Foreign Policy Preferences of Kazakhstan after 2022
https://doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2023-4-91-72-90
Abstract
The January 2022 protests in Kazakhstan drew global attention to the country's foreign policy orientations. This research investigates the focal states and international organizations prioritized by Kazakhstan during Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's presidency, spanning from March 20, 2019, when Tokayev assumed office, to December 31, 2022, marking the end of data collection. Employing content analysis and discourse analysis as primary methods, this study examines data from diverse sources, including the official website of Kazakhstan's President, his social media profiles, and relevant media outlets. The analysis encompasses mentions of countries, their leaders, and international organizations across three languages: Russian, Kazakh, and English.
Key findings include Tokayev's frequent references to Russia (223 mentions) and China (95 mentions), while the United Nations (UN) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) receive the highest number of mentions among international organizations (178 and 102, respectively). Remarkably, Tokayev predominantly communicates in Russian when addressing foreign policy matters.
In general, public discourse aligns closely with Kazakhstan's doctrinal discourse. However, notable discrepancies arise. Despite the Foreign Policy Concept's indication of Kazakhstan's intent to strengthen its strategic partnership with the United States, Tokayev's limited mentions of the United States (33 in total) suggest a distinct trend.
Keywords
About the Authors
M. Y. KucherovRussian Federation
Mikhail Yu. Kucherov — Postgraduate student of the Department of Comparative Political Science
Vernadsky Pr., 76, Moscow, 119454
I. V. Vokhmintsev
Russian Federation
Igor V. Vokhmintsev — Graduate-bachelor of the History Faculty
Moskovskoe shosse, 34, Samara, 443086
I. D. Kravchuk
Russian Federation
Ivan D. Kravchuk – Trainee researcher at the Center for Political Studies, a master's student at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Mass Communications
Leningradsky Pr., 49, GSP–3, Moscow, 125993
V. Y. Andriukhin
Russian Federation
Vladislav Yu. Andriukhin — Postgraduate student at the Faculty of World Politics
Leninskie gory, 1, building 51, Moscow, 119991
M. A. Fedotov
Russian Federation
Mark A. Fedotov – Master's student at the Faculty of Political Science
Lomonosovsky Pr., 27, building 4, Moscow, 119192
A. A. Tokarev
Russian Federation
Alexey A. Tokarev — Doctor of Political Sciences, a leading researcher
Vernadsky Pr., 76, Moscow, 119454
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Review
For citations:
Kucherov M.Y., Vokhmintsev I.V., Kravchuk I.D., Andriukhin V.Y., Fedotov M.A., Tokarev A.A. Foreign Policy Preferences of Kazakhstan after 2022. MGIMO Review of International Relations. 2023;16(4):72-90. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2023-4-91-72-90