Kazakhstan is poised to become a major supplier of petroleum to the Western world and a competitor to OPEC.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson states that of all the former Soviet Union states, "few offer the promise of Kazakhstan. In terms of both economic potential and political stability, Kazakhstan is critical to the long-term success of the Central Asian nations." As a result, the West should try to ensure that it continues to adopt political and market reforms. He notes that since its independence in 1991, Kazakh leaders have made the difficult decisions necessary to move their country forward. He writes: "Kazakhstan has begun to prosper by working to build a modern economy, developing its vast natural resources and providing a base of stability in a very uncertain part of the world. With the discovery of the massive Kashagan oil field in the Kazakh portion of the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan is poised to become a major supplier of petroleum to the Western world and a competitor to Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)." Richardson says that while many more challenges lie ahead for this emerging nation, there are enormous opportunities for its future political and economic success.