1991–1999: First term in
Davos Nazarbayev renamed the former State Defense Committees as the
Ministry of Defense and appointed
Sagadat Nurmagambetov as Defense Minister on 7 May 1992. The
Supreme Soviet, under the leadership of Chairman
Serikbolsyn Abdilin, began debating over a draft constitution in June 1992. Opposition political parties
Azat,
Jeltoqsan and the
Republican Party, held demonstrations in
Alma-Ata from 10 to 17 June 1992 calling for the formation of a
coalition government, resignation of
Sergey Tereshchenko's government and the Supreme Soviet which, at that time, was composed of former Communist Party legislators who had yet to stand in an election. The
first constitution of Kazakhstan, adopted on 28 January 1993, created a strong
executive branch with limited
checks on executive power. On 10 December 1993, the Supreme Soviet voted to dissolve itself and that same day, a presidential decree was signed which set changes in local representative and executive bodies with elections of the
mäslihats (local legislatures) taking place every five years and
äkims (local heads) being appointed by the president. In March 1994, Kazakhstan for the first time since independence, held a
legislative election which was boycotted by the Azat and Jeltoqsan parties. From there, the pro-presidential
People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity party won a majority of 30 seats with
independent candidates who were on presidential-list won 42 seats. The OSCE observers called the elections unfair, reporting an inflated voter turnout. Nevertheless, the new composition of the Parliament was considered to be "professional" with different various
political factions that functioned. In May 1994, the
Supreme Council passed a
vote of no confidence against Prime Minister
Sergey Tereshchenko amidst political scandals evolving Tereshchenko and government ministers. Nazarbayev objected to the change, arguing that the Constitution gave the president the right to appoint the PM with already existing parliamentary confirmation regardless of the motion of confidence. However, he eventually backed down, dismissing
Tereshchenko's government in October 1994 and appointing ethnic-Kazakh
Akezhan Kazhegeldin as the new PM. In March 1995, the Constitutional Court ruled that
1994 legislative elections were held unconstitutionally and as a result, Nazarbayev dissolved the
Supreme Council. From that period, all bills were adopted on the basis of presidential decrees such as outlawing any civic participation in an unregistered and/or illegal public association who would be punished with 15-day jail sentence or fines from 5 to 10 times the minimum monthly wage in an effort "to fight organized crime." Nazarbayev dismissed the accusations from critics of him personally dissolving the legislature by claiming that it was under Constitutional Court's orders, saying "the law is the law, and the President is obliged to abide by the constitution, otherwise, how will we build a rule-of-law state?" and that the cancellation of the 1996 presidential elections was made by the decision of the
Assembly of People of Kazakhstan arguing that "Western schemes do not work in our Eurasian expanses." In his address, he criticized Kazhegeldin over his record reforms and in his place, Nazarbayev appointed
Nurlan Balgimbayev, an oil engineer who prior served as an Oil and Gas Minister.
1999–2006: Second term and Nazarbayev in November 1997 On 7 October 1998, a number of amendments were made to the
Constitution of Kazakhstan in which the term of office of the president was increased from 5 to 7 years as well as term limits. The changes also removed restriction on the maximum required age of a presidential candidate. The following day on 8 October, Nazarbayev signed decree setting the election date for January 1999. He was
reelected for second term by winning 81% of the vote in the first round, defeating his main challenger and former
Supreme Council chairman
Serikbolsyn Abdildin. Abdildin himself in response refused to acknowledge the official results, insisting that they were falsified. In February 1999, several pro-presidential parties formed into one party named
Otan. At the
Founding Congress of the party which was held on 1 March 1999, Nazarbayev was elected as the chairman. From there, he suggested that former PM
Sergey Tereshchenko should take over the leading role, noting the constitutional limits on president's affiliation with political parties while Nazarbayev himself remained as
de facto party leader. In July 1999, Nazarbayev signed decree setting the date for the
legislative elections. The Otan, for the first time, participated in the elections, winning 23 seats. In the aftermath on 1 October 1999, Nazarbayev appointed
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the PM after his predecessor
Nurlan Balgimbayev had faced an increasing unpopularity amidst worsening economy and scandal revolving around an arms deal with
North Korea. Nazarbayev appointed
Altynbek Sarsenbayev, who at the time served as the minister of culture, information and concord, the secretary of the
Security Council, replacing
Marat Tazhin, on 4 May 2001. Tazhin became the chairman of the
National Security Committee, replacing
Alnur Mussayev. Mussayev became the head of the Presidential Security Service. In January 2002, Prime Minister
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev resigned from his post and was subsequently appointed as the
minister of foreign affairs and
State Secretary.
Imangali Tasmagambetov took over Tokayev's role as the new PM which viewed as a response towards a political crisis which occurred following the formation of the
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan in November 2001 by several prominent Kazakh officials who called for political and democratic reforms.
Tasmagambetov's government was short-lived, facing opposition by the
Parliament over his proposed policies on land privatisation which led to a
motion of no confidence against him. Tasmagambetov resigned in June 2003 and Nazarbayev appointed
Daniyal Akhmetov to lead the government citing the reason "to intensify the pace of social and economic development."
2006–2011: Third term In June 2000, the
Constitutional Council announced its resolution which declared that Nazarbayev's second term was, in fact, his first due to the adaptation of the new Kazakh Constitution which took place in 1995 during Nazarbayev's first term. This allowed him the opportunity to run for another election as his term was set to end in 2007. On 4 December 2005, new
presidential elections were held where Nazarbayev won by an overwhelming majority of 91.15% (from a total of 6,871,571 eligible participating voters) in the first round. Nazarbayev was sworn in for another seven-year term on 11 January 2006. In 2006, the
Otan increased its ranks as all pro-presidential parties began merging into one. Nazarbayev supported the move, stating the need for there to be fewer, but stronger parties that "efficiently defend the interests of the population." In December 2006, the Otan renamed itself into
Nur Otan and on 4 July 2007, Nazarbayev was re-elected as the party's chairman. Amidst the
political shakeup, Nazarbayev dismissed Prime Minister
Daniyal Akhmetov in January 2007 and appointed Deputy PM
Karim Massimov to the post. He stated that Massimov had the "sufficient knowledge and experience" to "develop Kazakhstan's successes." at the White House in September 2006 On 18 May 2007, the
Parliament of Kazakhstan approved a
constitutional amendment which allowed the incumbent president—himself—to run for an unlimited number of five-year terms. This amendment applied specifically and only to Nazarbayev: the original constitution's prescribed maximum of two five-year terms will still apply to all future presidents of Kazakhstan. That same year in August,
legislative elections were held from which the
Nur Otan won all the contested seats in the
Mazhilis, eliminating any form of opposition which sparked controversy and criticism from international organizations and groups within the country. In response, Kazakhstan introduced an amendment by allowing for a
two-party system since any party that wins second place in race—regardless or not if it passes the 7%
electoral threshold—would be guaranteed to have representation in the Parliament. Nazarbayev has always emphasized the role of education in the nation's social development. In order to make education affordable, on 13 January 2009, he introduced educational grant "Orken" for the talented youth of Kazakhstan. This decree was amended on 23 September 2016. In 2009, former UK Cabinet Minister
Jonathan Aitken released a biography of the Kazakh leader entitled
Nazarbayev and the Making of Kazakhstan. The book took a generally pro-Nazarbayev stance, asserting in the introduction that he is mostly responsible for the success of modern Kazakhstan.
2011–2015: Fourth term In April 2011,
Nazarbayev ran for a fourth term, winning 95.5% of the vote during the first round with virtually no opposition candidates. Following his victory, he announced the need in finding an "optimal way of empowering parliament, increasing the government's responsibility and improving the electoral process." On 11 June 2011, Daniel Witt, Vice Chairman of the Eurasia Foundation, acknowledged the role of Nazarbayev and his political reforms:"[President] Nazarbayev has led Kazakhstan through difficult times and into an era of prosperity and growth. He has demonstrated that he values his U.S. and Western alliances and is committed to achieving democratic governance."In December 2011,
opponents of Nazarbayev rioted in Mangystau, described by the
BBC as the biggest opposition movement of his time in power. On 16 December 2011, demonstrations in the oil town of
Zhanaozen clashed with police on the country's Independence Day. Fifteen people were shot dead by security forces and almost 100 people were injured. Protests quickly spread to other cities but then died down. The subsequent trial of demonstrators uncovered mass abuse and
torture of detainees. Massimov in turn, became the new head of the
Presidential Administration. In December 2012, Nazarbayev outlined a forward-looking national strategy called the
Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy. In 2014, Nazarbayev proposed that Kazakhstan should change its name to "Kazakh Eli" ("Country of the Kazakhs"), for the country to attract better and more foreign investment, since "Kazakhstan" by its name is associated with other "
-stan" countries. Nazarbayev suggested
Mongolia receives more investment than Kazakhstan because it is not a "-stan" country, even though it is in the same neighborhood, and not as stable as Kazakhstan. However, he noted that decision should be decided by the people on whether the country should change its name. After Kazakhstan faced an economic downturn of which was caused by
low oil prices and devaluation of the tenge, Nazarbayev on 2 April 2014 dismissed PM
Serik Akhmetov and reappointed
Karim Massimov to the post. Akhmetov subsequently was appointed as a defence minister while
Massimov's government was aimed at dealing with the economic crisis.
2015–2019: Fifth and final term Nazarbayev for the last time ran again in the
2015 presidential election for the fifth term. From there, he gathered 97.7% of the vote share in the first round, making it one of the biggest in Kazakhstan's history. In his victory speech, he emphasized the top priority in
Nurly Zhol stimulus package that was designed in softening the social blow caused by economic troubles. At a later news conference, Nazarbayev speaking about the electoral results remarked, "I apologize that for superdemocratic states such figures are unacceptable. But I could do nothing. If I had interfered, I would have looked undemocratic, right?" The
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe criticized the election as falling short of international democratic standards. In early 2016, it was announced that 1.7 million hectares of agricultural land would be sold at an auction. This sparked
rare protests around the country which called for Nazarbayev to stop the momentum on land sales and solve the nation's problems as well. In response to the fears of the lands being sold to foreigners, especially Chinese, Nazarbayev fired back at claims, calling them "groundless" and warned that any provocateur would be punished. On 1 May 2016, at the
Kazakhstan People's Unity Day, Nazarbayev warned that without unity and stability, a crisis similarly in
Ukraine would happen. In June 2016,
armed attacks in Aktobe took place resulting in deaths of 25 people. Nazarbayev called the incident as terrorist attacks which were orchestrated from abroad to destabilize the country similarly in a
colour revolution to which he accused of being infiltrated by the
ISIS militants. and
Shavkat Mirziyoyev in October 2018On 8 September 2016, Nazarbayev appointed
Karim Massimov as the
National Security Committee Chairman and
Bakhytzhan Sagintayev to the post of the PM. Days later on 13 September, Nazarbayev's daughter
Dariga was appointed as the member of the
Senate. This suggested that Nazarbayev was preparing for his succession to be taken over by Dariga as the cabinet reshuffling had occurred after Uzbek president
Islam Karimov's death which created political uncertainty in the neighboring country. Nazarbayev dismissed the claims of hereditary succession in an interview to the
Bloomberg News in November 2016, saying that the "transfer of power is spelled out by the Constitution." In January 2017, Nazarbayev proposed constitutional reforms, which would allow for the
Parliament to have greater role in decision making, calling it "a consistent and logical step in the development of the state". The Parliament approved several amendments to the
Constitution on 5 March 2017, making the president no longer able to override parliamentary votes of no-confidence, while giving the legislative branch to form a government cabinet, implementing state programs and policies. The move was seen as way by Nazarbayev to ensure the potential of a peaceful transfer of power. Nazarbayev, along with seventeen heads of state and government from around the world, which included
Felipe VI of Spain and leaders of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, consisting of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and India, attended the opening ceremony of
Expo 2017 which was held in
Astana. An estimated 3.86 million people visited the site with Nazarbayev at the closing ceremony on 10 September 2017 calling it as "Kazakhstan's most brilliant achievements since its independence." Senate Chairman
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in an interview to
BBC News in June 2018, suggested that Nazarbayev's term presidential from 2015 was in fact, the last one as he hinted the possibility that Nazarbayev would not run for re-election which was scheduled for 2020. Minister of Information and Communications
Dauren Abaev responded to Tokayev's statements claiming that "there's still a lot of time" for Nazarbayev to decide on whether to run for re-election pointing out that the decision will be primarily based on his. He also added that the country would only benefit if Nazarbayev chooses to run for sixth term.
Resignation On 19 March 2019, following unusually persistent
protests in cities across the country, Nazarbayev announced his
resignation as President of Kazakhstan, citing the need for "a new generation of leaders". The title was later removed due to the cancellation of the Law on the First President. Various colleagues of Nazarbayev reacted within hours of the announcement, with Uzbek president
Shavkat Mirziyoyev holding a telephone conversation with Nazarbayev, calling him a "great politician". In a cabinet meeting, Russian president
Vladimir Putin praised Nazarbayev's leadership, even going as far as to say that the
Eurasian Economic Union was Nazarbayev's "brainchild". Other world leaders who sent messages to Nazarbayev included
Ilham Aliyev,
President of Azerbaijan,
Alexander Lukashenko,
President of Belarus, and
Emomali Rahmon,
President of Tajikistan. According to Nazarbayev himself, he described his intention for stepping down was due to "peak of trust" by the people and that it was "necessary to leave", recalling his memories in attending funerals of Soviet leaders
Leonid Brezhnev,
Yuri Andropov and
Konstantin Chernenko, embarking that "there is still a limit of human capabilities."
Allegations of corruption in Seoul, 2010 Over the course of Nazarbayev's presidency, an increasing number of accusations of corruption and favoritism were directed against Nazarbayev and his circle. Critics said that the country's government came to resemble a clan system. According to
The New Yorker, in 1999 Swiss banking officials discovered $85 million in an account apparently belonging to Nazarbayev; the money, intended for the Kazakh treasury, had in part been transferred through accounts linked to
James Giffen. Subsequently, Nazarbayev successfully pushed for a parliamentary bill granting him legal immunity, as well as another designed to legalise money laundering, angering critics further. The newspaper was firebombed as well. , Kazakhstan has never held an election meeting international standards. In December 2020, according to an investigative report by
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, it identified at least $785 million in European and U.S. real estate purchases made by Nazarbaev's family members and their in-laws in six countries over a 20-year span. This figure includes a handful of properties that have since been sold, including multimillion-dollar apartments in the United States bought by Nazarbaev's brother, Bolat. It does not include a sprawling Spanish estate owned by Kulibaev, for which a purchase price could not be found.
Domestic policy Economic issues After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan faced mass unemployment and emigration. Nazarbayev was viewed to have followed Russia's economic reforms starting with price liberalisations. On 3 January 1992, he signed a decree "On measures to liberalise prices", an attempt to stabilise the country's socio-economic situation and form a
market economy within Kazakhstan. This resulted in a rapid inflation of goods, causing discontent amongst citizens, thus forcing Nazarbayev on 12 January to sign a "On additional measures for social protection of the population in the context of price liberalisation" which established partial state-regulated prices on bread, bakery products and flour. Kazakhstan managed to avoid full impact from the
1997 Asian financial crisis and
1998 Russian financial crisis, due to lack of high liquid investments. Nazarbayev pledged for to continue in advancing for an "independent, open and free market economy." Starting from early 2000's, the Kazakh economy faced huge growth thanks to its development in energy sector and high oil prices. Nazarbayev published his manifesto:
Prosperity, Security and the Ever-Growing Welfare of all Kazakhstanis in 2000, where he wrote that "today we are building a new state, a new market economy and a new democracy, and this—at the very time when many other independent states have already trodden that path similar enough." In October 2008, during the
2008 financial crisis, Nazarbayev assured the nation that it would deal with the crisis by introducing a rescue package amounted to 10% of the country's GDP, of which was funded thanks in part to the national sovereign wealth fund. In his state of address on 6 March 2009, he announced 350,000 jobs for workers in the spheres of infrastructure projects as well as the creation of the
Eurasian Land Bridge. Since 2014, Nazarbayev has set strategic priority in Kazakhstan for economic diversification which would maintain the country's stability by avoiding the effects from its oil export reliance that would affect the economy through its constant price downfalls.
Eurasian Economic Union ,
Kazakhstan, on 29 May 2014) In 1994, Nazarbayev suggested the idea of creating a "Eurasian Union" during a speech at
Moscow State University. On 29 May 2014, alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and Belarusian president
Aleksandr Lukashenko, Nazarbayev signed the founding treaty of the Eurasian Union (EEU) in Astana, paving the way for the transition from their current customs union to the full-fledged EEU on 1 January 2015. Nazarbayev named Honorary Chairman of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in May 2019.
Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy logo Nazarbayev unveiled in his 2012 State of the Nation the
Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy, a long-term strategy to ensure future growth prospects of Kazakhstan, and position Kazakhstan as one of the top 30 most developed nations in the world.
Nurly Zhol President Nazarbayev unveiled in 2014 a multibillion-dollar domestic modernization and reformation plan called
Nurly Zhol – The Path to the Future. It was officially approved by the decree of the president on 6 April 2015. The goal of the plan was for development and improvement of tourist, industrial and housing infrastructure, create 395,500 new jobs, and increase the GDP growth rate 15.7 by 2019. In March 2019, it was announced that the program would be extended to 2025 with its new agenda being focused on developing road infrastructure. According to Minister of Infrastructure and Development
Beibut Atamkulov, it is planned that 27,000 kilometres of local roads will be repaired, with 21,000 kilometres of national roads being reconstructed and repaired.
Digital Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev unveiled this technological modernization initiative to increase Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness through the digital ecosystem development.
Environmental issues In his 1998 autobiography, Nazarbayev wrote that "The shrinking of the
Aral Sea, because of its scope, is one of the most serious ecological disasters being faced by our planet today. It is not an exaggeration to put it on the same level as the destruction of the
Amazon rainforest." He called on
Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, and the wider world to do more to reverse the environmental damage done during the Soviet era.
Nuclear disarmament Kazakhstan inherited from the Soviet Union the world's fourth-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. Within four years of independence, Kazakhstan possessed zero nuclear weapons. In one of the new government's first major decisions, Nazarbayev closed the Soviet nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk (Semei), where 456 nuclear tests had been conducted by the Soviet military. During the Soviet era, over 500 military experiments with nuclear weapons were conducted by scientists in the Kazakhstan region, mostly at the
Semipalatinsk Test Site, causing radiation sickness and birth defects. As the influence of the Soviet Union waned, Nazarbayev closed the site. He later claimed that he had encouraged
Olzhas Suleimenov's
anti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan, and was always fully committed to the group's goals. In what was dubbed "
Project Sapphire", the Kazakhstan and United States governments worked closely together to dismantle former Soviet weapons stored in the country, with the Americans agreeing to
fund over $800 million in transportation and "compensation" costs. Nazarbayev encouraged the
United Nations General Assembly to establish 29 August as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. In his article he has proposed a new
Non-Proliferation Treaty "that would guarantee clear obligations on the part of signatory governments and define real sanctions for those who fail to observe the terms of the agreement." His foreign minister signed a treaty authorizing the
Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone on 8 September 2006. In an oped in
The Washington Times, Nazarbayev called for the
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to be modernized and better balanced. In March 2016, Nazarbayev released his "Manifesto: The World. The 21st century." In this manifest he called for expanding and replicating existing nuclear weapon-free zones and stressed the need to modernise existing international disarmament treaties.
Religion , 2008 Nazarbayev put forward the initiative of holding a forum of world and traditional religions in
Astana. Earlier the organisers of similar events were only representatives of leading religions and denominations. Among other similar events aimed at establishing interdenominational dialogue were the meetings of representatives of world religions and denominations held in
Assisi,
Italy, in October 1986 and January 2002. The first Congress of World and Traditional Religions which gathered in 2003 allowed the leaders of all major religions to develop prospects for mutual cooperation. Nazarbayev initially espoused
anti-religious views during the Soviet era; he later made attempts to support
Muslim heritage by performing the
Hajj pilgrimage, Under the leadership of Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan enacted some degrees of multiculturalism in order to retain and attract talents from diverse ethnic groups among its citizenry, and even from nations that are developing ties of cooperation with the country, in order to coordinate human resources onto the state-guided path of global market economic participation. This principle of the Kazakh leadership has earned it the name "Singapore of the Steppes". However, in 2012, Nazarbayev proposed reforms, which were later enacted by the parliament, imposing stringent restrictions on religious practices. Religious groups were required to re-register, or face closure. The initiative was explained as an attempt to combat extremism. However, under the new law, many minority religious groups are deemed illegal. In order to exist on a local level, a group must have more than 50 members: more than 500 on a regional level, and more than 5,000 on the national level. Four years later, in February 2018, Reuters reported that "Kazakhstan further loosened cultural ties with its former political masters in Moscow ... when a ban on speaking
Russian in cabinet meetings took effect ... [Nazarbayev] has also ordered all parliamentary hearings to be held in
Kazakh, saying those who are not fluent must be provided with simultaneous translations."
Human rights record Kazakhstan's human rights situation under Nazarbayev is uniformly described as poor by independent observers.
Human Rights Watch says that "Kazakhstan heavily restricts freedom of assembly, speech, and religion. In 2014, authorities closed newspapers, jailed or fined dozens of people after peaceful but unsanctioned protests, and fined or detained worshippers for practicing religion outside state controls. Government critics, including opposition leader
Vladimir Kozlov, remained in detention after unfair trials. In mid-2014, Kazakhstan adopted new criminal, criminal executive, criminal procedural, and administrative codes, and a new law on trade unions, which contain articles restricting fundamental freedoms and are incompatible with international standards. Torture remains common in places of detention." Kazakhstan is ranked 161 out of 180 countries on the
World Press Freedom Index, compiled by
Reporters Without Borders.
Rule of law According to a US government report released in 2014, in Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan's global rank in the
World Justice Project's 2015 Rule of Law Index was 65 out of 102; the country scored well on "Order and Security" (global rank 32/102), and poorly on "Constraints on Government Powers" (global rank 93/102), "Open Government" (85/102) and "Fundamental Rights" (84/102, with a downward trend marking a deterioration in conditions). Kazakhstan's global rank in the
World Justice Project's 2020 Rule of Law Index rose and was 62 out 128. Its global rank on "Order and Security" remained high (39/128) and low on "Constraints on Government Powers" (102/128), "Open Government" (81/128) and "Fundamental Rights" (100/128). The
100 Concrete Steps national plan introduced by President Nazarbayev included measures to reform the court system of Kazakhstan, including the introduction of mandatory jury trials for certain categories of crimes (Step 21) and the creation of local police service (Step 30). The implementation of the national plan resulted in Kazakhstan's transition from a five-tier judicial system to a three-tier one in early 2016 yet it severely restricted access to the cassation review of cases by the Supreme Court. However, the expansion of jury trials has not been implemented. Furthermore, Nazarbayev abolished the local police service in 2018 following the public outrage over the murder of
Denis Ten in downtown
Almaty. His government's policies were considered moderate by maintaining a balance between the world powers of
United States and
Russia. From 1990 to 1994, Nazarbayev paid official visits to the
United States,
United Kingdom,
China,
Germany,
Russia,
Turkey,
Japan and other nations. By 1996, 120 nations had recognized Kazakhstan, and it had established diplomatic relations with 92 countries. The first major diplomatic initiatives by Nazarbayev were dealing with strategic issues, such as obtaining international security guarantees in the aftermath of
nuclear disarmament as a result of pressure from Western nations. Nazarbayev called on
Russia, the
United States, and
China to conclude a
non-aggression pact with Kazakhstan that would also guarantee the country's sovereignty. On 5 December 1994, Russia, U.S., and U.K. signed the
Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances to Kazakhstan based on the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Later, the governments of China and France added their signatures to the Memorandum.,
Anna Hakobyan,
Igor Dodon and
Dmitry Medvedev at the
FIFA World Cup in Russia, 2018 In January 2019, Zimbabwean President
Emmerson Mnangagwa conducted a state visit to
Astana to meet with Nazarbayev, in the first visit by an African leader to the country in years. This would be the last foreign head of state that Nazarbayev would receive while in office. Nazarbayev's last state visit to a foreign country took place five days prior to his resignation, visiting the
United Arab Emirates to meet Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Zayed.
China Nazarbayev prioritized strengthening relations with China through a pragmatic approach focused on economic cooperation, regional security, and border stability. Kazakhstan resolved longstanding
border disputes with China through agreements in 1994, 1997, and 2002, finalizing their 1,700-kilometer boundary. He played a central role in founding the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2001, deepening regional cooperation with China on security and trade. Economic ties grew substantially during his presidency, with China becoming a major trading partner and investor. Energy and infrastructure cooperation were key pillars of the bilateral relationship. In 2006, Kazakhstan and China completed the first stage of the
Kazakhstan–China oil pipeline, the first direct pipeline between China and a foreign country. This was followed by the
Central Asia–China gas pipeline, launched in 2009, linking gas fields in Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan into western China. Nazarbayev also supported Chinese president
Xi Jinping's
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposal in 2013, which he aligned with Kazakhstan's domestic
Nurly Zhol infrastructure program beginning in 2014. This coordination facilitated large-scale Chinese investments in transport corridors, logistics centers, and industrial zones across Kazakhstan, further embedding the country in transcontinental trade routes. Despite close ties with China, Nazarbayev's government remained discreet about the
Xinjiang internment camps and
persecution of Uyghurs in China. As international concern grew in the late 2010s, Kazakhstan faced domestic pressure and consular issues but opted not to publicly criticize Beijing.
Iran In a speech given in December 2006 marking the fifteenth anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence, Nazarbayev stated he wished to join with Iran in support of a single currency for all Central Asian states and intended to push the idea forward with the president of Iran,
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on an upcoming visit. In one of his speeches however, Nazarbayev criticised Iran as one of the countries that provides support for terrorism. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry however, released a statement on 19 December, saying his remarks were not "what he really meant," and his comments were "mistakes." During an announcement of a railway link in 2007, Nazarbayev expressed a religious solidarity with Iran, as he was quoted as saying, "Today I will pay a visit to Turkmenistan where we will agree on the construction of a railway through Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan to Iran with access to the
Persian Gulf. This will bring us closer to our
Muslim brothers."
Israel Notwithstanding Kazakhstan's membership in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (now the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), under Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan had good relations with
Israel. Diplomatic relations were established in 1992 and Nazarbayev paid official visits to Israel in 1995 and 2000. Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $724 million in 2005. Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu conducted his first ever visit to Kazakhstan in mid-December 2016, when he met with Nazarbayev. The two countries signed agreements on research and development, aviation, civil service commissions and agricultural cooperation, as well as a declaration on establishing an agricultural consortium.
Russia in
Kremlin, May 2015 Kazakhstan maintained close and multifaceted relations with Russia, grounded in shared history, culture, and economic ties as neighboring former Soviet republics. Both countries were founding members of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 1991, which aimed to facilitate political, economic, and security cooperation among post-Soviet states. This partnership further deepened with Kazakhstan's participation in the
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) from 2015, promoting economic integration and free movement within the region. Security collaboration was conducted through frameworks like the Russian-led
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), addressing regional stability and counterterrorism. Nazarbayev pursued a multi-vector foreign policy, balancing Kazakhstan's relations with Russia through high-level meetings with Russian leaders—including
Boris Yeltsin,
Vladimir Putin, and
Dmitry Medvedev. Cooperation with Russia focused on trade, energy, security, and border management. Energy cooperation was a key aspect of the relationship. Kazakhstan's oil and natural gas exports relied heavily on routes passing through Russia, such as those of the
Caspian Pipeline Consortium. While the energy partnership was generally stable, disputes occasionally arose over tariffs and transit terms, prompting Kazakhstan to explore alternative export routes and support the
Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline. Amid Russia's growing geopolitical assertiveness, including the
Russo-Georgian War, the
2014 annexation of Crimea and
conflict in eastern Ukraine, and
military involvement in the Syrian civil war, Nazarbayev consistently emphasized adherence to international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, seeking to preserve Kazakhstan's strategic partnership with Moscow while avoiding entanglement in regional conflicts.
United States pitching horseshoes at the White House, May 1992 The United States was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan's independence in December 1991, providing important diplomatic support during the nation's early years. In May 1992, Nazarbayev made his first state visit to the United States, meeting with President
George H. W. Bush. During this visit, the leaders expressed a commitment to developing friendly and cooperative relations. Nazarbayev also signed a landmark agreement with
Chevron to develop the
Tengiz oil field, signaling the start of major American investment in Kazakhstan's energy sector. A central aspect of U.S.–Kazakhstan relations during Nazarbayev’s presidency was Kazakhstan's decision to voluntarily renounce the nuclear weapons it inherited from the Soviet Union. Nazarbayev's government closed the
Semipalatinsk Test Site and worked closely with the United States under the
Cooperative Threat Reduction program to dismantle weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure. Kazakhstan's role in global nuclear nonproliferation was further highlighted by its hosting of the
International Atomic Energy Agency's Low-Enriched Uranium Bank, designed to promote peaceful nuclear energy. Throughout his tenure, Nazarbayev met with several US diplomats and presidents, including
Bill Clinton,
George W. Bush,
Barack Obama, These meetings served to strengthen cooperation on energy development, regional security, counterterrorism, and nuclear nonproliferation. Under Nazarbayev's leadership, Kazakhstan and the United States established a strategic partnership that contributed to regional stability and addressed shared security concerns.
Turkey Kazakhstan established early and enduring diplomatic ties with Turkey. In March 1991, Turkish president
Turgut Özal became the first foreign head of state to visit Kazakhstan, signing foundational cooperation agreements. Turkey promptly recognized Kazakhstan's independence that year, and diplomatic relations were formally established on 2 March 1992. Later that year, Nazarbayev made his inaugural state visit to
Ankara, commemorating the opening of Kazakh embassy and deepening bilateral engagement. During his presidency, Nazarbayev prioritized Turkey as a key partner, driven by shared Turkic heritage and strategic interests. One of the earliest symbols of this partnership was the transformation of Turkistan State University into the Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh–Turkish University in 1991, formally established by bilateral agreement in October 1992. Educational ties expanded further through the opening of dozens of Kazakh–Turkish lyceums across Kazakhstan, supported by the Kazakh–Turkish Education Foundation, and through scholarship programs that enabled thousands of Kazakh students to study in Turkey. During his presidency, Nazarbayev prioritized Turkey as a key partner, driven by shared Turkic heritage and strategic interests. Significant milestones included a Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2009, which expanded collaboration in energy, infrastructure, education, and defense. Economically, the "New Synergy" initiative aimed to raise bilateral trade from around US $3.3 billion in 2011 toward US $10 billion by 2015, and Turkish investors played a growing role in Kazakh infrastructure and energy projects. Nazarbayev also incorporated Turkey into his
Nurly Zhol economic corridor strategy to strengthen transport links between Europe and Central Asia. ==Post-presidency==