New Trajectories of Civil Service Reform in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Civil service reform is not a new phenomenon for Kazakhstan, which has positioned itself as a leader among Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states in terms of improving the civil service system. However, despite the rapid socio-economic development of Kazakhstan until the fall of oil prices, the civil service system has experienced systemic problems such as bureaucracy, corruption and low ethics morale. In the context of financial crisis, when the President called on Kazakh citizens to “tighten their belts” and “learn to live within their means,” the role and professionalism of the state apparatus, its ability to respond to the modern external and internal challenges have become even more critical...