A new report by the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Independent Evaluation Department calls for a strategic shift in how ADB works with Kazakhstan, urging the bank to move beyond project-level success and tap its full toolkit for deeper engagement with systemic development challenges, according to the announcement. The country assistance program evaluation, the first of its kind for Kazakhstan, reviews ADB’s support from 2012 to 2024 and finds that while operations have been largely successful, overall development impact remains uncertain.
During this period, ADB’s engagement focused on reducing regional disparities, diversifying the economy, addressing climate change, and strengthening institutions. Operations in transport, finance, energy, and public sector management were largely successful, with comparatively stronger performance in transport, finance, and energy. However, IED Director General Emmanuel Jimenez said ADB has delivered solid results at the project level, but the scale and complexity of Kazakhstan’s development challenges demand more than business-as-usual.
The evaluation highlights that technical assistance has emerged as a vital platform for sustained engagement, with initiatives like the Knowledge and Experience Exchange Program positioning ADB as a key knowledge partner. But technical assistance hasn’t consistently translated into lending, and coordination with development partners has often been limited. Evaluation team leader Michael Florian said Kazakhstan’s renewed reform momentum presents a real opportunity for ADB to move from reactive support to proactive engagement that tackles structural issues.
The evaluation identifies four areas where ADB can strengthen its work: leveraging technical assistance to support operations, integrating regional cooperation platforms like the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation into country programming, strengthening private sector development through upstream policy work, and mainstreaming efforts to reduce regional disparities and social inequalities. The report emphasizes that ADB must pursue integrated, innovation-driven solutions that align with the government’s reform agenda and build stronger partnerships with development actors.
The findings also offer lessons for ADB’s engagement in other upper middle-income countries, including the strategic use of local currency lending and the importance of addressing institutional constraints to subnational engagement. The evaluation will inform ADB’s next country partnership strategy for Kazakhstan and contribute to the bank’s broader learning agenda on working with upper middle-income countries.
