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Updated September 3rd, 2021 at 21:45 IST

Afghanistan turmoil: Kazakh President stresses on enhancing 'defense capabilities'

“We must prepare for external shocks & worst-case scenarios, modelling external risks has become highly relevant,” Kazakh President said in nationwide address.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
Afghanistan
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday, Sep. 3, stressed the need for his country to bolster its defense capabilities against the external threats as the security situation turned grim in neighbouring Afghanistan, and the threats of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) loomed, that killed 170 Afghans and 13 US troops in Kabul bomb blast. “We must prepare for external shocks and worst-case scenarios, modelling external risks has become highly relevant,” the Kazakh President said at his third address to the nation since he assumed leadership. “Stress tests should be conducted, and scenarios should be worked out that will determine further actions of the state apparatus," news agency ANI quoted him saying, citing the EU Reporter. 

Even though Kazakhstan and Afghanistan do not share the border, the political upheaval and power grab conflict between the Taliban and ISIS that ousted the Ashraf Ghani government poses a regional threat to security. As the hardline Islamist group, the Taliban is trying to establish a national government, violence, repression, and terrorism swelled across insurgents-ruled Afghanistan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the urgent need to boost the country's military capacity, as he had earlier warned that the Taliban’s takeover of the political power poses "risks" for the Central Asian country.

At the press address during the Kaysar-2021 tactical exercises held in Almaty region, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, ”We see growing public concern over the situation in Afghanistan. These events do not pose a direct threat to Kazakhstan. However, there are certain risks," he said. "Therefore, we must carefully monitor the situation and be ready to respond to any challenge.”

Apart from the escalating security situation in the region, the Kazakh President also spoke about subjects related to nuclear energy, boosting financial aid for businesses during the pandemic, and five new social initiatives. “ Nearly half of the country's budget for 2022-2025 will be allocated to the social sector,” ANI reported, adding that the country plans to push the minimum wage of 42,500 tenges [USD100] to 60,000 tenges [USD140] effective January 1, 2021. This is expected to impact at least one million people who will witness better pay. The Kazakh administration also plans to enhance measures to push the local businesses to increase the salaries of the employees. 

"Micro and small businesses are particularly affected by this. I propose to introduce a single payment from the payroll with a reduction of the total burden from 34 percent to 25 percent. This will stimulate businesses to bring thousands of employees out of the shadows and make them participants in the pension, social security, and health insurance systems,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, according to ANI. 

Kazakhstan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060

Furthermore, the Kazakh government also plans to transfer pensioners’ savings above the sufficiency threshold to the Otbasy bank for the subsequent purchase of housing, states EU reporter. The president expressed concerns about the energy shortages that the country might face by 2050, and therefore, laid emphasis on the alternative reliable energy sources. “Within a year, the government and the Samruk Kazyna National Wealth Fund should study the possibility of developing a safe and environmentally-friendly nuclear power industry in Kazakhstan,” he said. “It should also include the development of engineering and creating a new generation of qualified nuclear engineers in our country. Hydrogen energy as a whole is also a promising sector,” he continued. The country has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. 

IMAGE: AP

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Published September 3rd, 2021 at 21:45 IST

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