Page 7 - Kazakh Outlook 2022

rights in Kazakhstan ahead of a visit to Brussels by the country’s
president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In a press release, HRW senior researcher on Central Asia Mihra
Rittman and Europe and Central Asia advocacy director for the
watchdog, Philippe Dam, said: “Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan
is no stranger to making human rights and political reform pledges and
his administration knows well that 'talking the talk' on human rights in
high level meetings with Western diplomats is one way to stave off
potential criticism.”

The Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between
Kazakhstan and the EU, which entered into force in March 2020 and
includes human rights provisions, has deepened EU-Kazakhstan
relations. But the European Parliament has regularly expressed
concern about human rights in Kazakhstan, most recently in February
2020.

“There's a moral imperative to do so. If we take an honest look past the
Kazakh government's promises for reforms, there's little to show for all
of the rhetoric. Kazakhstan remains deeply authoritarian and
undemocratic, with basic human rights violated regularly,” Rittman and
Dam added. “It has never had an election deemed free and fair by
credible international observers. Kazakh authorities show unwavering
intolerance towards any group, movement, or party critical of the
government, and have arbitrarily applied abusive 'extremism'
accusations against political opposition groups to send their proponents
to court or to prison.”

• There are no elections or any similar major political events planned for
2022.

3.0 Macro Economy

XXX key economic figures and forecasts

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Nominal GDP (EUR bn)

Real GDP (% yoy) 1.1 4.1 4.1 4.5 -2.5

Industrial output (% yoy) -2.5 1.8 5.4 6.4 0.3

Unemployment rate (avg, %) 4.96 4.9 4.85 4.8 6.05

Nominal industrial wages (% yoy)

7 Kazakhstan Outlook 2022 www.intellinews.com