Kanat Bekmyrzauly Saudabayev ( kk, Қанат Бекмырзаұлы Саудабаев, ''Qanat Bekmyrzaūly Saudabaev'') (born 18 July 1946) is a Kazakh politician who served as the State Secretary of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
from 2007 to 2012. Prior to that, he served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2009 to 2011 and in 1994, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to
the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
from 2000 to 2007, Ambassador to
the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
from 1996 to 1999 and Ambassador to
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
from 1994 to 1996.
Early life and education
Saudabayev was born in the village of
Zhetigen, close to
Alma-Ata
Almaty (; kk, Алматы; ), formerly known as Alma-Ata ( kk, Алма-Ата), is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of about 2 million. It was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1936 as an autonomous republic as part of t ...
in 1946. In 1968, he graduated from the
, earning specialty in director. In 1981, he earned candidate of Philosophical Sciences from his thesis topic "Ways of convergence of the way of life of the urban and rural population". In 1988, Saudabayev graduated from the
Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union
The Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union was the highest scientific institution of the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1991, uniting the country's leading scientists, subordinated directly to the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union (until 1946 ...
under the CPSU Central Committee. In 2000, he earned his doctorate from his dissertation topic "Kazakh-Turkish relations: formation, current state and development prospects".
Early career
Before entering the diplomatic service, Saudabayev had a distinguished cultural career, serving as Kazakhstan’s Chairman of the State Committee of Culture with the rank of Minister, Chairman of the State Film Committee, and Deputy Culture Minister. He began his career as a theatrical producer.
From 1968 to 1972, he was a senior methodologist of the Republican House of Folk Art and the director of the
Auezov Theater
Auezov Theater with a full name of Kazakh State Academic Drama Theater named after M.O. Auezov is located on Kurmangazy Street in Almaty, Kazakhstan near the Esentai River.
It holds a large 1,000-seat auditorium and a 250-seat experimental the ...
, director-director of the Kazakh circus collective "Soyuzgoscirka", creator of the ensemble "Tabunshchiki-dzhigits". In 1972, he became the director of the
Kazakh State Circus.
Political career
From 1976 to 1977, Saudabayev served as the head of the Culture Department of the Administrative Department of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR. In 1977, he became the Deputy Minister of Culture. From 1983 to 1988, Saudabayev served as the chairman of the State Committee of the Kazakh SSR for Cinematography. In 1988, he became the First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of the Kazakh SSR for Culture. From 1990 to 1998, he was the chairman of the State Committee for Culture.
While working in Moscow from September 1991 through May 1992 as the Plenipotentiary Representative of the
Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
; kk, Қазақ Советтік Социалистік Республикасы)
*1991: Republic of Kazakhstan (russian: Республика Казахстан; kk, Қазақстан Республикасы)
, linking_name = the ...
to the USSR, and then, after the Soviet Union collapsed, to the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, Saudabayev was a direct participant in and a witness to many crucial events of that time. In the fall of 1991, Soviet President
Mikhail Gorbachev appointed Saudabayev as the Soviet Ambassador to Turkey. As he was planning to take up his post, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Within weeks Saudabayev was on his way to Turkey again, but as the first Ambassador from an independent Kazakhstan.
In the 1990s, he served as
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and
to Turkey. During 1994, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Saudabayev worked to implement the developing foreign policy of the young independent state. He was Kazakhstan’s signatory to NATO’s
Partnership for Peace
The Partnership for Peace (PfP; french: Partenariat pour la paix) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) program aimed at creating trust between the member states of NATO and other states mostly in Europe, including post-Soviet state ...
agreement.
In 1999 and 2000, he served as the head of the Prime Minister’s Office with the rank of Cabinet member.
He served as Kazakhstan's
ambassador to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
from December 2000 until the
political shakeup of 2007, when
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev ( kk, Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев, Nūrsūltan Äbişūlı Nazarbaev, ; born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician and military officer who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, in off ...
promoted him to the position of the Secretary of State on 15 May 2007. In
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
, Saudabayev brought an important contribution strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States in the spheres of security, nuclear disarmament, economy and democratic development.
On 4 September 2009, he was appointed as a Minister of Foreign Affairs taking on the responsibility for spearheading Kazakhstan's preparation for and holding of the rotating chairmanship of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2010. On 8 April 2011, Saudabayev was dismissed from the post and was succeeded by
Erzhan Kazykhanov
Erzhan Hozeuly Kazykhanov (born 21 August 1964) is a Kazakh politician who serves as diplomat. Kazykhanov holds a newly created position in the presidential administration with the title of Special Representative for International Cooperation. Prio ...
. However, he remained as the State Secretary until 23 September 2012, when Saudabayev was dismissed and replaced by
Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed as the State Secretary.
On 26 August 2015, Saudabayev became a member of the
Mazhilis and served that position until its dissolution on 20 January 2016.
Personal life
Saudabayev holds degrees from the
Leningrad Institute of Culture and the
Academy of Public Sciences of the Central Committee of Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the
Kazakh State University
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University ( kz, Әл-Фараби атындағы Қазақ ұлттық университеті, Äl-Farabi atyndağy Qazaq Ūlttyq Universitetı), also called KazGU or KazNU, is a university in Almaty, Kazakhstan ...
and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the
Moscow State University
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...
. His service has been recognized by the orders of
Otan (Fatherland), Kazakhstan’s highest state award, and
Kurmet (Distinguished Service).
[Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments](_blank)
Central Intelligence Agency
Embassy of Kazakhstan to the United States and Canada
Interfax
Saudabayev is married with three children.
[
]
See also
* Government of Kazakhstan
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saudabayev, Kanat
1946 births
Living people
Dughlats
Government ministers of Kazakhstan
Foreign ministers of Kazakhstan
Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to the United States
Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom
Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to Turkey
Recipients of the Order of Kurmet
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University alumni