On 11-14 September 2024, a seminar aimed at supporting the development of Kazakhstan's court administration strategy for 2025-2029 commenced in Astana as part of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana's Extrabudgetary project on "Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan". The seminar took place in two phases, first in Astana and later in Burabay.
The seminar opened with discussions led by Mr. Carsten Mahnke, an expert in judicial sector and court management, with the Court Administration's working group on strategy development. Mr. Mahnke highlighted that the creation of an autonomous Court Administration in Kazakhstan is a step, requiring further actions to define its status and the framework for its interaction and coordination with other judicial bodies and state authorities.
In Burabay, the seminar continued with an opening statement by Mr. Nail Akhmetzakirov, Head of the Court Administration of Kazakhstan, outlining the goal of strengthening the participants' skills and knowledge for developing the court administration strategy for 2025-2029. Ms. Yevgeniya Oralova, National Legal Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, expressed the hope that the expert ideas presented would help to identify areas for improving the court administration system oriented towards the client - society and citizens, as well as judges and court staff themselves. During the seminar, Mr. Mahnke emphasized the importance of creating a clear framework for interaction of Court Administration with other judicial bodies, enhancing authority over court personnel, and improving efficiency through better co-operation with judicial system users to strengthen public confidence. Dr. Ramin Garagurbanli provided an in-depth analysis of tools developed by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), while Ms. Dana Abiltayeva shared insights on aligning the strategy with Kazakhstan's state planning framework. Later sessions included practical skill-building exercises led by KPMG, focusing on strategic document development, goal-setting, and optimizing priorities and initiatives. Participants engaged in interactive group work, refining the strategy draft using feedback from experts. Discussions also addressed challenges in implementing reforms, such as the use of KPIs, project management methods, and stakeholder engagement. The seminar concluded with KPMG's insights on monitoring strategy execution and managing change, followed by a summary of key outcomes of discussions.
Throughout the event, there was a strong emphasis on practical skills and teamwork, which will enable participants to refine a strategy for the development of court administration in Kazakhstan. Discussions were consistently aimed at improving court administration in order to provide quality court services and increase the accessibility and efficiency of the judicial system.
