After New York, a Shake-Up in Astana: Tokayev Resets His Foreign Policy Team
At the end of last week, the most talked-about news in Kazakhstan was the latest reshuffle in the upper echelons of government. Just one day after returning from New York, where he participated in the UN General Assembly, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev began issuing personnel decrees resulting in the dismissals and appointments of high-level foreign and trade policy officials.
Murat Nurtleu left his position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and was reassigned as Assistant to the President for International Investment and Trade Cooperation. Nurtleu navigated a turbulent regional environment marked by the Russia–Ukraine war, which destabilized trade routes and supply chains, and emphasized building broader alliances with China while balancing ties with Russia, the U.S., and other partners. In his new post, the president has tasked Nurtleu with advancing Kazakhstan’s foreign investment and trade cooperation, refocusing his mandate squarely on securing economic gains from diplomacy.
Yermek Kosherbayev was appointed as the incoming Foreign Minister. He was most recently Deputy Prime Minister and is a career diplomat and administrator, having also held senior posts in the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture ministries. President Tokayev has tasked him with reinforcing a balanced foreign policy, expanding economic diplomacy, deepening multilateral engagement, and strengthening the protection of citizens abroad.
The former Assistant to the President for International Affairs, Yerzhan Kazykhan, was reappointed as Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. A seasoned diplomat and ex–foreign minister, Kazykhan coordinated Tokayev’s international outreach with the U.S., EU, and OSCE. His posting to Geneva – where debates on human rights, trade, and security are shaped – signals Astana’s trust in a heavyweight envoy. He succeeds Yerlan Alimbayev, who has been in the post since 2022.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev was recalled as Ambassador to the United States after more than four years in Washington. His tenure was defined by efforts to deepen political and economic ties, including advancing the U.S.–Kazakhstan Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue, supporting the first C5+1 leaders’ summit and Critical Minerals Dialogue, and expanding cooperation through the U.S.–Kazakhstan Strategic Energy Dialogue.
Beyond the personnel changes themselves, observers quickly began parsing what the reshuffle reveals about Tokayev’s foreign policy priorities. As is customary in Kazakhstan, no official comments were offered on the reshuffle in Akorda. Nevertheless, speculation quickly spread across social media, with journalists and bloggers debating the implications throughout the weekend.
Political scientist Gaziz Abishev framed Murat Nurtleu’s reassignment as shifting him from foreign policy towards the execution of the investment–trade agenda. Abishev noted that the “additional responsibilities for working with the investment bloc… which Nurtleu held as deputy prime minister, will go with him to the Presidential Administration,” narrowing his focus to delivery rather than strategy. This interpretation was later reinforced in more formal terms by the Presidential Administration’s spokesman, who explained that in his new post, Nurtleu “will develop contacts with representatives of foreign states at the highest level, as well as heads of major foreign companies, in order to accelerate the promotion of international investment and trade cooperation.”
Analyst Andrei Chebotarev suggested that Ashikbayev’s removal as U.S. ambassador likely reflected a need to “reset relations with Washington.” He pointed to Uzbekistan’s recent success in securing both a major deal and an in-person meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Donald Trump as a possible spur for Tokayev. By contrast, speculation in Kazakhstan held that Tokayev had managed only a phone call with the U.S. president.
Economic matters also drew attention, particularly Kazakhstan’s $4.2 billion locomotive agreement with U.S. firm Wabtec. Framed as a long-term package of new locomotives and maintenance services, the deal was nonetheless criticized for unclear profitability, with Wabtec itself acknowledging risks that could affect costs and returns.
Late on Monday evening, however, Tokayev’s press secretary Ruslan Zheldibay dismissed speculation, describing the reshuffle as routine. “This is a normal personnel rotation. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness of work in the most important areas of government activity,” he wrote on Telegram. Zheldibay also published photos of a “standing meeting” between Trump and Tokayev on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, countering earlier reports that contact was limited to a phone call.
Image: Ruslan Zheldibay
Historically, Tokayev has used major senior personnel changes as a tool to recalibrate policy when he judged the moment to be pressing. In September 2023, Tokayev responded to water shortages, transport bottlenecks, and failures in culture and sports by creating a Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, re-establishing the Transport Ministry, and reorganizing the Culture and Sports portfolios with new leadership. In February 2024, amid persistent inflation and stalled infrastructure improvements, he dismissed the entire cabinet and appointed a new government.
The latest moves differ, however, in that they target foreign policy rather than domestic governance, and come amid visible efforts to align more closely with Washington. It is also noteworthy that the foreign policy reshuffle follows other signals from Astana that it is seeking alignment with the U.S. administration. Earlier this month, Tokayev wrote to Trump to address bilateral trade frictions, offering to engage in “constructive dialogue” on issues such as U.S. tariffs on Kazakh exports. That outreach culminated in the earlier Wabtec deal, quickly framed in Washington as a victory for Trump’s “America First” policy and credited with creating 11,000 jobs in Pennsylvania – a decisive swing state.
Following an appearance by Trump at the UN General Assembly, which was marred by mishaps including a stalled escalator and technical malfunctions, Tokayev echoed Trump’s sharp criticism of the United Nations. Taken together, these moves amount to a coordinated push to strengthen ties with the United States and secure traction with the Trump administration.
Like Trump, Tokayev has shown little hesitation in dismissing officials when he sees fit. The reshuffle underscores his determination to pivot toward economic diplomacy and closer engagement with Washington. With its vast natural resources, expanding business opportunities for foreign investors, and sheer GDP weight, Kazakhstan stands out in Central Asia. The open question is whether these moves will translate into Kazakhstan becoming a true priority for U.S. policymakers, or simply leave it competing for attention in an increasingly crowded diplomatic field.
