Kazakhstan 2050 Book Launch, May 2, 2014. Astana, Kazakhstan

Project Description

On May 2, 2014 the official launch of the book “Kazakhstan 2050: Toward a Modern Society for All” will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan in connection with the Annual Meetings of the Asian Development Bank. Karim Massimov, head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan will preside over the event. The volume is co-edited by Aktoty Aitzhanova, Shigeo Katsu, Johannes F. Linn and Vladislav Yezhov and was published in February 2014 by Oxford University Press.

In December 2012 the President of Kazakhstan introduced “Kazakhstan 2050”, a vision and agenda for the country, which postulates that Kazakhstan will join the ranks of the top thirty developed countries by 2050. Centennial Group International, on behalf of Nazarbayev University of Kazakhstan and in collaboration with the National Analytical Center of Nazarbayev University organized an independent assessment by a team of international experts of what will be needed to achieve this vision.

Based on a review of Kazakhstan’s socioeconomic development over the last 20 years and an assessment of the outlook of the global economy, the book explores how Kazakhstan can build the foundations for an inclusive modern society in seven priority areas by: building a strong human resource base; managing its energy resources sustainably; growing a green economy; pursuing balanced and efficient urban and regional development; creating a diversified, modern knowledge economy; becoming fully integrated with the rest of the world; and, underpinning all else, building effective and inclusive institutions.

The assessment concludes that the vision is very ambitious, but broadly feasible. It presents options for short, medium and long-term action in each of the seven priority areas. Recognizing that there are no blueprints for success, and that Kazakhstan faces many uncertainties, the book also concludes with set of eight principles that can help guide policy makers on a pathway towards the vision of Kazakhstan 2050.

The book can be ordered from Amazon.com.