President Nazarbayev travelled extensively during month: during

U.S. visit 31 March said Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) not a recreation of Soviet Union, EEU and EU should hold meetings; discussed trade and cooperation during Tehran visit 11-12 April; delivered speech on terrorism, corruption and non-proliferation at Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), issued joint call with President Erdoğan for unity among Islamic nations; 15 April met Uzbek President Karimov in Tashkent, discussed shared water resources and regional security issues.

Snap parliamentary elections 20 March passed without incident; Central Election Committee 22 March announced ruling party Nur Otan won 82.2% votes, reported 77.12% turnout; OSCE said “genuine political choice remains insufficient”.

Amid falling oil prices and depreciating currency, ruling Nur Otan party late Jan presented list of candidates for 20 March parliamentary elections; list includes only 33 of party’s 83 previous MPs, and including sportsmen, singers and businessmen. PM Masimov and President Nazarbayev 6 Feb met Turkish PM Davutoğlu in Astana, declaring importance of relations with Ankara despite Russian-Turkish tensions. In telephone call with Nazarbaev 8 Feb, President Putin blamed Turkey for tensions. Ethnic tensions erupted into unrest in Zhambyl region in south as crowd stoned houses of ethnic Turks and demanded lynching of ethnic Turkish suspected of killing child during botched burglary; special forces deployed to disperse protesters. Amnesty International annual report warned of worsening human rights situation in the country.

Amid worsening economic crisis and following request from parliament 13 Jan, President Nazarbayev 20 Jan dissolved parliament, set early parliamentary elections for 20 March. Pro-govt Communist People’s Party Vladislav Kosarev said fresh mandate needed to consolidate nation. Currency slipped to all-time low against dollar 18 Jan, having lost around half value since July 2015.

Amid ongoing economic crisis, Chinese company 14 Dec bought controlling stake in state-owned oil and gas company KazMunaiGas, part of package of deals worth $4bn. EU foreign policy chief Mogherini 21 Dec chaired eleventh EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting in Astana, signed EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

With country facing economic crisis, President Nazarbayev criticised Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) 18 Nov, previously said crisis will be worse than 2007-09. Governor of National Bank sacked 2 Nov. Two Astana residents sentenced 9 Nov to five years prison for attempting to recruit three men to Islamic State, and sending widow and children to Syria.

At Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Kazakhstan 15-16 Oct, Russian President Putin said some 5,000-7,000 individuals from Former Soviet Union are fighting with Islamic State (IS), described the situation in Afghanistan as critical and said goal of militant groups is to enter Central Asia. Regional countries in attendance signed military cooperation document focusing on border security 2016-2020, though questions remain about practical implementation given different status, capabilities and perception of risk within CIS. Following meetings in Astana 12 Oct between President Nazarbayev, and Kazakh and Chinese defence ministers, Kazakhstan and China announced they will increase defence cooperation including Special Forces training, anti-terrorist and joint-tactical exercises.

President Nazarbayev 11 Sept appointed daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva deputy PM, fuelling speculation she is being positioned to take over when he leaves office. Amid concerns over currency and economy, Nazarbayev 1 Sept announced new trade agreements with China worth $23bn. Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) conducted military drills involving some 95,000 Russian and Kazakh troops in Russia. FM Erlan Idrissov in 26 Sept interview said some 200 Kazakhs are fighting alongside Islamic State in Syria.

Court ordered closure of opposition Communist Party 3 Aug for not meeting re-registration requirements of having at least 40,000 members; party leadership claimed closure politically motivated. Aqtobe court sentenced eight people to three-to-six years jail 3 Aug for inciting social, ethnic, religious discord via social media. Currency slumped in value by 25% 19-20 Aug; low oil prices driving reduced sal ries, job losses for oil workers.

WTO members 22 June approved Kazakhstan’s membership following nineteen years of negotiations, to take effect in Dec. Parliament late May ratified border cooperation agreements with Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, and agreement with Turkmenistan on demarcation of Caspian Sea. President Nazarbayev 10 June called for joint efforts to fight religious extremism. Russian Central Bank reported 39% drop in remittances to Kazakhstan in first quarter of 2015.