Our Work

Democracy, Human Rights and Governance

The Central Asian Energy Efficiency Support Project is working with Kazakhstan energy professionals on lowering greenhouse gas emissions by reducing industry’s energy intensity.

With USAID’s support, Kazakhstan has developed a robust network of civil society organizations that advocate for constituents’ rights, provide critical services to the population and engage on key policy reform issues. Civil society initiatives include counter-trafficking in persons and protecting and improving the overall legal environment in which non-governmental organizations operate. To enhance the public’s access to information, USAID supports the efforts of Kazakhstan’s media outlets to produce and broadcast social, political and economic information relevant to local audiences. To improve efficiency, transparency and public trust in the court system, USAID cooperates with the Supreme Court to implement its strategic plan, especially aspects related to managerial and administrative capacity, including judicial appointments, quality of judicial decisions and standard operating procedures. USAID also supports the implementation of national policies that advance gender equality.

Economic Growth and Trade

Since 1992, USAID has helped Kazakhstan restructure a number of institutions and pieces of legislation key to the country’s transition to a market economy. Since 2006, the Government of Kazakhstan has co-funded USAID’s economic growth programs under the bilateral Program for Economic Development, demonstrating the country’s continued interest in USAID’s expertise and support.   

In 2011, the World Bank recognized Kazakhstan as the top economic reformer in the world, moving the country up 15 points on its Doing Business report, which evaluates 183 countries. USAID assistance supported these reforms by guiding the government to improve conditions for starting a business, obtaining construction permits, protecting investors and trading across borders.

USAID’s assistance to government working groups, business associations and line ministries has enhanced investor protections, streamlined processes for trade and reduced the number of permits required to open, operate and liquidate a business. These reforms save Kazakhstan’s businesses at least $530 million a year by removing excessive requirements on business operations. USAID assisted Kazakhstan and its Customs Control Committee with setting up a regional customs training center for Central Asia.

USAID also supports the Government of Kazakhstan in its efforts to modernize its electricity sector and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. USAID is assisting Kazakhstan to reform its electric power market to increase competition and promote investment in modern power generation facilities. USAID also works with Kazakhstani stakeholders on energy-management best practices to reduce energy use in industry.

Global Health

During the past 15 years, USAID has assisted Kazakhstan in making its health system financially viable and capable of providing quality care. USAID supported the country’s first family medicine centers and introduced international practices that have improved maternal, child and reproductive health service delivery.

USAID partners with the Government of Kazakhstan to control infectious diseases like HIV, TB and multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR TB). In coordination with development partners, USAID improves the implementation of HIV and TB prevention, care and treatment services. Since October 2010, USAID has supported HIV prevention programs and provided linkages to health care services for over 17,000 people most at-risk for HIV in Kazakhstan. USAID works with the Government of Kazakhstan to address the high rates of MDR TB by introducing GeneXpert rapid diagnostic testing, which will allow for an MDR TB diagnosis within hours instead of weeks. Because outpatient treatment plays an important role in preventing the transmission of MDR TB, USAID also supports local health departments as they transition to outpatient treatment of TB patients.

Highlights of Our Work

• USAID facilitated reforms that save businesses more than $530 million in costs annually.
• USAID introduced the WHO treatment system for TB in four pilots in 1997. Training and monitoring, together with a sufficient quantity of TB medicine purchased by the Government of Kazakhstan, resulted in an almost four-fold decrease in the death rate from TB by 2010.
• USAID developed a system for Kazakhstan that simplifies customs declarations, saving time and money in the process of declaring cargoes and enhancing strategic trade corridors between Central and South Asia.