Shaping the future of Central Asia

Our world is being redrawn at bewildering speed. A whole range of forces are continuing to shake up the established order, creating new challenges and opportunities. Our collective future depends on how successfully we harness them to deliver prosperity and peace.

In Kazakhstan, we have first-hand knowledge of the rapid pace of change. Our country, born out of the break-up of the Soviet Union, is scarcely two decades old. We had many obstacles to overcome to provide a better future for our citizens. But through their hard work and the vision of our leaders, we have become one of the world’s fastest growing economies and a modern, stable society at peace with itself and its neighbours.

While proud of what we have achieved so far – and as highlighted by President Nazarbayev in his recent annual State of the Nation address, ambitious for the future – we know continued progress depends not just on ourselves. In our interconnected world, success or failure rarely stays within national borders. That is why Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a whole face real challenges in the coming months.

The handing over by the International Security Assistance Force of responsibilities to their Afghan counterparts in 2014 is a critical moment for our region and the wider world. If the international community turns its back on the troubled country, there is a real risk that it could descend again into outright chaos and that instability and violence will spill increasingly over its borders.

No nation is immune from this threat. Up to now, extremists have struggled to gain a foothold in Kazakhstan. Despite a very diverse population, we have built a moderate and tolerant society where all can make a contribution.

But there is no room for complacency. We are all at risk from a rise in terrorism, the spread of hate-filled ideologies and an increase in drug smuggling, which funds extremist activities.

We are working hard to counter the distorted message of extremists in our society. We are also stepping up direct economic and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. But the real solution to this challenge must be through increased international cooperation both within Afghanistan itself and the wider region.

It is an effort that Afghanistan’s Central Asian neighbours must help shape and lead. After all, we have the most to gain from success and the most to lose from failure. We are already discussing how we can do more together to help rebuild Afghanistan as well as improve regional security against terrorism and the drugs trade.

The long-term answer, however, must be to accelerate the growth of the entire regional economy to spread employment and prosperity in Afghanistan and all neighbouring countries. This will deny the extremists the anger and despair required for their divisive message to take root.

Improving regional infrastructure is key to this goal. Afghanistan is among the countries that can benefit from the new opportunities that will flow from the modern road, rail and energy links we are already putting in place.

The positive impact of this new Silk Road will of course be felt far beyond Afghanistan or Central Asia. As discussed at this year’s Annual Meeting in Davos, our region is a serious contender as the next economic frontier. Rich in energy and natural wealth, and strategically positioned between Europe and the fast-growing economies of the east, improved connections can provide a much-needed boost to global growth.

We need, however, to ensure this growth is not achieved at the expense of our planet. Kazakhstan, like other countries in the region, is blessed with rich natural resources that have provided a platform for economic development. But we recognize that our future depends on harnessing these resources in a sustainable way.

Through our Green Bridge initiative, we aim to bring and spread environmentally friendly knowledge and innovation across Central Asia. Expo17, being held in Astana, will also be a major platform to share the latest developments in future energy.

These challenges also demand improved regional cooperation. Scarce water resources, for example, have the potential to be both a brake on development and a source of tension. The shrinking over many decades of the Aral Sea, once one of the largest lakes on earth, has highlighted the devastating impact we can have on our own planet. We are working hard – and successfully – to reverse this environmental catastrophe.

We cannot halt the powerful forces that are changing our world. But through increased cooperation, they can be channelled to benefit us all. This is the lesson from Davos and our challenge is to turn good intentions into positive action in Afghanistan, in Central Asia and across the world.

Author: Erlan Idrissov is the minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan

Image: A view of the Khazret Sultan mosque (L), the monument of the Kazakh people (C) and the “Shabyt” Palace of Creativity (R) in Astana September 8, 2013. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov