Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

President of Kazakhstan

Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev 17 May 1953 Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union

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Incumbent

President of Kazakhstan since 2019 Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev (Kazakh: Қасым-Жомарт Кемелұлы Тоқаев , romanized: Qаsym-Jomаrt Kemelūly Тoqаev, ; born 17 May 1953) is a Kazakh politician and diplomat who has served as the President of Kazakhstan since 20 March 2019. He succeeded Nursultan Nazarbayev, who resigned on 19 March 2019 after 29 years in office. Tokayev began his career in 1975 when he worked as diplomat in Singapore and China. In 1992, he became the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, where he took a position against nuclear disarmament in the former Soviet countries. In March 1999, Tokayev became the Deputy Prime Minister. In October 1999, with the endorsement of the Parliament, he was appointed as a Prime Minister by the presidential decree. From 2002, Tokayev served as Foreign Minister, where he continued to play an active role in the field of nuclear non-proliferation. He then served as the Chair of the Senate of Kazakhstan from 11 January 2007 to 15 April 2011 and from 16 October 2013 to 19 March 2019 and was the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva from 12 March 2011 to 16 October 2013. On 20 March 2019, his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned, resulting in Tokayev becoming the acting president. He announced snap elections for 9 June 2019 and shortly with the endorsement by Nazarbayev became nominee for the ruling Nur Otan. Tokayev was elected president of Kazakhstan with 71% of the popular vote. At his inauguration, Tokayev promised a continuation of Nazarbayev's policies in the country's development and social and economic reforms. During his tenure, he has signed certain reform laws aimed at democratizing the country.