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Tengrinews.kz – The Mazhilis has ratified amendments to an agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which grants special privileges to employees of the Secretariat, including Kazakh citizens.
Under the changes, CICA Secretariat personnel will be exempt from taxation, as well as pension and social contributions. The exemption will also apply to Kazakh citizens working within the Secretariat. In addition, they may be released from certain public duties imposed by the state.
During the parliamentary session, MP Aidos Sarym questioned the scope of these exemptions, particularly those affecting Kazakh nationals. He asked why such privileges, including potential military service deferment, would be granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) instead of the Ministry of Defense.
“Are we not placing our citizens working in the Secretariat above others who serve in key state roles?” Sarym asked.
First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin explained that the exemption is in line with international norms.
“Staff members of international organizations serve the organization itself, not the host country. State duties could include not just military service, but also mobilization obligations, emergency response participation, and so on. The MFA acts as an intermediary between the government and CICA in this process,” Rakhmetullin noted.
Deputy Minister of Justice Botagoz Zhakselekova added that the legal changes also grant Secretariat personnel immunity from criminal, civil, and administrative liability for any actions undertaken in their official capacity.
“These are standard international protections for employees of global institutions,” she emphasized.
The amendments aim to:
- Strengthen the international status of the Secretariat in accordance with UN and other global standards by granting all staff members the status of international civil servants;
- Align working conditions with international norms to attract talent from across all CICA member states and support the Secretariat’s internationalization.
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multinational forum aimed at promoting cooperation and security across the Asian continent. Its first summit was held in 2002.
