Domestic Policy | Business & Investment
Anti-corruption
Fighting corruption is one of the priorities of President Tokayev and is fundamental to Kazakhstan’s 100 Concrete Steps programme, the massive reform project intended to accelerate the country’s development, and realization of Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy goals. Kazakhstan has developed an effective legal and institutional platform to facilitate the anti-corruption policies. The Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption Agency works on detecting and stopping corruption offenses in all spheres.
President Tokayev signed a law in December 2019 making ministers and akims (governors) responsible for corruption among their direct subordinates Nov. 28. The law introduces amendments that will oblige ministers and governors to resign if the top officials in their institutions are found guilty of corruption.
Kazakhstan’s National Bureau of Anti-Corruption has established close cooperation with the United States, the United Nations (UNO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Transparency International and others. Kazakhstan has pledged to provide information on anticorruption measures, involve NGOs in anticorruption policies and continue to develop an anti-corruption culture. The Modern Anti-Corruption Standards and Development of International Cooperation international conference in Nur-sultan in 2017 resulted in adopting recommendations on the modern anti-corruption standards.
On January 4, 2020, Kazakhstan became the 50th member state of The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) anticorruption body established in 1999 by the Council of Europe.
I welcome the Republic of Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 as #GRECO @coe #anticorruption body 50th member state @CoE_HRightsRLaw @CoESpokesperson @jrodm_coe
— Gianluca Esposito (@GianlucaCoE) January 4, 2020
Deputy Assistant FBI Director Matthew Moon said Kazakhstan’s anti-corruption policy and its tools are progressive and effective. He added that the United States has implemented similar measures which creates opportunity for bilateral cooperation. He also noted that Kazakhstan’s 10-15 year goals meet international standards.
Freedom House Vice-President Robert Herman said the Kazakh Agency for Civil Service and Anti-Corruption Affairs is addressing all forms of corruption and is helping form an anticorruption culture across social groups in Kazakhstan.
Alejandro Ponso, chief research director of the World Justice Project, also praised Kazakhstan, saying he witnessed the results of the reforms during a summer visit to Astana and said the reforms could improve the country’s position in international ratings.