstract growth and competitiveness, but practical and tangible work in order to develop human capital. Concerning this issue the President has given certain orders to review policies in the areas of education, healthcare, science, and these are the areas of the top importance. We have to do a lot in this areas during the coming years. 

Second, the crisis has shown, that social activeness, self-organization are factors of extreme importance for stability in modern context. The head of the state has indicated that social justice is among the top priorities, to build the society where a citizen carries responsibility not only for himself, but also for his country, as well as the state itself. Volunteering is one of the indicators for success here. And it is nice to see that today in Kazakhstan the ideas of mutual help and support are widely supported in the society.  

Third, the post-crisis period will make further digitalization inevitable and many things will go online. The business elaborates on internal processes, increase of agility, make more thing more digital and development of full-scale online component in the value chain. Overall digitalization and analysis of the mistakes must be among priorities for the state machine. The President as ordered to review the Digital Kazakhstan state program and to dedicate the next year to digitalization. 

Fourth, the idea of globalization will have to change. The national interest again comes on the first place. According to Oxford Economics, global GDP loss at the end of the year may be over $1 trillion. This will make global competition and struggle for the new markets tougher. Many will have to think over protective models for their economies. Domestic supply of goods and independence from the external suppliers will come on the first place also. We shall have to do a lot here also. 

Fifth, the crisis has shown that the countries must have some stamina to go through various cataclysms of the modern world without pain. For this reason, decrease of our dependence on the oil and gas sector is our strategic objective. This will not be possible without small and medium enterprises. This is the guaranty of stability and sustainability under any external shock circumstances. In the coming years we shall have to make very new and nontraditional steps in this area.

All these trends are in the basics of the policy of the President, they form our agenda for the post-crisis period. The New Kazakhstan in the post-crisis world means stable state model with a strong president, influential parliament and responsible government, working effectively for the people. This means society of justice and responsible, hardworking citizen, as well as further political and economic reforms.

I think all this will allow us to make a big step further forward in development of the country and the state. The crisis, in fact, opens new opportunities for Kazakhstan. And constructive cooperation between the civil society and state authorities is of particular importance. It may be that this is one of the lessons we have to take during this crisis.

I remind, on April 10, during the meeting of the State Commission, President Tokayev declared that the current extraordinary regime effective till April 15, 2020 will be prolonged at least till the end of the month.

11 April 2020 / 19:05