PRESS RELEASE
International Initiative Urges Kazakhstan: “Contracts and Licenses Must Be Transparent”
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has released the results of its latest assessment of Kazakhstan, awarding the country a score of 56 out of 100. This rating is categorized as “moderate overall progress” in implementing the EITI Standard.
Key concerns include a lack of transparency in contracts, limited disclosure of revenue and beneficial ownership data, and restricted civic space for public participation in extractive sector governance.
These findings reinforce earlier concerns raised by environmentalists and civil society groups, including activists from the global environmental movement Save the Caspian Sea, who advocate for the disclosure of confidential clauses in oil contracts and call for stronger environmental regulation.
Kazakhstan was assessed against 34 EITI requirements: fully met – 4, mostly met – 20, partially met – 7, not assessed or deemed not applicable – 3.
“Despite some improvements in digital access and legal frameworks, Kazakhstan shows insufficient progress in key areas. Even more concerning is the government’s recent shift away from transparency, after years of positive developments, and the near-complete halt of multistakeholder dialogue in sector governance. Unless these systemic gaps are addressed, Kazakhstan risks further suspension from the EITI, and potentially full removal from the initiative,” said Maria Lobacheva, Program Director of the public organization Echo, EITI International Board member, and co-founder of Save the Caspian Sea.
The Save the Caspian Sea movement is urging Kazakhstan’s authorities to address the identified violations and stresses that sustainable environmental policy is impossible without transparency in the extractive sector. A lack of openness and public oversight over natural resources not only fosters corruption but also leads to severe environmental consequences, including pollution of the Caspian Sea, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem destruction.
*Background:
About 95% of Kazakhstan’s oil and condensate reserves are located in the western part of the country – mainly in three big oil and gas regions: the Pre-Caspian, Mangyshlak, and North Ustyurt basins. The biggest active oil fields are Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak. In 2024, these “three giants” produced 65.5% of all the oil in the country – that’s 57.4 million tons out of a total of 87.7 million tons.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard that promotes open and accountable management of revenues from natural resources, with active participation from civil society. Kazakhstan has been a member since 2007. The full report is available at www.eiti.org.
International Initiative Urges Kazakhstan: “Contracts and Licenses Must Be Transparent”
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has released the results of its latest assessment of Kazakhstan, awarding the country a score of 56 out of 100. This rating is categorized as “moderate overall progress” in implementing the EITI Standard.
Key concerns include a lack of transparency in contracts, limited disclosure of revenue and beneficial ownership data, and restricted civic space for public participation in extractive sector governance.
These findings reinforce earlier concerns raised by environmentalists and civil society groups, including activists from the global environmental movement Save the Caspian Sea, who advocate for the disclosure of confidential clauses in oil contracts and call for stronger environmental regulation.
Kazakhstan was assessed against 34 EITI requirements: fully met – 4, mostly met – 20, partially met – 7, not assessed or deemed not applicable – 3.
“Despite some improvements in digital access and legal frameworks, Kazakhstan shows insufficient progress in key areas. Even more concerning is the government’s recent shift away from transparency, after years of positive developments, and the near-complete halt of multistakeholder dialogue in sector governance. Unless these systemic gaps are addressed, Kazakhstan risks further suspension from the EITI, and potentially full removal from the initiative,” said Maria Lobacheva, Program Director of the public organization Echo, EITI International Board member, and co-founder of Save the Caspian Sea.
The Save the Caspian Sea movement is urging Kazakhstan’s authorities to address the identified violations and stresses that sustainable environmental policy is impossible without transparency in the extractive sector. A lack of openness and public oversight over natural resources not only fosters corruption but also leads to severe environmental consequences, including pollution of the Caspian Sea, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem destruction.
*Background:
About 95% of Kazakhstan’s oil and condensate reserves are located in the western part of the country – mainly in three big oil and gas regions: the Pre-Caspian, Mangyshlak, and North Ustyurt basins. The biggest active oil fields are Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak. In 2024, these “three giants” produced 65.5% of all the oil in the country – that’s 57.4 million tons out of a total of 87.7 million tons.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard that promotes open and accountable management of revenues from natural resources, with active participation from civil society. Kazakhstan has been a member since 2007. The full report is available at www.eiti.org.
