Informed Questions Paper: Kazakhstan Domestic Issues

摘要

Turkic and Mongol tribes migrated to the plains of Kazakhstan in the 13th Century. Mainly Muslim, native Kazakhs 'speak a Turkic language, but are Mongol in appearance.' A Kazakh Empire emerged in the 15th Century from a conglomeration of nomadic hordes living on the plains of present day Kazakhstan. To defend against Oyrat Empire attacks from the east during the 18th Century, Kazakh hordes accepted protection from Russia and then later sought autonomy. Russia maintained firm control of the Kazakh hordes for two centuries, eventually founding an autonomous Kazakh Republic in 1920 and later designating Kazakh as a Soviet Republic during 1936. The Soviet Union controlled the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic for the next five decades. Just prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, an ethnic Kazakh named Nursultan Nazabayev was appointed as the Chairman of the Kazakh Republic. Nazabayev was elected as President when Kazakhstan declared its independence on 16 December 1991. The Republic of Kazakhstan adopted their current constitution and extended President Nazabayev's first term by national referendum during 1995. He was reelected for a seven-year term in 1999 and has firm control of the country. The vast natural resources of Kazakhstan and its political stability made the Republic an attractive target for foreign investors during the last 10 years. As of late, national policies have begun to stifle foreign direct investment with the objective of promoting the Kazakh banking sector and domestic growth. Although Kazakhstan economic growth is expected to remain strong during the next few years, an 'economic nationalism' trend may drive foreign investors elsewhere.