Governments around the world are navigating an increasingly complex environment, characterised by inter-connected crises, rapid technological advancements such as the emergence of AI, increasing expectations from citizens and socio-economic challenges. In this context, enhancing public governance can help governments respond swiftly and effectively to both immediate needs and long-term strategic development priorities, ultimately increasing prosperity for their societies. This requires not only improving the performance of the public administration and strategic planning but also innovating and developing the necessary skills and capabilities across the public sector.
Kazakhstan has embarked on a sustained growth trajectory over the past decades and made significant strides in modernising its public administration to address both the immediate challenges posed by global events and its long-term socio-economic goals. Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has implemented a series of ambitious reforms guided by long-term strategies such as Kazakhstan 2050. These reforms have driven progress in key areas, including economic growth, education and public health. Currently, the Concept for the Development of the Public Administration until 2030 has accelerated efforts to strengthen public governance frameworks, enhance effectiveness and build a more responsive and accountable public administration.
The OECD Public Governance Scan of Kazakhstan evaluates ongoing public governance reform efforts, building on previous OECD assessments and examining how the country’s institutional frameworks and governance practices have evolved particularly since the 2014 OECD Review of the Central Administration and the 2017 Toward a More Effective, Strategic and Accountable State in Kazakhstan as well as the 2018 Benchmarking Civil Service Reform in Kazakhstan. The Scan highlights the progress made in key areas such as public administration effectiveness, strategic planning, human resources management (HRM) and public sector innovation. By assessing Kazakhstan’s reform progress with international best practices, this Scan offers tailored and actionable recommendations to enhance the resilience and effectiveness of its public administration and support the country’s long-term development objectives in the face of evolving global challenges.
The evidence and data collected for this Scan contributes to the OECD’s broader programme of work on effective, innovative, fit-for-the-future and digitally enabled government and human-centred administrative services.
This publication is supported and funded by the Government of Kazakhstan.