Kassym-Jomart Tokayev assumed Kazakhstan's presidency promising to continue the policies of veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who unexpectedly resigned a day earlier after three decades in power.
Nazarbayev, 78, stepped down late on Tuesday in what appeared to be the first step in a choreographed political transition that will see him retain considerable sway over the Central Asian nation of 18 million people.
Tokayev, a 65-year-old career diplomat fluent in Russian, English and Chinese, will serve for the rest of the presidential term ending in April 2020, in line with the constitution. He promised on Wednesday to continue Nazarbayev's policies.
"(Nazarbayev's) opinion will have special, one might say priority, importance in developing and making strategic decisions," Tokayev said in an inauguration speech, adding that the capital Astana will be renamed Nursultan.
It remains unclear whether the Moscow-educated former prime minister will run for a full term as president next year. Nazarbayev praised him on Tuesday as "a man who can be trusted to lead Kazakhstan".
Nazarbayev's eldest daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva was elected speaker of the upper house of parliament to replace Tokayev.
