How real is the task of Kazakhstan's breakthrough among the thirty most developed countries of the world already during the lifetime of the current generation of citizens of this Central Asian republic? Nursultan Nazarbayev, the head of state, set such a task before the people of Kazakhstan in his Address to the People of January 10, 2018. To comment on this document, we asked the well-known political scientist and journalist Eduard Poletayev. - Already at the very beginning of 2018, the President of Kazakhstan addressed the people of the Republic with a regular, traditional message. What role do the messages of the President play in the state and political system of Kazakhstan? - In Kazakhstan proceed from the premise that a purposeful state should engage in policy of planning, long-term development and economic growth. This is the need for such an instrument as the President's message. Its role is enshrined in the Constitution of the country, in Article 44. It says that the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan addresses the annual message to the people of Kazakhstan about the situation in the country and the main directions of the internal and foreign policy of the Republic. In Kazakhstan, the messages give the quintessence of state policy in all spheres of economic, social and public life, formulating the goals and tasks of the development of the whole country for the future. State strategic management, which has a public expression, including in the form of messages, in Kazakhstan is the very essence of the practical activities of the country's top leadership. The Institute of Messages incorporates the strategic vision and political convictions of President Nursultan Nazarbayev himself. I must say that such an approach is not typical for all post-Soviet states, where tactical and situational decisions are more often used in politics and state building, in public life. The Institute of the President's Messages in Kazakhstan already has a history, became habitual and was necessary to all.

The state - as a set of goals and priorities in domestic policy, and as a basis for coordinated decisions. Business - as the initial information for assessing the investment attractiveness, risk levels and prospects for the implementation of business projects. Population - as a factor for the formation of a sense of psychological comfort, as a source of confidence in the future. Finally, the strategy is needed as a clear signal to neighboring states and foreign investors that the country is stable, ambitious and strives forwards. The present message, like several previous ones, was devoted to a significant part of the implementation of the "Strategy-2050", voiced back in 2012. It should be emphasized that the message is a powerful event product, as it is of a conceptual nature and demonstrates the determination of the political class of Kazakhstan to continue the forward movement towards new frontiers. - In the current message, Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed the need to create in Kazakhstan a virtually new economic way based on digital technologies, the so-called "fourth industrialization". All other proposals, according to the branches of the economy or spheres of state and public life, are subordinated to the fulfillment of this task. How adequate is this task to the capabilities of the country? - Finland in its time, the main income brought the sale of forestry raw materials, Israel - agricultural products. And now in their exports, science-intensive products. Japan made a bet on the development of radio electronics and automotive industry and has not lost it. All this was achieved thanks to state policy, based on sound strategies. Kazakhstan, of course, today is not perceived as a country that can go in the vanguard of the fourth industrial revolution. But this is a challenge from which he can not be dismissed. The consequences of this revolution are still poorly projected, so you have to be ready for everything. The digital economy does not mean that several unique technologies are known to power that will lead the country to the world leaders of high-tech. After all, its role should be reduced to creating conditions that stimulate certain shifts in the economy, while the state should choose such a direction and apply such tools so that the business is motivated to participate in their implementation. Of course, the task is ambitious, but how not to strive for it, if the country has to leave raw material dependence? - Judging not only by the last message of the Kazakh president, but also by the numerous development programs adopted in the country in recent years, Kazakhstan society expects not only economic but also public modernization. In what direction, for example, can the development of human capital take place in Kazakhstan? - The fact is that in the modern world, economic modernization directly and in a determining degree is associated with the development of human competences, skills, intelligence. The development of human capital in Kazakhstan is a matter of national importance, since the future of the country is determined by its energy and potential. And here, hopes are placed first of all on young people. Kazakhstan youth in the age from 14 to 29 years make up more than a quarter of the country's population. Every second citizen of the Republic is younger than 30. Nursultan Nazarbayev said earlier that the "Kazakhstan-2050" strategy is a way of showing the youth in which country it will live. It is known that it is at the moment of growing up that a person creates with the greatest devotion, and even if he is failing, he still rises and, believing in success, then reaches the greatest heights. It is the intelligent, strong and healthy youth that generates new ideas, carrying out grandiose projects. And already today the role of youth in modern Kazakhstan, especially in some areas of the economic sphere, is great. For example, this is small business, work in the sphere of new technologies, in banking structures. In essence, we can only talk about "not blocking oxygen" for various forms of natural creative social, political, economic and entrepreneurial activity. The free initiative of people will push the economy and social life forward. And the incentives specified in the message, such as creating a new quality of education, will only improve the competencies of Kazakhstan citizens. - Which of the directions of development listed in the message of 2018 has, in your opinion, the best chances for rapid and successful implementation? Which projects will be most difficult to implement? - No one promises easy ways. Today, both economists and futurists say that it's time for a new type of economy - a "humane". An important element is the attention to the internal conditions, traditions, needs and desires of people and society.

After all, the market itself is an animated mechanism. I see good chances for the task formulated in the message as "Smart Technologies" - a chance for a breakthrough in the development of the agro-industrial complex ". Modernization of agriculture is an important task, especially since Kazakhstan, even in the USSR, became a well-known producer of food products. Kazakhstan has everything necessary to meet high standards. In addition, a number - the huge markets of China and Russia. I see no big difficulties in realizing another interesting task of the message - "Smart Cities" for "smart nation". The creation of "smart cities" has become an important trend of world development. Much of this has already been implemented, for example, in the capital of the country Astana. Not for the first year in the implementation mode, another issue of the message "fighting corruption and the rule of law". "Over the last three years, more than 2,500 people, including top officials and state company executives, have been convicted of corruption," the message says.. And since 2001. For crimes of this category in Kazakhstan, 10 thousand people were convicted, 17 of them ministers and their deputies. It will be more difficult to solve problems of social security and quality education. These are the spheres that concern all citizens of the country, in fact, and the disaffected will always be - that of a small pension, then the competence of teachers. And money to the state to put it is necessary here much. - President Nazarbayev looks at the long-term perspective, dreams of Kazakhstan, which by 2050 will be among the 30 most developed countries in the world. How real is this prospect? - The new horizon of planning in the form of "Strategy-2050" in the country appeared in 2012. These are very optimistic plans - that's true, the truth is. But without optimism is now impossible, and the politician is successful when he raises the bar. It is necessary to lead the country further, setting new tasks for it. Moreover, the movement takes into account new challenges and threats that can be unexpectedly encountered, such as stability in world markets and a fall in prices for natural resources exported by Kazakhstan. But after all, Kazakhstan has shown that it can solve development problems, and withstand crises.

So the program of joining the top thirty of the most developed countries of the world is not just a piece of paper, it's a project over which many people worked seriously for two years. And in the world, 2050 is not just a symbolic date, it is a realistic timeframe for the world community. In the United Nations, for example, the Global Forecast for the Development of Civilizations was developed before 2050. The forecast report before 2050 is also promulgated by the World Food Organization. Large multinational companies are also developing development strategies until 2050.

The task is not easy, of course, but in Kazakhstan they want to live well. Still, the 9th place in terms of the size of the territory, a good transit potential, the availability of natural resources and a relatively small population, coupled with competent goal-setting - all this together should help the country to reach a new qualitative level. Eduard POLETAEV, international journalist, political scientist, head of the public fund "World of Eurasia" (Alma-Ata).