Astana Open Dialogue Co-Founder Aibek Kumysbekov Joins Respublica Party List for Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Elections
Aibek Kumysbekov, co-founder of the independent analytical platform Astana Open Dialogue, has been included in the Respublica party list for the elections to Kazakhstan’s Kurultai, scheduled for 23 August 2026. The decision was approved by delegates at the party’s fifth extraordinary congress, held in Astana.
The upcoming election campaign will mark a historic moment for the country. For the first time since the constitutional reform, citizens of Kazakhstan will elect members of the Kurultai, the country’s new unicameral Parliament, which will replace the previous bicameral parliamentary system.
For Astana Open Dialogue, the inclusion of one of its co-founders in the party list represents an important milestone in the platform’s development. Since its establishment, the platform has positioned itself not only as a space for expert discussion but also as a mechanism for developing practical policy solutions. Over the past several years, Astana Open Dialogue has brought together representatives of government institutions, Parliament, the business community, the diplomatic corps, academia and civil society. Analytical materials prepared following its discussions have been submitted to government bodies on numerous occasions and used in discussions of legislative initiatives.
Aibek Kumysbekov has extensive experience spanning public administration, business and expert policy work.
In the public sector, he has held senior positions in the civil service and national companies. He served as a member of the Public Chamber under the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where he contributed expert input to a number of key legislative initiatives, including the new Tax Code. He also serves as an independent director on the Board of Directors of Karaganda Buketov National Research University and as an external adviser to the Deputy Chair of the Respublica Party, who also heads the party’s Central Office.
In the corporate sector, Aibek Kumysbekov is Director of B2C Consulting Group, a group of companies specialising in political and management consulting for corporate clients as well as national and local government bodies.
Within Kazakhstan’s expert community, he is known as a co-founder of Astana Open Dialogue, an independent analytical platform that brings together members of Parliament, representatives of the executive branch, diplomats, business leaders, experts and journalists to discuss key issues shaping Kazakhstan’s development.
Astana Open Dialogue has emphasised that the participation of one of its co-founders in the parliamentary campaign will not affect the platform’s independent status. The platform will continue operating in its established format, maintaining open discussions, preparing analytical reports and publishing the Astana Open Dialogue Bulletin, while continuing its cooperation with the expert community, international experts and the diplomatic corps.
Commenting on his nomination, Aibek Kumysbekov said that he sees participation in the election as an opportunity to translate expert work into practical policy and legislation.
“Being included in the party list is a significant vote of confidence from my fellow party members. For me, taking part in the Kurultai elections is an opportunity to bring the ideas and expertise we have developed through Astana Open Dialogue into the real legislative agenda,” Aibek Kumysbekov said.
Astana Open Dialogue is an independent analytical and dialogue platform dedicated to supporting the development of Kazakhstan and Central Asia through open dialogue, expert analysis and the exchange of best practices among government, business, civil society and international partners.