This Scan was prepared by the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV) under the leadership of Elsa Pilichowski, Director. It was developed under the strategic direction of Martin Forst, Head of the Governance Reviews and Partnerships Division (GRP), Monica Brezzi, Head of the Governance Indicators and Performance Division (GIP), both in the OECD Public Governance Directorate, and William Tompson, Head of the Eurasia Division in the Global Relations and Co-operation Directorate (GRC).
The Scan was co-ordinated by Arnault Prêtet and Amélie Schurich-Rey from the Governance Indicators and Performance Division (GIP) and by Grégory Lecomte and Ryskul Iskakova from the Central Asia Unit (GRC). Gillian Dorner of the GOV Director’s Office provided comments and guidance. Ciara Muller checked the manuscript and prepared it for publication. Chapter 1 on Public Administration Effectiveness and Modernisation in Kazakhstan was drafted by Timothy Tennant, with contributions from Elina Smetanina (GIP). Chapter 2 on Improving Strategic and State Planning and Policy Co-ordination was drafted by Amélie Schurich-Rey and Arnault Prêtet (GIP). Chapter 3 on Public Employment and Management was drafted by François Villeneuve and Daniel Gerson, from the Public Management and Budgeting Division (PMB). Chapter 4 on Innovation Management in the Public Administration was drafted by Toby Baker and Heather Buisman from the Innovative, Digital and Open Government Division (INDIGO).
This publication would not have been possible without the commitment and support of the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan, the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms, the Economic Research Institute, and other government agencies of Kazakhstan. The authors are particularly thankful to Dinmuhammed Klyshpaev, Director of the Department for Development of the Public Administration, Ministry of National Economy; Meruert Saparova, Deputy Director of the Department for Public Administration System Development; Talgat Galiev, Head of the Department for Co-ordination of State Bodies on Public Administration Issues; Aziza Kanafina, Chief Expert of the Division for Public Administration Development Policy, Department of Public Administration System Development; Arailym Kapassova, Expert of the Division for Co-ordination of Government Bodies on Public Administration Issues; Alibek Raipov, Director of the World Economy Research Centre at the Economic Research Institute; and Gulim Sman and Aliya Musina, Senior Experts at the World Economy Research Centre for their contributions, support, and for facilitating all exchanges between the OECD and stakeholders in order to collect and verify data.
The authors would also like to extend their gratitude to the many institutions and individuals in Kazakhstan who contributed to the activities of this project, notably the Executive Office of the President; the Government Apparatus; Ansar Kapiyatov, Director of the Department for Institutional Development at the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms; Nursultan Markhabaev, Deputy Director of the Department for Institutional Development of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms; Dastan Akebayev, Chief Consultant of the Department for Strategic Planning and Reform Monitoring; Azamat Kilibayev, Head of the Strategic Planning and Analysis Division at the Agency for Civil Service Affairs; Darkhan Zhazykbay, Ainur Sergazieva and Azamat Kilibaev, Agency for Civil Service Affairs; Erzhan Aktaev, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Public Services at the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry; Ainur Tusupova, Yerzhan Bayanovich and Nadir Kurumbaev of the State Services Committee at the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry; Ilona Schwarzkopf, Director of the Project Management Policy Department; Shinar Tasheneva, Department of Strategic Planning and Project Management, Ministry of Justice; Shorin Daniyar, Department of Digitalisation and Public Services, Ministry of Justice; and representatives from both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture and Information.
Acknowledgments are also extended to representatives from the Steering Committee of the Astana Civil Service Hub; the International Technology Hub “Astana Hub”; and the USAID Kazakhstan Country Office, particularly Elizabeth Santucci. The OECD would also like to thank Inna Tretyakovskaya and her team for their interpretation services and logistical support provided throughout the Scan.
The OECD would further like to thank Dominic Lague, Head of the Government Strategic Management Office, Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom, who provided invaluable inputs and professional experience to counterparts in Kazakhstan.
This publication is funded by the Government of Kazakhstan. The OECD Secretariat extends its gratitude to Ambassador Askar Abdrakhmanov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to UNESCO and other international organisations in Paris, and to Yerzhan Nessibkulov, Counsellor at the same institution.
The publication was approved and declassified by the Public Governance Committee on 9 May 2025 and prepared for publication by the Secretariat.