The State Revenue Committee (SRC) of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan has published a new register of individuals and companies receiving foreign funding for the second half of 2024, allowing an assessment of the dynamics and scale of external financing of various entities in Kazakhstan over the past two years.
It is worth recalling that the document, unofficially referred to as the "register of foreign agents", is a continuation of the state policy to enhance transparency of financial flows in the country.
According to the agency, between 2023 and 2024, information on receipts from abroad was provided by 295 organisations and individuals. Of these, 118 entities report regularly, 96 do so periodically, and 81 submitted a report only once.
The full list of individuals included in the register for the second half of 2024 is available via the link.
The financial figures are striking: in 2023, 267 recipients declared receipts totalling 28.7 billion tenge, while in 2024, despite the number of those reporting falling to 218, the volume of funds amounted to 27.2 billion tenge. Thus, the average volume of receipts per recipient shows an increase.
The State Revenue Committee views the system of recording and publishing information on foreign payments as a mechanism aimed at increasing public trust and ensuring transparency in the financing of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other entities.
The register's formation began in 2018, when requirements for mandatory reporting for recipients of foreign funding were introduced into the Tax Code. The law extended to organisations and individuals providing legal assistance, conducting sociological research, and public opinion polls.
In 2022, Article 29 of the Tax Code was supplemented with a provision on the mandatory publication of the register on the official internet resource of the State Revenue Committee, and the first public list appeared in September 2023.
The issue of foreign funding has two sides. On the one hand, international corporations such as Intel and Mitsubishi fund their representative offices in Kazakhstan, which leads to job creation and infrastructure development. The results of such activities are obvious and aimed at the country's economic development.
On the other hand, the funding of non-governmental organisations with unclear objectives raises legitimate questions, as under the guise of charitable initiatives, foreign entities may pursue their own political interests.
For example, USAID (the United States Agency for International Development) directed funds to various groups, including those engaged in promoting certain values, not always aligned with the traditional values of Kazakh society.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the last Kurultai clearly outlined the state's position, noting that international NGOs have for years interfered in the internal affairs of countries under the pretext of spreading democratic principles. At the same time, funds from foreign taxpayers were often used inappropriately.
The creation and publication of the register of recipients of foreign funding is an important step towards ensuring national security and protecting sovereignty.
Citizens have the right to know who is sending significant financial resources into the country and for what purposes. This mechanism does not violate the right to private life but creates a necessary balance between freedom of activity and the protection of national interests.
In the modern world, where informational and financial influence has become a tool of geopolitical struggle, the transparency of financial flows is a necessary condition for maintaining a state's political stability and independence.
Thus, the register of foreign funding is not a tool of restriction, but rather a mechanism of openness, enabling society to assess the nature and consequences of external financing of various entities in Kazakhstan.