On 24 July 2026, the Legal Policy Research Centre (LPRC) held a hybrid presentation in Almaty of the concepts for reforming regional and local self-government in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The event brought together experts, representatives of civil society organisations, academia, professional associations, and specialists working in the fields of local self-government and public administration.
The concepts were developed within the framework of the project “Development of a Concept for Local Self-Government Reform in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan”, implemented by the Legal Policy Research Centre with financial support from the charitable public foundation CAPS Unlock.
During the first part of the event, political scientist Dimash Alzhanov presented the key provisions of the Concept for Reforming Territorial Self-Government in Kazakhstan. The Concept offers a systemic perspective on possible directions for decentralisation and the development of territorial self-government. It covers the legal foundations of reform, administrative-territorial organisation, the formation of self-government bodies, the distribution of powers, state oversight, fiscal autonomy, inter-municipal cooperation, and mechanisms for citizen participation. The analysis is based on existing legislation, official statistical data, international experience, and expert interviews.
During the second part, political scientist Madi Omarov presented the Concept for Reforming Subnational Governance in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Concept examines possible directions for further reform of subnational governance following the administrative-territorial changes implemented in the country. It analyses the legal and institutional foundations of self-government, administrative-territorial organisation, the distribution of powers, the formation of self-government bodies, fiscal decentralisation, the territorial organisation of executive authority, state oversight, and citizen participation.
Both concepts are based not only on a comparative analysis of international experience, but also on the national context of each country. As part of the research, 12 expert interviews were conducted in Kazakhstan and 10 in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the interview materials were processed using a directed qualitative content analysis methodology.
The hybrid presentation was attended by 42 representatives of civil society and research organisations, universities, the human rights community, the media, as well as independent experts in local self-government, law, and public finance.
The discussion demonstrated the strong demand for continued professional dialogue on how powers and resources should be distributed between the central, regional, and local levels; how meaningful autonomy of self-government bodies can be ensured; and how this can be combined with effective mechanisms of accountability, state oversight, and citizen participation.
The concepts are intended as an expert contribution to further professional and public discussion on possible reforms. The Kazakhstan Concept is addressed to public authorities, maslikhats and akimats, the expert community, civil society organisations, international partners, and other interested stakeholders. A similar approach underpins the Concept for the Kyrgyz Republic, whose recommendations may serve as a basis for further discussion of possible legal, institutional, and financial solutions.
The Legal Policy Research Centre (LPRC) will continue disseminating the research findings and supporting professional dialogue on decentralisation and the development of regional and local self-government in Central Asia.
