At the end of March, Kazakhstan was hit by a series of massive floods, hitting ten of the country’s seventeen regions. Over 119.000 people have since then been evacuated from their homes in what has turned into one of the largest disasters to hit Kazakhstan in the past eighty years. Even though the events were tragic, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accentuated they also managed to unite the people of Kazakhstan.
“From the first days of the floods, everyone witnessed the active and well-coordinated work of the assembly. The APK’s central and regional headquarters were deployed as soon as possible to provide comprehensive support to the victims”, said President Tokayev amid the 33rd session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK). “The assembly has once again shown in practice that it is not a merely symbolic organisation, as some people try to claim, but an effective promoter of the values of unity and solidarity of our nation, an important public body with constitutional status.”
‘From Heart to Heart’ campaign
In order to help those who were affected by the floods, a large-scale campaign ‘From Heart to Heart’ is currently underway, which has already dispatched 1.500 tonnes of food and essential goods to those in need. So far, 12.000 volunteers were involved in the operations.
“Volunteers played a crucial role in providing relief to the affected areas and supporting the community during this difficult time. Their selfless actions and dedication to helping others in need were greatly appreciated by those impacted by the flood,” Tatyana Mironyuk, Executive Director of the National Volunteer Network, told The Astana Times. “Volunteers’ readiness to extend a helping hand showcased the strength of community and solidarity during these times of crisis.”
The government will reduce budgetary expenses in favour of urgent tasks to eliminate the consequences of the floods. Damaged homes will be repaired or rebuilt where needed, affected families will receive a one-time compensation and new opportunities for citizens will be created to relocate to areas with better economic and environmental conditions.
Preventive measures against natural disasters
“No one will be left without support. Budget expenditures will be reduced to prioritise urgent tasks in addressing the aftermath of the floods. The country will introduce a regime of austerity of public funds,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev assured those present.
Measures will also be taken to prevent natural catastrophes of this size in the future. There will be a special focus on studying and mitigating climate change impacts, while the entire water management system will be reorganised. Twenty new water reservoirs will be constructed, and 15 existing ones will be rebuilt.
“It is necessary to practically rebuild the interaction between the state and science to take preventive measures against natural disasters. Upon my instruction, the Kazakh Hydromelioration and Civil Engineering Institute in Taraz is being re-established and the Institute of Seismology in Almaty will be strengthened,” said the president.
The APK will play an important role in rebuilding the country, according to the president. This Assembly will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025 and so far, its most important role has been to ensure the rights and freedoms of all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity.
“The focus of the assembly should always be on practical activities to identify and preventively address possible hotbeds of ethno-social tension,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev explained. “The assembly has proven to be an effective instrument of our calibrated policy of inter-ethnic harmony and national unity. As a unique civic institution, the assembly has made a useful contribution to preserving an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust in society. We will use the forthcoming milestone anniversary to explain and popularise the APK’s activities and to involve citizens in the painstaking work of strengthening the unity of our people.”
