Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev fired the government on Thursday over what he described as its failure to improve living standards and make positive changes in the country.

"In many areas of the economy, despite the adoption of many laws and government decisions, positive changes have not been achieved," Nazarbayev said.

Nazarbayev to announce measures

Nazarbayev, who has ruled since the country became independent after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, wrote on the presidential website that he will soon propose "a range of measures to strengthen social welfare and raise people's quality of life."

Nazarbayev said the focus will be on more support for the poor, improving living conditions and regional development. He said poorer families were seeing stagnant incomes and spending more of their earnings on food.

The announcement follows a series of protests by Kazakh women calling for more financial support for children and safer housing after a fire that killed five children.

Nazarbayev was elected as Kazakhstan's first president in 1990 and has remained in power for close to three decades. Official tallies for 2015's presidential election gave him 97.75 percent of the vote. While presidents in Kazakhstan are theoretically limited to a maximum of two five-year terms, term limits for Nazarbayev were removed in May 2007.

Watch video 07:43 Share Steppe ghosts seeking saigas Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/1JIvd Kazakhstan: Steppe ghosts seeking saigas

Battling a lagging economy

While some ministers and deputy ministers are likely to be reinstated, the decision brings an end to Bakytzhan Sagintayev's premiership, which began in 2016. Sagintayev was viewed by some as part of a leadership transition in the country.

Nazarbayev's statement comes amid rising dissatisfaction in Kazakhstan, as its commodity-dependent economy struggles to recover from a 2014 plunge in oil prices and Western sanctions against key trade partner Russia.

"GDP growth is mainly achieved due to raw materials," Nazarbayev said in the statement. "But the government together with the National Bank did not manage to fully create real incentives and tools for high-quality growth of the economy."

Kazakhstan has been making a slow recovery since the 2014 dive in oil prices. World Bank data show that in 2015 and 2016, GDP increased by 1.2 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively, before edging up to 4 percent in 2017. The World Bank's GDP growth projections for 2018 predict less growth in 2018, at 3.7 percent.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub On the way to the launchpad A Soyuz rocket is on the way to its launchpad in Baikonur. German astronaut Alexander Gerst will take off - along with a Russian and US colleague - on June 6 to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard such a rocket.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Famous predecessors The first mammals that safely went to space and back took of from Baikonur: Belka and Strelka travelled along with a rabbit, 40 mice and two rats. All were safely recovered in the Kazakh desert. It was the first proof that manned space travel was possible.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub The first man in space Yuri Gagarin took off on April 12, 1961 from Baikonur. He was the first man to circle Earth in a full orbit. Trained as a metal caster, Gagarin was still in training to become a military pilot when he was chosen as a cosmonaut for the first flight.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Safe landing Gagarin's space capsule after successfully landing in Kazakhstan. His flight established the cosmodrome in Baikonur for the coming centuries as the main Soviet center for space exploration. Additionally, the Soviet Union built its Star City near Moscow as a center for research and development.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub The first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova gives a salute before departing into space on June 16, 1963 from Baikonur. For the Soviet Union, the flight was a strong and confident signal for the emancipation of women.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Soviet, Russian, Kazakh A statue of Lenin in Baikonur against the backdrop of a cloud-covered super moon on November 14, 2016. Soviet heritage is clearly visible in the city of Baikonur. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the cosmodrome remained Russian sovereign territory. Russia signed a contract with Kazakhstan until 2050.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Where space travellers from all over the world come and go Since the end of NASA's Space Shuttle program, the cosmodrome in Baikonur has been the only place on Earth for manned space travel. All flights are conducted with Soyuz spaceships, and all go to the ISS. Here are: Randolph Bresnik (NASA), Paolo Nespoli (ESA) and Sergei Ryazansky (Roskosmos) boarding in July 2017.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Launching commercial cargo There is more competition for satellite launches: ESA has it's space port in Kourou, NASA several in the US. Nonetheless, Baikonur is serving more and more western companies looking to put cargo into orbit. This Proton roket is carrying British telecommunication satellites.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Proven workhorse Right now, the preparations are in high gear for a new Soyus launch with three travellers to the ISS - like on this older picture.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub Experience, never routine Alexander Gerst knows the procedures: May 28, 2014 was his last time getting into the Soyuz capsule for a launch. This time around excitement is just as high.

Baikonur - from Soviet space port to an international astronaut hub A new spaceport in Siberia Russia does not want to meke itself totally dependent on Kazakhstan. Since last year it began launching rockets from its new spaceport Vostochny in the Amur region of Siberia. For security reasons, no manned space travel is allowed there, yet. But satellites are already being launched into orbit. After all, Baikonur will still continue to serve more generations of cosmonauts and astronauts.



law/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)

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