Public policy is a set of strategies aimed at managing socio-economic processes, ensuring sustainable development and protecting the interests of citizens. The effectiveness of its implementation largely depends on the quality of public administration, the level of interaction between various government institutions, as well as the degree of public involvement in the decision-making process. However, in practice, the implementation of public policy faces a number of difficulties and obstacles caused by both internal and external factors.

In many countries, including Kazakhstan, the key problems in the implementation of public policy are bureaucratic inertia, corruption risks, insufficient funding, imperfect legislative framework, weak development of civil society and low level of public confidence in state institutions. In addition, global challenges such as economic instability, digital transformation and climate change require flexible and adaptive solutions on the part of the State.

Historical, socio-economic and geographical factors play a special role in Kazakhstan. The legacy of the administrative-command system, the high dependence of the economy on the export of raw materials, significant differences between regions, as well as specific traditions of public administration create additional challenges for the effective implementation of reforms. The development of local self-government, digitalization of public services, increasing transparency of the budget process and expanding the rights of civil society remain relevant areas of reform, but their implementation is fraught with a number of barriers.

The main barriers to the development of the state policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan include the following problems.

Political and administrative barriers.

One of the main problems in the implementation of public policy is the imperfection of public administration. In Kazakhstan, political and administrative barriers include:

- bureaucratic inertia, which is expressed in complex and lengthy decision-making procedures, insufficient coordination between different authorities, especially at the regional level. For example, the process of coordination of infrastructure projects between central and local authorities can take years, which slows down the development of regions.

- lack of political will, i.e. unwillingness or unwillingness of the authorities to promote meaningful reforms, especially in the area of democratization and local self-government. An example is the long-delayed reform of the transition to direct elections of mayors of districts, which was postponed for a long time, although the President of the country raised this issue at the highest level for several years in a row;

- corruption, because despite active anti-corruption measures, corruption schemes continue to exist in the state apparatus, especially in the field of public procurement and resource allocation. For example, investigations into tenders for road construction in Kazakhstan have repeatedly revealed facts of inflated prices and misuse of funds;

- low level of professionalization of civil servants. Insufficient competence of the staff leads to mistakes in the development and implementation of solutions, especially at the local level. So, in a number of regions there are cases of inefficient use of budget funds in the field of education and health.

Socio-economic barriers.

Economic instability and social problems also hinder the effective implementation of public policies in Kazakhstan. Among them:

- lack of funding, as limited budget resources, especially in the regions, lead to delays in the implementation of important infrastructure and social programs. For example, the lack of budget funds led to a delay in the program of modernization of rural medicine. In general, the main problem of local government development is the lack of sufficient funding, which leads to dependence on transfers received from higher authorities;

- a high level of social inequality, which is manifested in significant gaps between cities and villages in living standards, access to education, health care and infrastructure. In particular, rural schools often lack state-of-the-art laboratories and Internet access.

- the non-profit sector of the economy, as a significant amount of illegal business activity reduces tax revenues and hinders economic growth. For example, in the construction industry, a significant part of employees are employed informally, which makes it difficult to control the quality of work.

- and institutional weakness, which manifests itself in the low level of development of civil society institutions, weak independence of the judicial system. For example, public councils under akimats often perform formal functions without any real influence on the decision-making process.

Legal and regulatory barriers.

Deficiencies in Kazakhstan's legislative framework also pose a serious problem. The main legal barriers include:

- foreign legislative changes. Normative legal acts are often changed without proper discussion with the expert community and citizens, which creates legal uncertainty. For example, repeated changes in tax legislation lead to difficulties for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as negatively affect the investment attractiveness of the state.

- compliance of legal norms with real conditions, since existing legislation does not always take into account the specifics of regions, for example, the specifics of the agricultural sector and national traditions in different parts of the country. In agricultural areas, the tax burden on farmers often does not take into account seasonal fluctuations in income.

- low level of law enforcement. Even if the necessary laws are in place, their implementation remains a challenge due to weak oversight by government agencies. For example, despite the ban on illegal deforestation, illegal logging continues in some regions of Kazakhstan.

Technological and infrastructural barriers.

Modern public administration requires the use of advanced technologies, but in Kazakhstan they are not available in all regions. Main issues:

- lack of digitalization. Despite the active development of the Digital Kazakhstan» program, access to the Internet and electronic government services remains limited in remote areas. For example, residents of rural areas are often forced to come to regional centers for processing documents.

- poor infrastructure development, especially in rural areas, where the low level of transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructure hinders economic development and the quality of public services. For example, some parts of Kazakhstan still lack high-quality roads, making logistics and access to basic services difficult.

Socio-cultural barriers.

In addition to administrative and economic factors, the implementation of state policy in Kazakhstan is influenced by the social and cultural characteristics of society:

- poor legal and political culture of the population, which is manifested in the lack of awareness of citizens about their rights and obligations, and weak involvement in decision-making processes. For example, low participation of citizens in local elections indicates a weak interest in governance issues.

- resistance to change. Reforms related to higher taxes, the pension system, or the modernization of education are often met with public distrust and protests. For example, changes in the system of compulsory health insurance caused a mixed reaction among the population.

- lack of trust in the authorities. The low level of trust in State institutions makes it difficult to implement State initiatives. For example, the implementation of land reform in Kazakhstan was postponed several times due to public protests.

To improve the effectiveness of the implementation of public policy in Kazakhstan, it is necessary to take into account and overcome these barriers. Possible solutions include:

- administrative reforms – simplification of bureaucratic procedures, increasing the professionalism of state employees, further reform of local self-government;

- anti-corruption measures – strengthening control over the use of budget funds, introduction of public control mechanisms;

- economic support – development of the non-resource sector of the economy, increasing the investment attractiveness of the regions;

-improvement of legislation – development of more stable legal norms, taking into account regional specifics and the interests of the population;

- technological modernization – accelerating the digitalization of public services, expanding Internet access in rural areas;

- increasing the level of public involvement – actively involving citizens in decision-making processes, developing civil society.

Thus, the implementation of public policy in Kazakhstan faces many barriers that require a comprehensive approach to overcome them. Only with effective public administration, a stable economy, transparent legislation, and active citizen participation can we achieve sustainable development and improve the quality of life of the population.

 

Control questions

 

1. Functions of executive authorities within the framework of state programs.
2. The role of legislative authorities in the policy implementation process.
3. Identify mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of policy implementation.
4. Problems of interdepartmental interaction and their impact on public administration.
5. The impact of digitalization and «e-government» on interagency coordination.
6. What are the main forms of public-private partnership (PPP)?
7. Give an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of public-private partnership for the state and business.
8. What are the main mechanisms of public control in the implementation of state policy?
9. What is the role of mass media and public organizations in ensuring transparency of government decisions?
10. What is the degree of influence of bureaucracy on the effectiveness of public policy implementation?

 

Questions for discussion

 

1. Analyze how effectively powers are distributed between the central and local authorities in Kazakhstan. How will the reform of expanding the powers of maslikhats and direct elections of akims affect the implementation of state programs?
2. In what areas does PPP in Kazakhstan bring the greatest benefits (for example, infrastructure, education, medicine), and where are the problems observed? What legislative and institutional changes are needed to improve the transparency and efficiency of PPPs?
3. Analyze what are the real opportunities for citizens and NGOs to influence public policy in Kazakhstan? What tools of public control (petitions, public councils, digital platforms) are most effective? Why should the state support their development?

 

Case studies

 

Case 1. Introduction of an electronic subsidy accounting system for farmers.

In country N, the state annually allocates significant funds to support agriculture, including subsidies for the purchase of fertilizers, machinery and seeds. However, the process of applying for and distributing subsidies remains complex, opaque, and subject to corruption risks. In 2024, the government decided to automate the process of allocating subsidies by launching a digital platform that unites the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Digital Development and regional executive bodies. However, during the project implementation, the following problems were identified:

- the lack of a single database of farmers, which makes it impossible to automatically check applications;

- incompatibility of information systems of different ministries, which leads to failures and delays;

- insufficient awareness of farmers about the new system and difficulties with its use.

- concerns among local officials about losing control over the process of allocating funds.

Tasks:

- identify the key causes of problems in the coordination of the work of the Department of State TV;

- what mechanisms can be implemented to improve interaction between ministries?

- develop a plan to inform farmers and train them to work with the digital platform;

- what legislative changes may be required for the successful implementation of the project?

 

Case 2. Construction of a toll highway.

In order to improve transport infrastructure and attract investment, the state has already signed a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with a large construction company. According to the agreement, the private partner builds and operates a toll highway, making a profit from paying for the trip. The state, in turn, provides tax benefits and assumes part of the guarantees. A few years after the opening of the road, it turned out that the volume of automobile traffic was lower than predicted. This led to financial losses for the private partner, which now requires compensation from the state in the form of subsidies or tax breaks. In addition, the population had questions about the high cost of travel, which caused public discontent.

Tasks:

- tell us what risks should have been taken into account when entering into a PPP agreement.

- what mechanisms for protecting the interests of the state and business should be included in such projects?

- suggest ways to solve the problems that have arisen without significant losses for the state;

- how can we increase the attractiveness of the project for motorists and increase its profitability?

 

Case 3. Public control over school repairs.

In one of the regions of the country, the local budget allocated $ 5 million for the major renovation of a school built in the 1980s. The work included replacing the roof, windows, updating the heating system, and repairing classrooms. A few months after the renovation was completed, parents of students and local activists began to notice that:

- cheap low-quality windows are installed in the classrooms, which do not retain heat well;

- the roof continues to leak after rain.

- some of the work was not fully completed, although the funds were fully disbursed.

- work completion documents and financial statements are not available to the public.

The parent committee applied to the local executive body with a request to conduct an inspection, but did not receive a clear answer. Public activists suspect corruption and overestimation of the cost of work.

Tasks:

- what mechanisms of public control can be used in this situation?

- what legal measures can be used to attract the attention of state bodies to the problem?

- how can we increase the transparency of public procurement and repairs of social facilities?

- develop recommendations to prevent similar situations in the future.