Work of USAID to be audited in Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz - Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin responded to a request from Mazhilis deputies about the activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Zhumangarin said that Kazakhstan will conduct a detailed analysis of the organization's work in the country.

According to the US State Department, 28 long-term programs were implemented in 2024 under bilateral agreements between Kazakhstan and USAID.

As stated in the response to the deputy's request, in 2023-2024, USAID allocated $26.5 million in various areas, including the economy, energy, healthcare, civil society and media. Some projects cover not only Kazakhstan but also other Central Asian countries.

In 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs created a working group on cooperation with USAID, which included representatives of interested government agencies. The main task of the group was to study USAID country strategies and analyze the projects financed and their compliance with the stated goals.

"Regarding the development of a bill that would provide for the protection and psycho-emotional, mental, and physical safety of our children from such harmful "sponsorship" projects: the Ministry of Justice has currently sent a corresponding request to government agencies to work on this issue," the response says.

A study of USAID country strategies will be conducted, as well as the agency's relationships with other organizations, including governmental and non-governmental, will be studied in order to assess the potential impact of these relationships on USAID's goals.

"In addition, an analysis of financial flows is necessary to identify possible cover-up schemes, inconsistencies in the use of funds, and conflicts of interest," the document notes.

It is reported that, according to the law, Kazakhstanis are required to annually publish reports on the use of funds provided by international organizations. In case of violation, administrative fines are provided. In 2024, five violations were registered under the relevant article 460-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

The Ministry of Finance monitors the financing of foreign organizations, especially in the areas of legal assistance, sociological surveys, and public opinion. In 2022, amendments were made to the tax legislation, obliging the State Revenue Committee to publish a register of recipients of foreign financing.

USAID participates in projects to modernize the customs infrastructure of Kazakhstan. As part of the USAID Central Asia Trade Program, the State Revenue Committee received 12 units of server equipment worth 385.8 million tenge. Among the implemented initiatives are the Seamless Transit project and the exchange of preliminary information between the countries of the region.

Earlier, a list of grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for which funding has been terminated has been published. The information indicates that the amounts of two contracts related to the implementation of projects in Kazakhstan were $2.350 million and $3.350 million.

By the way, the United States has officially canceled 83% of USAID programs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that the 200 contracts that were canceled "spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, and in some cases harmed, the core national interests of the United States."