In April 2025, the Anti-Corruption Agency (hereinafter – the Agency) of Kazakhstan launched the Anti-Corruption Portal, a digital platform that consolidates all key information on anti-corruption efforts in the country. The portal was created to organize and improve access to information for both anti-corruption professionals and the general public. It covers several key areas:
- Education and awareness: Users can access online courses on corruption prevention, useful materials and resources, awareness-raising videos, information on Kazakhstan’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), law enforcement statistics on corruption offenses, the Agency’s annual anti-corruption reports, and more. The portal also features a “Corruption Cartogram,” which includes lists and maps of corruption risks by region and government agency, as well as lists of positions most vulnerable to corruption risks.
- Engagement with civil society: Portal visitors can participate in online surveys, the results of which are used to assess current anti-corruption measures and adjust government policy. Additionally, users can apply to join anti-corruption initiatives as volunteers – a dedicated section presents information on active volunteers and organizations.
- Reporting violations: The portal includes a feedback form that allows users to report instances of corruption.
In March, the Agency also launched a WhatsApp chatbot that enables citizens to report corruption or seek advice on anti-corruption matters.
In January, the Parliament received a draft law “On Professional Integrity Testing”, which provides for integrity tests to be conducted on employees of law enforcement and civil protection agencies. These tests involve placing officials in artificially simulated ethically ambiguous situations and are widely used in other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia, Peru, and Kenya. The draft law outlines the main concepts related to professional integrity testing, the rights and responsibilities of both the test subject and the testing officer, the procedures for developing test scenarios and conducting the tests, and the response measures based on the results.
Also in January, it was announced that the lower house of Kazakhstan’s Parliament had passed a bill establishing a public registry of individuals convicted of serious and especially serious corruption offenses, to be published on the Agency’s website. Based on a final court verdict, the following information will be included in the registry:
- Full name of the convicted person;
- Place of work and position at the time of the offense;
- Nature of the corruption offense;
- Details of the court ruling;
- Type of punishment imposed.
On the last day of 2024, the Chair of the Agency approved the Guidelines for Developing Anti-Corruption Standards. This document is aimed at public authorities, quasi-public organizations, and private companies interested in implementing systematic anti-corruption measures. It covers the following areas:
- Corruption risk mapping: This section provides recommendations for regular analysis of internal processes, identification of vulnerabilities, and development of corruption risk maps and lists of high-risk positions;
- Conflict of interest prevention: This section outlines restrictions for public officials, including rules on working with relatives, participation in commercial activities, receiving gifts, post-employment restrictions, and procedures for identifying and resolving conflicts of interest;
- Financial control measures: This section covers the declaration of assets, liabilities, income, and property; clarifies submission deadlines and procedures; and explains how compliance and publication of declarations should be ensured;
- Fostering an anti-corruption culture: This section includes recommendations on training, information campaigns, and other organizational measures to build a culture of zero tolerance for corruption within institutions;
- Accountability and transparency: This section emphasizes openness, access to information, the development of public oversight, and the creation and maintenance of feedback channels;
- Corruption prevention in HR processes: This section examines corruption risks associated with hiring, transferring, promotion, and dismissal of staff;
- Corruption prevention in public procurement: This section outlines procurement-related risks and suggests mitigation measures, including practical advice on ensuring independence of procurement committees, minimizing influence from interested parties, publishing procurement plans and contract results, and preventing manipulation of technical specifications and sham competition;
- Corruption prevention in the quasi-public and private sectors: This section offers recommendations for developing anti-corruption policies, establishing compliance units, creating internal standards for employees, and implementing monitoring and reporting systems, with attention to the specifics of business activities.
