Despite best efforts, world is falling prey to a new set of military conflicts Kazakh president says

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered the 46th Singapore lecture, “Kazakhstan and Role of the Middle Powers: Fostering Security, Stability and Sustainable Development,” on May 24.

Speaking about social and political transformations in Kazakhstan, Tokayev focused on goals and principles to build a Just and Fair Kazakhstan, which in many regards “echoes the Forward Singapore exercise led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to refresh Singapore’s social compact.” Tokayev also mentioned the investment policy and economic diversification pursued in Kazakhstan, The Astana Times reports.

According to him, despite geographical distance and differences in territory and history, Kazakhstan and Singapore share many values and face similar challenges. While discussing the role of emerging middle powers like Singapore and Kazakhstan, Tokayev drew attention to significant changes in the global security environment, opening up enormous opportunities and serious risks.

“Despite best efforts, the world is falling prey to a new set of military conflicts. Issues relating to extremism and terrorism, cyber and outer space, AI, climate change, large-scale migration and epidemics further aggravate global security. However, both Astana and Singapore as emerging middle powers cannot simply agree with polarization and division. Too much is at stake. Left unchecked, we will sleepwalk into a new Cold War. Our two countries aim to foster a condition where competition is managed responsibly, and the interests of middle and small nations are respected,” the President emphasized.

In this regard, Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan is increasingly committed to responsible diplomacy and creating value for the global community as the country proceeds to create a just Kazakhstan.

“Being open to the world, we remain vigilant and proactive in defending ourselves against external challenges. We will never hesitate to defend Kazakhstan’s legitimate rights and interests, let alone sacrifice our core interests. Our approach is sometimes viewed with skepticism – criticized for our neutrality. However, neutrality need not be mistaken for a lack of conviction. Instead, it is a deliberate choice to prioritize diplomacy and dialogue over conflict and coercion. This choice is our strength, uniquely positioning us to help bridge deep divides, from territorial disputes to ideological conflicts,” Tokayev said, recalling the country’s efforts to promote the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, mediation on the Iranian Nuclear Deal and others.