The Head of State Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev in his campaign “Well-being for all! Continuity. Justice. Progress” announced the need to form a Presidential personnel reserve in the country. For the first time, young Kazakhstanis who have achieved significant results in innovative technologies, engineering, entrepreneurship, medicine, the economy, culture and many other areas have the opportunity to be admitted to the reserve and be appointed to high government and managerial positions in the country.The selection will be carried out as transparently and openly as possible, in which young people aged not older than 35 years, who have higher education and at least 5 years of work experience will be able to take part.For those who want to be  admitted to the reserve, it is necessary to go through several stages: testing the theoretical knowledge of candidates; assessment of leadership, critical thinking, strategic vision, motivation and values ​​of candidates (essay writing, presentation of projects, interviews and other assessment tools); interview in the Expert Commission of the Presidential Administration; consideration at a meeting of the National Commission on Personnel Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.If you are the author of successful initiatives, and able to propose new projects and put into practice ideas to improve the well-being of Kazakhstanis, make quick decisions and quickly adapt to innovations, then  send an online application for participation in the “Presidential personnel reserve” project!Challenge your capacity and get into the top of young and effective future leaders who will play a decisive role in the development of Kazakhstan and become the driving force of progress. For more information, see the following link.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27617?lang=kk

At an expanded meeting of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, Agency Chairwoman Anar Zhailganova spoke about the formation of the Presidential personnel reserve in the country.President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev announced the need to update the managerial staff by the leaders of the “new formation” who are able to quickly make decisions and quickly adapt to changing conditions and trends in the election program “Well-being for all! Continuity. Justice. Progress".On July 15 of this year at an extended meeting of the government, the Head of State emphasized that performance indicators of state bodies often do not reflect what society expects. According to A. Zhailganova, the Presidential personnel reserve is intended to become a social upwards mobility for promising young people and a source of leaders for the new formation.Therefore, given the scale of the project, it is necessary to ensure objectivity, quality and transparency at every stage of selection. It is noted that the persons who will be included in the reserve will be appointed to political and senior managerial administrative, as well as senior positions of national holdings and companies.The selection mechanism has been worked out in terms of customer focus. Young Kazakhstanis, including those who are outside the country and have higher education, will be able to take part in the selection. At the same time, political civil servants appointed by the President will not be able to participate. After enrolling in the reserve, it is planned to organize their training on the basis of the Presidential Academy of Public Administration and Nazarbayev University.We recall that today in Astana, under the chairmanship of the chairwoman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Anar Zhailganova, an expanded meeting of the ACSA was held to discuss work priorities for the coming period.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27601?lang=kk

It is proposed to develop a set of measures for the social support of civil servants to increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of public service for people in a market economy. This was announced by ACSA Chairwoman Anar Zhailganova at an extended meeting of the Agency. “The experience of developed countries shows that the optimal package of social benefits and guarantees increases the level of attractiveness of civil service for high-class specialists,” she said. A. Zhailganova instructed the heads of the Agency’s territorial divisions to conduct an in-depth analysis of the level of satisfaction of local civil servants and to make final proposals within a month's time taking into account the specifics and needs of the regions. The development of a set of measures for the social support of civil servants is provided for in the Action Plan for the implementation of the election program of President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev “Well-being for all! Continuity. Justice. Progress ”and proposals received during the nationwide“ Birge ”campaign.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27594?lang=kk

At the heart of the opera Turandot is the 12th century story about the love of Turandot and Calaf. At one time, it captured the attention of the playwright C. Gozzi, and he wrote a fairytale based on it. This fairytale caught the fancy of the outstanding composer G. Puccini, who created the priceless work that is now a part of the world opera treasury.The world premiere of Turandot took place in Milan on April 25, 1926. The composer died before completing his work on the opera, and all future performances ended with the final duet and finale written by Franco Alfano based on the author’s notes.The heroes of the Italian commedia dell’arte are portrayed in this opera as calculating Chinese officials, performed by the soloists of the China National Opera House. Turandot (the Austrian dramatic soprano Martina Serafin and the Kazakh opera diva Zhupar Gabdullina) represents in this opera the personification of cruelty and unattainable beauty. In order to take revenge on all men, she comes up with trials for her suitors – three riddles, and those who cannot solve them will be immediately executed. Only the Unknown Prince Calaf (the Bulgarian tenor Kamen Chanev), who is in love with her, passes the test. Due to the strength of his feelings and ingenuity, he solves all three riddles and is now ready to melt the heart of the headstrong princess, but only after she guesses his name.Turandot’s RiddlesZhupar Gabdullina – Turandot – is diligently preparing for the upcoming premiere. The artist explains that she has already been performing this part for a long time, consequently, it is up to the stage direction now: learning the mise-en-scenes and putting into action the ideas of Davide Livermore.“On account of the beauty of my heroine, the princes’ heads roll. Before Calaf, 14 of the princess’ suitors died. In many other productions where I happened to perform this role, the appearance of Turandot onstage was akin to ice that cools everything around her. In the libretto, she is only 14 years old. Therefore, in this production, the stage director interprets her actions from a psychological point of view. At one time, her grandmother was cruelly violated by some foreigners, so Turandot takes vengeance on all men in her name. Since birth, not a single one of them has touched her yet. Calaf’s right answers to all her riddles bring her great pain and disappointment. The princess says, “I will let you go, go your own way”, but meets resistance. In response, she receives a riddle from the protagonist, which she cannot solve. This is a really difficult role, and I will do my best to try to create this character, to convey to the audience the director’s main idea. According to Davide Livermore’s vision, Turandot is feminine, lithe; all of her movements are very pliant, which attracts men. In regard to vocals, hard work is to be done as well,” said Zhupar Gabdullina.Martina Serafin is also preparing the part of Turandot. The world-famous opera singer shared her impressions of her work in Astana.“The Astana Opera is a beautiful opera house, very well organized. For me, as an opera singer, acoustics are important, and the acoustics here are very good. Working with the conductor was a big pleasure. I also had a wonderful time working together with my colleagues – Kazakhstani singers and with the orchestra, which has a very beautiful sound. I have found very professional atmosphere here. The Stage Director Davide Livermore is giving his all to this production. He is working with every choir artist as if each of them were a soloist. He focuses on the characters emotions. Turadot is a role that I love very much, and sing a lot in my life. I am quite happy to share my interpretation with the audience of Astana. I would like to congratulate the people of Kazakhstan on the significant date – the 20th anniversary of the capital. I know that this performance is dedicated to the celebration of the anniversary, and I am happy to be a part of this event,” said Martina Serafin.Honored Artist of Kazakhstan, state prize laureate Maira Mukhamedkyzy and Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Zhannat Baktai, who has repeatedly interpreted this role at various international venues, will perform the fragile slave girl Liu, who is in love with Calaf.This will be the debut performance of this part for the opera prima Maira Mukhamedkyzy.“This defenseless girl with incredibly powerful inner energy amazes me very much. Such a strong love is rarely found on this earth, not everyone is given the opportunity to feel it. The audience remembers Liu by her heroic deed. All three arias that I have to perform are very difficult. The first aria is tender and exquisite; here she declares her love for Calaf, talks about her feelings. In the second aria, I must convey a storm of emotions raging in my heroine’s chest, because her beloved first saw Turandot and went crazy for the beautiful princess, not hearing or seeing anything around him. Liu cannot accept this, but her heart is still full of love. And since fate has decreed that they are not destined to be together, Liu kills herself, saving Calaf. Thus, the emotional, impassioned Liu is a contrasting character. She is the opposite of the cold Turandot. What is the difficulty in performing this part? The need to simultaneously deliver dramatic acting, meanwhile not forgetting about the technically complex vocals,” noted Maira Mukhamedkyzy.Director Davide Livermore has already worked at the Astana Opera in 2017 as a jury member of Placido Domingo’s Operalia, World Opera Competition. He was happy to accept the opera house’s invitation to stage G. Puccini’s opera Turandot. “I am very happy to be here, and I also feel great joy that our countries are united by a cultural bridge. I am grateful to the opera house’s management for the opportunity to work in this wonderful opera house again. I came into contact with Turandot for the first time when I was 6 years old. My father gave me a CD with the recording of this opera. The part with the children’s choir performance impressed me back then. After learning this excerpt, I often sang it in my room. Hence, this opera is with me since childhood. There are very distinctive characters in it. I believe that every person living on this earth can also be a prince, in another period of his life finding the traits of Ping, Pong and Pang within himself. Well, right now Calaf is the closest to me. I would like to experience life and believe in love, like he does,” shared Davide Livermore. In the Spirit of Showmanship…Set and Costume Designers Sofya Tasmagambetova and Pavel Dragunov suggested an interesting design concept for this production. It consists of mixture of styles, but the Chinese symbolism still remains the key element. The audience will see a fantasy China, as described by the author of the libretto, therefore there is a freedom of ideas for the designers here. For the first time, ultramodern technologies will be used, creating various bright effects. The appearance of a dragon and horses, as well as a spectacular stage transformation will add color to the production.The set and costume designers’ ideas were implemented by the experienced craftsmen of the Artistic and Production Complex, headed by Victor Carare.“For the first time at our opera house, we will use video projections on LED backdrops, which move around the stage throughout the performance. They simultaneously complement the frontal and rear projections, which consist of screens 24 meters wide and 15 meters high. To the surprise of the audience, it will be raining in the first act, and the water will be absolutely real. A unique combination of light and video content will create one of a kind theatrical magic. Incidentally, the light plays a very important role in this production. Among other things, we have built lifting mechanisms for the titular character, which will be appearing from under the ground, and be raised about 3 meters above the steppe (!). The Restoration and Craft Shop is finishing the work on the palace and columns; the Prop Shop has also carried out a large volume of work. With each new production, we are writing an unparalled theatrical history, gaining experience, which allows us to implement the most incredible projects at a very high level. This way, the viewers who come to us, enter a special world,” emphasized Victor Carare.              “Turandot is a very rich artistic material. First of all, we were guided by the director’s vision, the technical equipment of the stage, which we tried to make the most of. The space will transform, at times becoming immense, and at times more compact. Having studied the history of the productions of Turandot, I will definitely say that our production does not repeat any of the previous international versions. The Astana Opera production will have a unique blend of Asian and Chinese styles, that is, there will be a symbolism of these two cultures in the sets,” explained Set and Costume Designer Sofya Tasmagambetova.  The color palette both in the costumes and the sets is rather restrained, which carried particular significance. On the contrary, this ‘non-brightness’ makes it possible to highlight the most important thing, which is the action. Black and white colors create a specific shadow accent.“We used silk to make the costumes, but to a greater degree we utilized one of the more expensive fabrics – jacquard. Trimming and decorating are secondary here, and tape, braid or buttons are not at all characteristic to this production. The difficulty was in the use of specific Chinese cutting techniques, which the Costume Shop tailors know very well. In addition, fabric texture was very important. Its main function is keeping the shape of the costumes. The main heroine Turandot is always in front of the audience, which makes for a new task – costume changes need to take place right onstage. Thus, four different cloaks will alternately complement the base outfit. The princess’ last dress is red. In total, we have made 247 costumes, which took more than 2 thousand meters of fabric. Such a large amount is due to the choir artists’ costume changes. Initially we planned for them to be in the same costumes throughout the entire production, but then it was decided to increase that by another costume change,” concluded the set and costume designer.In Detail about the Little ThingsThere was a serious task before the Prop Shop – to create many intricate details, painstakingly encrust the ministers’ orders, chisel medals for the princes, which will then decorate the lapels of their costumes. Incidentally, the military theme is a common thread running through the production here. Halberds for the executioners and guards, combat swords, short swords, ritual swords, curved sabers made of metal and wood stretched out on the carpenter’s machine serve as a confirmation of this. Prop masters carefully carve out the grips of the weaponry, and, instead of the usual steel, use aluminum for the tips. Only then all this beauty is decorated and finished with leather. In addition, the craftsmen made swallows on sticks, which will be used in dance scenes. In order to create the flight effect, the wings were made of fabric so that they can easily move.The manufacturing technique for umbrellas, fans, staffs requires a lot of time, their coloring is characteristic of the Eastern culture. The work on making traditional Chinese straw hats is no less laborious. They were made from papier-mâché, taking into account a special form, which was decorated with twine on top. Such a head piece weighs about 400 grams! Attention is also paid to the armor manufacture, of which there are 22 pieces. It takes 200 pieces of leather to make each one of them.Musical WorldThe Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra and Choir under the baton of the Music Director and Conductor Alan Buribayev rehearsed for several months in order to achieve filigree sound. A particular importance is placed on the choir, which has a paramount role in this opera. Principal Chorus Master of the Astana Opera, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Dautov honed the skills of not only the Astana Opera Choir artists, but also those of the artists of the China National Opera House.It is known that the composer G. Puccini worked on the opera Turandot from the summer of 1920 until his death in the year 1924. At the premiere of the opera at the Teatro alla Scala, the music suddenly stopped in the middle of the final act: Arturo Toscanini laid down his baton, turned to the audience and announced: “Here the opera ends, because at this point the maestro died.” Franco Alfano, a friend of Puccini, who had achieved international recognition with his opera Risurrezione twenty years before, completed Turandot, using Puccini’s draft of the final duet, which he had at his disposal. This version of the finale will be performed at the Astana Opera.The opera Turandot is the Astana Opera’s twenty-fourth premiere. The production without a doubt can be called larger than life. Thanks to the titanic work of the production team, residents and guests of the capital will definitely enjoy this spectacular performance.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/tsm/press/news/details/27544?lang=kk

Today in Astana, under the chairmanship of the chairwoman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs Anar Zhailganova, an expanded meeting of the ACSA was held to discuss work priorities for the coming period.On the agenda there was a topical issue of effective and high-quality interaction of civil servants with citizens. “In pursuance of the President’s order, voiced at an expanded government meeting, it is necessary to pay special attention to the development of public servants' skills in interacting with citizens, to ensure their training on the basis of the Academy of Public Administration to correctly and adequately respond to resonant publications in the media, social networks,”  said the head of the Agency.The Academy is tasked with developing training programs for such skills, primarily for senior officials of local executive bodies.“The head of state at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Investors noted that the education system is part of the economy. The qualifications of each civil servant, the ability to work with the population and in the interests of the population will become a backbone element in building trust between the state apparatus and society, ” stressed  the head of the Agency.In her speech, Anar Zhailganova made a special emphasis on protecting the interests and rights of citizens when applying to state bodies. “Today, there is an increase in the number of appeals received by the Agency, which is an indicator of public confidence in our work. In this regard, we are obliged to ensure their quality and timely consideration. Each complaint should be thoroughly studied and brought to its logical conclusion, ” emphasized the chairwoman of the Agency.Anar Zhailganova warned that the facts of poor-quality consideration of appeals will be analyzed and serious measures will be taken against the perpetrators.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27516?lang=kk

Statistics for the past year demonstrate the low activity of civil servants in internal competitions for higher posts. Speaking at an expanded meeting of the Agency, Anar Zhailganova, Chairwoman of the ACSA, noted that one of the reasons for this situation lies in people's distrust of the fairness of selection in these competitions.“Despite the sufficient legal regulation, the principles of meritocracy in practice are not fully respected. I ask you to study the situation on the ground, conduct a detailed analysis and take effective measures to eradicate such practices. Kazakhstanis should see that the principles of meritocracy really work, ” she said.As a solution to this issue, monitoring of staff appointments through the E-kyzmet system was proposed. To do this, it is necessary to complete the integration of this system in government agencies and improve it, which will allow for full monitoring of staff appointments.That is, the system will have to “track” all the processes of appointments and not allow to make illegal personnel decisions, to manipulate with quarter requirements, team movements. Anar Zhailganova reminded the whole staff that ensuring compliance with the principle of meritocracy, openness and transparency of staff movements is one of the main tasks of the Agency.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27513?lang=kk

In her welcoming speech, ACSA Chairwoman Anar Zhailganova emphasized that for the newly created Agency for Civil Service Affairs, it is important to strengthen engagement with the OSCE Office of Programs to achieve common goals to ensure good governance and transparency.“The first President - Elbasy from the day of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan always pays special attention to international cooperation, especially with the OSCE. The holding of the OSCE Summit in December 2010 under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in our capital is an important evidence of it. The President Kassym-Zhomart Kemelovich, being a personnel diplomat at the international level, always carefully monitors global trends and international standards in the field of public administration. The fact that the head of state instructed at an expanded government meeting to develop a new Kazakhstan concept for the development of public administration indicates that he pays very serious attention to this issue, ”she informed.As the ACSA chairwoman noted, the Agency has been assigned a number of important tasks. Among them, the development of a set of measures for social support and ensuring transparency of the career path of civil servants, the selection of a new generation of managers.“The implementation of these and other assignments requires the study of international best practices and best foreign practices. In this regard, we hope for your further support of the Agency's initiatives, including the participation of Agency representatives in the upcoming OSCE events, ” A. Zhailganova said.In turn, Dierd Sabo, congratulating the head of the Agency on her appointment as chairwoman of the ACSA, noted that her appointment indicates the high competitiveness of women in Kazakhstan and demonstrates compliance with the principles of gender equality in the country.The Head of the OSCE Program Office expressed particular interest in the development of a Concept for the Development of Public Administration. According to him, the OSCE is ready to provide assistance and expert support for the development of a program document taking into account international best practices. He also asked about the presence in Kazakhstan of the practice of providing proactive services to the population of Kazakhstan by analogy with developed European states.Ildar Uysumbayev, Director of the Department of Public Services of ASCA, informed about the introduction of proactive services in the country when not a citizen applies for public services, but the state becomes the initiator of these public services. It is noted that next year it is planned to introduce another 17 proactive services.The parties discussed the adoption of joint measures to improve the quality of public services. In particular, I. Uysumbayev proposed to strengthen cooperation on  organizing  research, training and seminars for civil society experts and service providers represented by government agencies, as well as on the provision of technical support in the creation and maintenance of information systems that allow monitoring the quality of public services.Supporting the Agency's proposals, Mr. Dierd Sabo called for effective cooperation and evaluation of the results of the implementation of joint projects, their effectiveness and the progress achieved. According to him, the time has come to introduce key indicators for assessing mutual cooperation for the benefit of the population of Kazakhstan. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27512?lang=kk

During the meeting, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev was informed about the current activities of the Agency and plans for the coming period.Anar Zhailganova reported on the formation of the “Presidential personnel reserve” and measures taken to further transfer the provision of public services in electronic format. The head of state pointed out the need to develop a Concept for the development of public administration, which should provide for increasing the efficiency of public service and strengthening requirements for public administrators.Source: Akorda.kzSource : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27499?lang=kk

The Agency for Civil Service Affairs conducted a webinar with the participation of employees of the territorial departments of the department and ethics representatives of the central state and local executive bodies. It discussed the principles of working with complaints of citizens. A client-oriented state apparatus, civil servants with good communication skills, able to apply them in working with the public are a priority in the activities of the Agency and the current institution of ethics representatives. A practical guide for public servants involved in daily communications with citizens who are consumers of public services is the book “Complaint as a Gift” by well-known foreign authors Janell Barlow and Klaus Meller. Agency Ethics Commissioner Zina Baigaskina noted that cultivating a new look at citizens' complaints in the civil service system is an effective way of feedback, contributes to improving the quality of government agencies and increasing public confidence. “We all should take into account that there are 26 such complaints that are silent behind the complaint of one citizen. Often, complaints serve as a good basis for analyzing the causes of discontent and preventing them in the future,” emphasized another representative of the Agency, Chingis Agzhanbayev. The participants at the online meeting discussed the useful tips of the authors of the book, namely, how  to behave when  listening to a complaint, as if you are receiving a gift; how to apply the principles of communication with dissatisfied citizens; how to respond to written complaints and be constructive to criticism for the greater good of ourselves and the organization. These skills are especially in demand in the work of public servants.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27458?lang=kk

The Agency for Civil Service Affairs conducted an analysis, during which it was established that the existing standards, regulations and industry rules duplicate each other by 60% and revealed over 180 inconsistencies between these legal acts. According to the recommendations of the Agency, 145 inconsistencies were eliminated. The agency proposes to combine standards, regulations and industry rules into a single document regulating the process of providing public services, which will establish uniform requirements for the procedure for rendering services and minimize violations of the rights of service recipients. This was reported at the press center of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the Chairwoman for Civil  Service Affairs Anar Zhailganova. These proposals are provided for in the draft law on amending the Law on Public Services and are currently approved in first reading by deputies of the Mazhilis of Parliament. According to Anar Zhailganova, 72.5% of the public services of the total amount are transferred into electronic format. Based on the results of interdepartmental work,  on 588 services, specific recommendations on automation and optimization were developed. Until the end of this year, 81% of public services will be available in electronic format. “The Agency is actively promoting the receipt of electronic services among the population both through the portal of “electronic government” and through various services. Work will continue to reject the digital signature. It is proposed to significantly facilitate the receipt of electronic services through the use of one-time SMS passwords or a single identification number as authentication methods, which is practiced in such advanced countries as the United Kingdom, France, South Korea and China. In Kazakhstan, SMS passwords are used only for 64 state services, ”she informed. In addition, for the comfort of citizens and the rapid receipt of public services, we plan to exclude one-time certificates from the register of public services. “Together with state agencies, work will be carried out to exclude from the Register 62 types of various certificates, extracts and documents that are necessary for submission as supporting information to other instances. This list includes such in-demand certificates as about the absence of a criminal record, temporary disability, the presence or absence of real estate, an extract from the patient's medical card and many others, ”A. Zhailganova noted. The above-mentioned documents of the organization will receive independently from information systems, without burdening citizens with the loss of time to collect them. This set of measures will contribute to improving the quality of public services, as well as accessibility to the public.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27444?lang=kk

According to the information provided by the Guarantor States of the Astana Process on Syria, foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey intend to meet in the capital of Kazakhstan on March 16, 2018.During the talks, the participants are planning to analyze the results achieved during the first year of cooperation on the settlement of the situation in Syria, as well as outline further joint actions.On the eve of the meeting, March 15, 2018, a meeting of senior officials, as well as meetings of the Joint Working Group and the Working Group on the release of detainees/hostages, the transfer of bodies of the deceased and the search for missing persons are expected.The ministerial meeting in Astana will be held without the participation of observers or parties to the Syrian conflict. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will be invited to the meeting.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27429?lang=kk

The Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs Anar Zhailganova told about this at the press center of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to her, adherence to the principle of meritocracy remains a priority task of the Agency. “Since 2015, there has been a “career” model of civil service and the career growth of an employee begins with subordinate positions. Today, all the conditions have been created institutionally to ensure the principle of meritocracy. We will continue the practice of promoting the best employees, while ensuring the transparency and efficiency of the personnel growth system,” the Head of the Agency noted. In 2018, on the principles of competition by participating in competitions, about 7,000 young employees were promoted. To ensure the motivation of civil servants, the Agency suggests that the career prospects of employees should be “tied” to the results of evaluation of their activities. It is noted that under the current system there is no direct relationship, since the evaluation system was tested in pilot mode. Currently, the results of the evaluation of employees are the basis for making decisions on the payment of bonuses, promotion, training, rotation, demotion in a public office or dismissal. At the same time, they are not the basis for making a decision on promotion. Since the system of assessing employees showed its effectiveness in the pilot state bodies, now its results will be primarily taken into account by the competition commissions when they are appointed to higher positions. A. Zhailganova also noted that the Agency has worked out the issue of strengthening control over the observance of the principles of meritocracy in the public service. Thus, according to appeals of state employees, in addition to checking their arguments set forth in the appeal, it is proposed to provide for additional control measures based on warning, in particular, by monitoring personnel movements. “The state agencies operate an automated system“ e-kyzmet ”, which is accompanied by all personnel processes. In this system,  all the necessary information on the career promotion of civil servants can be tracked. We will be able to monitor the appointment of administrative civil servants for compliance with legal requirements. All information obtained during the monitoring on meritocracy will be carefully checked and studied. The Agency’s civil service control department operates within the Agency’s structure, which will promptly respond to the violations revealed,” the speaker informed. These measures will improve the transparency and effectiveness of the system of personnel growth and ensure further adherence to the principle of meritocracy in the public service.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27421?lang=kk

New York, March 8, 2018. The Kazakhstan delegation headed by Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador at Large Stanislav Vassilenko took part in a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.Within the event, the Security Council members unanimously approved resolution 2405, containing an assessment of the situation in that country, as well as the extended mandate of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan for another year. This event is held quarterly to implement the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to discuss political developments in the country. The meeting was particularly focused on women's involvement in the peace process.The Security Council highly appreciated the visit of the UNSC members to Afghanistan under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in January 2018, which helped to better understand the situation in the country. Additionally, the emphasis was laid on the weight and effectiveness of the UNSC debates on Afghanistan chaired by Kazakhstan on January 19, 2018, themed “Building a regional partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a model to link security and development."Vassilenko stated that political and economic challenges, as well as security threats faced by Afghanistan, require ongoing support from the regional countries, the international community, and, notably, the Security Council. It was highlighted that women and youth occupy a central position in the conflict prevention pattern.Therefore, Kazakhstan is planning to carry out an international conference “Women empowerment in Afghanistan" in autumn 2018 in Astana. Vassilenko also stated: “Our country has suggested to continue the education program for Afghan citizens with co-financing from the European Union and other partners. Within the framework of our $ 50 million educational program, about 1,000 Afghan citizens will study in Kazakh universities between 2010 and 2021." Currently, the European Union has been allocating funds for the first stage of the joint project, which will be implemented together with UN Women and is aimed at training Afghan girls in the universities of our country.Vassilenko pointed out that during the UN Security Council's mission to Afghanistan meetings were held with all the key representatives of the Afghan government and socio-political communities of the country, including women's organizations led by First Lady Rula Ghani.The Kazakh delegation underlined the significance of the so-called three-pronged strategy for tackling conflicts. It includes, firstly, the link between security and development, where sustainable development programs are also required for a lasting peace and security in the country; secondly, a regional approach for close cooperation among the regional countries is needed to overcome transboundary challenges and threats, because today it is impossible to deal with various threats and challenges exclusively within the borders of one state; thirdly, the One United Nations principle, the essence of which is to strengthen coordination and efficiency of the UN at the central and local levels.Given the importance of women in conflict resolution, the Kazakh representative concluded his speech with the Kazakh proverb “Woman rocks the cradle with one hand and rules the world with the other."Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27399?lang=kk

By the order of the Head of State, Daueshov Marat Yerkinovich has been appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs. Previously, he served as Head of the Department of Civil Service and Personnel Policy of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan.Link: @ akorda.kzSource : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27394?lang=kk

The Chairman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, Anar Zhailganova, opening the forum, emphasized that “The First President, Elbasy, declared this year the Year of Youth.Today, the country pays great attention to supporting young people and creating conditions for the realization of their potential. This trend is also being implemented in the public service, where more than 22 thousand young people work.Now, on the instructions of the President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, the issue of forming a presidential personnel reserve from among young managers for non-competitive promotion to all levels of the civil service is being worked out. This is an important step to attract talented progressive and creative young people with deep knowledge and practical work experience. Welcoming the participants of the forum, Anar Zhailganova, also stressed that great hopes are placed on our young people citing Magzhan Zhumabayev “I believe in young people who are brave like a lion, energetic like a tiger, strong like an eagle”.On the eve of the Day of Public Servant in the most picturesque place of Akmola region,  in the resort area Burabay,   a Republican forum of young public servants is being held, initiated by the Agency for Civil Service in conjunction with the NGO "A Sectoral Professional Union of Workers of Government, Banking and Public Services."A solemn ceremony of awarding the participants of the republican competition “The best civil servant of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2019” took place within the forum. This year, over 450 civil servants from all over Kazakhstan took part in the competition. While awarding the winners, Anar Zhailganova noted that “Holding such a competition stimulates young people to creatively solve the tasks.Contestants presented projects to improve the system of targeted social assistance, state subsidies to the agro-industrial complex, environmental improvement, and many other ideas. The submitted projects will find their subsequent implementation. "The forum is attended by civil servants of ministries and local executive bodies, representatives of the Trade Union Federation and other invited guests. The forum's program is rich and informative: trainings and lectures will be held for the forum participants with the participation of leading business trainers from the CIS countries, change managers, PhD doctors in the field of protection of civil and labor rights of citizens, change management mechanisms and continuous improvement. Also in order to form a healthy nation, sports teambuilding is planned. Government officials will have an excursion to sacred places, a visit to the open-air ethno-complex “Botai-Burabai”, acquaintance with various cultural monuments, historical and natural sights, museums, modern objects.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/qyzmet/press/news/details/27338?lang=kk

Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, received Ambassador Traian Hristea, the Head of the EU Delegation in Astana, to discuss prospects for developing relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union within the context of agreements reached at the 16th session of the Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council held on 26 February 2018 in Brussels.The two diplomats agreed on the need to begin developing a Roadmap that would reflect joint steps to implement the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), signed in Astana on 21 December 2015. (At the moment, the EPCA is in a status of provisional application pending its ratification by all 28 EU Member States; so far, 23 EU states and the European Parliament have already given their consent for its approval)Moreover, Minister Abdrakhmanov and Ambassador Hristea examined promising areas of cooperation in the field of connectivity, the development of transport and logistics links on the Eurasian continent, and positive developments in cooperation between Central Asian states. The Head of the EU Delegation spoke about the EU Connectivity Strategy for Asia, which is being developed by the European Union and is set to be adopted before the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit to be held in October 2018. In addition, the EU, together with active participation from Central Asian states including Kazakhstan, is engaged in developing a new EU Strategy for Central Asia. It is planned that the new EU Strategy will be adopted in the second half of 2019.Particular attention was paid to cooperation on advancing the sustainable development of Afghanistan. The EU Ambassador reported that the European Commission had begun preparing the first phase of a project to finance the education of Afghan women in Kazakhstan's higher education institutions, which will be implemented as an extension of the Kazakh education program for Afghanistan in place since 2010.During the meeting, the European diplomat was briefed about the status of institutional reforms being implemented in Kazakhstan to ensure the rule of law and improve legislation in various spheres of public life.Minister Abdrakhmanov gave a detailed explanation of the Five Social Initiatives of President Nursultan Nazarbayev aimed at creating new incentives for economic development, strengthening the middle class, and developing the country's human potential.In this context, the two sides discussed prospects for Kazakh-EU collaboration on implementing the initiatives, in view of their compatibility with the main fields of cooperation between Kazakhstan, the European Union, its Member States, and financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27273?lang=kk

ASTANA, March 16, 2018 – Astana hosted a ministerial meeting of the guarantor states of the Astana Process on Syria attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.  In his opening remarks, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov noted that the talks on Syrian settlement launched in Astana in January 2017 with the full support of President Nursultan Nazarbayev provided great opportunities for peace restoration and contributed to a significant reduction of violence and the scale of armed clashes in the country.  “Despite difficulties, the Astana Process has proven to be effective as a platform where all sides to the conflict can express their views and, most importantly, agree on concrete steps. The four de-escalation zones and a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Syria helped reduce the level of violence and enabled more civilians to receive humanitarian aid,” Abdrakhmanov said. The Kazakh Foreign Minister highlighted that the agreements reached within the Astana Process must not remain on paper and called on all actors to observe the UNSC Resolution 2401 and fully comply with the ceasefire regime to stop the unnecessary bloodshed, that is unfortunately happening, for example, in Eastern Ghouta, for instance “No lasting settlement of the Syrian crisis can be achieved without a direct and inclusive dialogue between the parties,” the Minister concluded.  In his opening address at the plenary session, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Astana format, which was set up by Russia, Iran and Turkey a year ago, proved its significance. “With the start of the Astana Process, the city has become a crucial platform for decision-making on a Syrian settlement, one of the most acute international problems. To speak in a lofty style, when the name of the capital of Kazakhstan is heard in the media, millions of Syrians look to Astana with hope,” Minister Lavrov said.  During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey exchanged views on the outcomes achieved during the year since the launch of the Astana Process and outlined further steps to resolve the situation in Syria. Following the meeting, the Ministers adopted a joint statement. A day earlier Astana hosted the first meeting of the Working Group on the Exchange of Detainees and Handover of the Bodies as well as the Identification of Missing Persons established following the eighth round of talks. On the margins of the meeting, Minister Abdrakhmanov held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Turkey to discuss the current issues of Kazakh-Iranian and Kazakh-Turkish relations.  The Foreign Ministries of Iran, Russia and Turkey were also received by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27264?lang=kk

The international music festival of nomadic culture Nomad Way 2018, dedicated to preserving the heritage and popularizing the culture of nomadic tribes, will be held in the capital from June 22 to 24 in the beautiful Amphitheater on the embankment of the r. Yesil. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in conjunction with the project The Spirit of Tengri in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the city of Astana.The International Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way, which has become one of the most sublime cultural holidays of the country, was organized by The Spirit of Tengri project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2017.Every year Kazakhstan welcomes the brightest stars of nomadic music culture among Turkic peoples and fraternal nations of the Great Steppe.This year, the Nomad Way Festival presents a three-day show featuring the most popular artists in ethno-world genre on the Kazakh land.One of the key ideas of Festival is that the artists from 20 countries of the world should perform Kazakh folk music in addition to their own program.The audience of the Festival should expect three days of a fiery celebration of music, only live sound, a magnificent light show, incredible energy and a full immersion into the amazing atmosphere filled with the stunning sounds of traditional instruments.The festival is devoted to preserving the heritage and popularizing the culture of nomadic peoples.The line-up of the Nomad Way Festival includes the iconic representatives of music culture of their countries.As a part of celebration of the 20th anniversary of Astana, 18 unique original music groups from all over Eurasia will come up on stage of the Nomad Way Festival 2018.The line-up (19 music bands):Aldaspan (Kazakhstan) Tilla Török's Band (Hungary)Argymak (Bashkortostan)Gulzada (Kyrgyzstan)Abbos (Uzbekistan)Namgar (Buryatia)Radik Tyulyush & Chalama Project (Tuva) Islam Satyrov (Stavropol Krai)Khoomei Beat (Tuva)Zaman (Bashkortostan)Shono (Buryatia)Baba Zula (Turkey)Bolot Bairyshev & Belukha Jam (Altai)Avesto (Tajikistan)Ayarkhaan band / Chyltys Tannagasheva / DJ Nariman Issenov (Yakutia / Mountain Shoriya / Kazakhstan)Svjata Vatra (Ukraine/ Estonia)Yedil & Satzhan project (Kazakhstan)Huun Huur Tu & DJ Carmen Rizzo (Tuva/USA)The first day of the Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way 2018 will be opened by the Kazakh ethno-rock band Aldaspan - a unique music band who play the electro-dombra. The content of the band's lyrics is military, praising man's valour. The songs of the band include ancient Turkic fighting epics full of courage and glorifying feats of heroes.AVESTO is one of the leading ethno-jazz bands of the country. AVESTO's music is very diverse with traditional styles, modern swing, jazz-rock, modal jazz, bebop, free jazz represented in it. The musicians synthesize modern jazz music and oriental ethnic music culture.Ethno-rock band Argymak is the flagship of modern ethnic music of Bashkortostan. The fundamentals of the Bashkir band are national musical instruments: qurai, dumbyra, kubyz, kyl-kubyz, throat singing in combination with guitars, bass and drums and other ethnic music instruments from all over the world.Kyrgyz music culture at the Nomad Way Festival is represented by singer Gulzada. In her music Gulzada Ryskulova lies on various genres and styles mixed with Kyrgyz traditions. and easily adapts rock, jazz and electronics to folk music. Gulzada Ryskulova is a bright representative of the national culture of Kyrgyzstan.The Abbos band represent Uzbek musical culture at the Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way. Abbos became famous thanks to its founder, the famous performer on the doira and other national instruments, Abbos Kasimov, well-known far beyond Uzbekistan. The members ofthe band also skillfully play the karnay, surnay, rubab and tanbur.Buryat musical heritage at the Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way will be again represented by the project Namgar. The band has its name on behalf of the lead singer Namgar Lhasaranova, who is not just a singer, but also plays the yataga, a beautiful Buryat instrument.The second day of the Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way will be opened by the legendary Tuvan musician, master of throat singing Radik Tyulush with his project Chalama and accompanied by bass player Sergei Kalachev and percussionist Gennady Lavrentiev who plays tabla, the Indian drums.For the first time Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way presents Islam Satyrov. The musician represents the distinctive culture of the Nogai ethnos - the ancient Turkic-speaking tribe with the richest history, originating in the Golden Horde. Islam Satyrov's music is a unique synthesis of ethnics and contemporary music styles. His songs are about historical events and patriotism as well as love.The new generation of Tuvan musicians - the Khoomei Beat band - are going to perform for the first time at the Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way. The musicians mix expressive rock with a bit of casualness of pop music in a very elegant way.Ethno-project ZAMAN (Bashkortostan) is a Bashkir music band who perform in the genre of World Music and sing primarily in Bashkir. The band's repertoire includes original songs and contemporary arrangements of Bashkir folk songs.The stage of the Music Festival of Nomadic Culture Nomad Way for the second time welcomes a fiery band from Buryatia - Shono. The founder of the band Alexander Arkhincheyev sings, using both the regula vocal technique and throat singing. Moreover, Alexander plays various ethnic musical instruments: string moriin-huur, sukha-huur and wind limbe.Moreover, Alexander plays various ethnic musical instruments: string moriin-huur, sukha-huur and wind limbe. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/tsm/press/news/details/27244?lang=kk

Tashkent, March 27, 2018. Kazakhstan supports international efforts to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and calls on the parties concerned to launch peace talks as soon as possible. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov at the Tashkent High-Level Conference on Afghanistan “Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Connectivity", initiated by the leadership of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The event was opened by Presidents of these states Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.The main purpose of the Conference was to coordinate the basic principles of a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, develop a mechanism for launching negotiations between the government of Afghanistan and the armed opposition, the Taliban movement in particular, as well as to coordinate joint efforts of the world community to support this process.In his address, the Kazakh Foreign Minister underlined that building a model of a regional zone of peace, security, cooperation and development in Central Asia, including the provision of multilateral assistance to Afghanistan in economic and social development, countering threats to peace and security, and strengthening its potential is one of the main priorities of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council.Global initiatives of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev widely supported by the international community are aimed at achieving these and other sustainable development goals.The Kazakh delegation to the UN Security Council held a ministerial debate “Building Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development" on January 19, which resulted in a consensus statement by the UNSC President aimed at improving the efficiency and coordination of the UN funds, agencies and programs in our region.It is noteworthy that in his welcoming address to the participants of the Tashkent conference President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his sincere gratitude to President Nursultan Nazarbayev for initiating that meeting in the UN Security Council.“We believe that reforms aimed at improving social and economic indicators in the country and enhancing the level of education and other human standards should serve as the foundation for stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan," the Minister said.It is known that Kazakhstan had taken the initiative to continue an education program for Afghan citizens provided it would be co-financed by the European Union and other partners. Since 2010, the $50 million education program for Afghan citizens is being implemented in the Kazakh educational institutions. About 1,000 Afghan citizens will receive training in Kazakh universities from 2010 to 2021 as part of the program.“Kazakhstan plans to organize an Empowering Women in Afghanistan International Conference in the autumn of 2018 in Astana. Among its main goals is to discuss the role and contribution of women in the peaceful development of Afghanistan; empowering Afghan women in social, economic and political spheres of the country by enhancing their involvement in the public and private sectors as well as the development of specific recommendations aimed at empowering women in this country," Minister Abdrakhmanov said.It was noted that Kazakhstan would continue rendering technical and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, both as part of bilateral arrangements and multilaterally, annually providing thousands of tons of humanitarian supplies, including food, essential goods, petroleum products and various equipment.New opportunities for providing collective assistance to the social and economic development of Afghanistan are opened by the successful outcome of the working (consultative) meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia, chaired by the President of Kazakhstan in Astana on March 15.The Conference in the capital of Uzbekistan was attended by Foreign Ministers and High Representatives of China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Turkey, United Kingdom, UN, European Union, CSTO, SCO, NATO, and others.The Conference adopted a Tashkent Declaration, which sets out further steps to promote a political settlement in Afghanistan, outlines the central and coordinating role of Afghanistan in the political settlement.On the margins of the international conference, Minister Abdrakhmanov held bilateral meetings with the heads of the US and Iranian delegations.At the meeting with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon, the two sides discussed how to further strengthen the enhanced strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the agreements reached during the official visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the United States in January 2018.The diplomats confirmed the readiness of the sides to support international efforts in stabilization and economic recovery of Afghanistan. The US highly appreciated Kazakhstan's contribution to the peaceful development of Afghanistan. The sides also exchanged views on strengthening regional cooperation between Central Asian countries and the United States.At the meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the ministers discussed Kazakh-Iranian cooperation, including trade, transport and logistics. The main theme of the conversation was interaction within international and regional organizations, including the CICA, SCO, and in the context of the Astana process for the settlement of the conflict in Syria.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27198?lang=kk

The Artistic Director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company, People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova continues to enrich the repertoire of the capital’s opera house with gems of world choreography. At the initiative of Altynai Asylmuratova, unique novelties in the world of ballet will be presented to the audience. High art connoisseurs will certainly enjoy the choreography of the renowned ballet masters, which is unlike anything in the world.The Evening of Contemporary Choreography consists of two parts. A philosophical reflection on time and its specific moments awaits the audience in Raimondo Rebeck’s one-act ballet How Long is Now?The choreographer himself says that Now can have a different span at different moments of life. A lover feels that a kiss can last for an eternity, and the memories of suffering can last forever or disappear without a trace...In Raimondo Rebeck’s ballet, three pairs of ballet dancers symbolize different stages of a person’s life. The talented choreographer makes an original attempt to investigate time, its flow and perception through choreographic means.Another equally vivid one-act ballet by Ksenia Zvereva Sounds of Time is based on Adam Kapanov’s libretto Celestial Nomadic Travelling to the music of Aktoty Raimkulova. Set design by Riccardo Massironi.At the heart of the ballet is the story of lovers, whose fathers were ordinary people, while mothers were celestial nomads. The main characters Ansar and Nuriya unknowingly possess ancient magic and find themselves in a whirlwind of amazing events. They face good and evil, love and hatred, self-sacrifice and egotism on their way. However, this fascinating story, filled with magic and spirit of times, will be transferred to our modern world. The protagonists’ mysterious powers and magic amulets will take new forms, and the heroes’ character traits and actions will become recognizable for modern viewers. The performance will reflect the contemporary world, its current problems, relationships between people, and different segments of society and their values. Thus, the densely eventful plot of the ballet, where myth and reality are intertwined, will eventually lead to the ideas that have always been, and will continue to remain outside the concepts of time and space.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/tsm/press/news/details/27123?lang=kk