The entry into force of Kazakhstan's new Constitution shifts the reform process from the stage of political declarations to practical governance, Arifin Yama, a researcher at the Institute of Asian Studies of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Yama said the updated Constitution, which came into force on July 1, marked not the end of the reform process but the beginning of a broad systemic transformation that would require extensive legislative and administrative work. He said the next phase would involve bringing existing legislation into line with the new Constitution, ensuring the effective operation of newly established representative institutions and maintaining strong public engagement.
In his view, the main challenge is not rewriting the Constitution itself but transforming the relationship between the state and society. The success of the reform, he said, will depend on transparent implementation, accountable institutions and their ability to effectively serve citizens.
Yama believes the new constitutional model could deliver benefits in three key areas. It could strengthen public trust through a consistent and transparent government policy, improve public administration by making ministries and advisory bodies more transparent, and reinforce Kazakhstan's international reputation as a predictable and reliable partner.
He also stressed that Kazakhstan's strategic location at the heart of Eurasia, combined with the modernization of its state institutions, is of growing importance to foreign partners, including Southeast Asian countries. A more predictable institutional environment, he said, would make Kazakhstan a more reliable partner in trade, education, tourism, the halal industry, logistics, scientific research and humanitarian exchanges.
For Thailand and other ASEAN countries, this also means cooperation with Kazakhstan should extend well beyond the economic sphere. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s constitutional reforms are aimed at improving the country’s institutional architecture and enhancing the effectiveness of its system of governance.