Kazakhstan folds anti-corruption agency into its spy agency
Kazakhstan’s new public administration reforms have significantly reshaped the country’s anti-corruption framework. A key change is the reorganization of the Anti-Corruption Agency (Antikor), which has been merged with the National Security Committee (KNB) under a recent decree signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
What’s changing?
The restructuring establishes a new department within the KNB — the Anti-Corruption Service — which will assume core responsibilities in combating corruption. At the same time, some of Antikor’s powers have been transferred to Kazakhstan’s Agency for Civil Service Affairs.
This agency will now be responsible for:
- Developing and implementing anti-corruption policy.
- Coordinating nationwide anti-corruption efforts.
- Addressing the root causes and conditions that enable corruption.
- Promoting an anti-corruption culture in society.
The KNB and the Agency for Civil Service Affairs will jointly inherit Antikor’s functions and legal responsibilities. As a result, Antikor will be dissolved and removed from the list of state bodies reporting directly to the president.
What happens next?
Within a month, the KNB must draft regulations for the new Anti-Corruption Service and, in collaboration with the cabinet and the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, determine how to reassign staff from the former Antikor.
By Sept. 1, 2025, the government is expected to develop and submit a draft law to Parliament that will formalize these changes at the legislative level.
Tackling corruption
In mid-April, Antikor launched a whistleblower website to combat bribery and corruption. The new portal allows users to take training courses on anti-corruption topics, test their knowledge and receive certificates. The site features the latest data from Transparency International and shows Kazakhstan’s ranking in the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
One key feature is Corruption Mapping, which identifies government agencies and positions most frequently facing corruption risks.
In 2024, Kazakhstan was ranked 88th in the global CPI by Transparency International, outperforming Russia, Thailand and Turkey.
Notably, in 2023, Kazakhstan emerged as one of the most corrupt states but improved its standing in the CPI, scoring 39 points out of 100 and ranking 92nd among 180 nations.
