Erlan Qarin

Qarin was born on 26 May 1976 in the village of Belye Vody, Sayram District, Chimkent Oblast (now Aksukent, Turkestan Region).^[2]

In 1997, he graduated from the Faculty of History of K. Jubanov Aktobe State University. In 1999, he completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.^[3] He holds the academic degree of Candidate of Political Sciences.^[2] His dissertation was titled Internal Political Aspects of the National Security of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

From 1996 to 1998, Qarin worked as a teacher of history and geography at Secondary School No. 33 in Aktobe, while also lecturing at the Department of Political Science of Aktobe State University.^[2] During this period, he was actively involved in journalism, serving as editor-in-chief of the newspaper Aktobe University and contributing as a political columnist to regional newspapers, including Range.^[3]

Between 1998 and 2000, he was employed at the Center for Political Studies of the Institute of Development of Kazakhstan and served as deputy director of the Institute of Russia and China. From 2000 to 2003, Qarin was director of the Central Asian Agency for Political Studies.^[2] In 2002, The Economist described him as a "rising star" among Kazakh experts in the field of geopolitics.^[4]

During years 2002–2003, he acted as a freelance adviser to the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. From 2003 to 2004, he served as First Deputy Chairman of the Republican Party Asar, while also acting as director general of the International Institute of Modern Politics.^[2]

Between 2004 and 2006, Qarin headed the Center for Anti-Terrorist Programs. In 2006, he was appointed adviser to the Akim of Mangistau Region on political affairs.^[2] On 14 February 2008, he became head of the Department of Internal Policy of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan,^[5] and on 6 November 2008 was appointed Secretary of the Nur Otan People's Democratic Party for Strategic Development. He held this post until being dismissed on 29 August 2013,^[6] resigning in connection with a foreign internship.^[7]

From December 2013 to May 2014, Qarin was a visiting professor at the American University in Washington, D.C..^[3] On 16 October 2014, he was appointed director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.^[8][9] On 9 February 2017, he was appointed chairman of the Board of the Qazaqstan Radio and Television Corporation.^[10][11]

In 2019, while serving as a presidential adviser, Qarin participated in an analytical and advisory role to Operation Jusan, Kazakhstan's humanitarian repatriation effort from Syria.^[12]

On 5 April 2019, Qarin was appointed Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.^[13] Soon after his appointment, Qarin publicly commented on the legitimacy of the 2019 presidential elections, describing them as a key step in stabilizing Kazakhstan's political transition after Nursultan Nazarbayev's resignation.^[14]

During his tenure, Qarin explained aspects of Tokayev's first 2019 State of the Nation Address and emphasized the importance of public and civil dialogue in implementing presidential directives.^[15] He publicly rebutted misinformation, including social media rumors about Tokayev's early resignation and assertions about Chinese enterprises being transferred to Kazakhstan, characterizing them as manipulative.^[16][17]

In 2020, Qarin emphasized the government's staged measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and commended the implementation of epidemiological controls, including quarantine procedures and monitoring of arrivals from abroad.^[18] He analyzed the effectiveness of these measures and underscored the role of both government coordination and citizen responsibility in combating the pandemic.^[19]

Qarin was appointed Assistant to the President of Kazakhstan on 30 July 2020.^[20][21] In this role, he was involved in coordinating the implementation of the President Tokayev's social, economic, and legislative initiatives across government bodies.^[22] During his tenure, he contributed to the monitoring and evaluation of the 2021 State of the Nation Address, which included a national plan with over one hundred specific points aimed at advancing presidential priorities.^[23]

He also played a role in the development and oversight of social and economic reforms, including the increase in minimum wage, improvements in infrastructure for people with disabilities, and updates to the criminal code.^[23] In addition, Qarin supported the Tokayev administration's efforts in constitutional and legislative reforms, including electoral law amendments enacted in May 2021.^[24]

On 5 January 2022, in the amidst the civil unrest, Qarin was appointed State Secretary of Kazakhstan.^[25] During an interview with Khabar 24, he publicly communicated the government's position on the unrest, characterizing it as a "hybrid terrorist attack" influenced by domestic and external factors.^[26]

Following his appointment as State Secretary, and subsequent changes to the office by President Tokayev, Qarin's role was redefined on strategic domestic policy proposals and anti-corruption coordination, with several ceremonial functions reassigned, increasing his involvement in domestic politics and, according to analysts, strengthening his influence while building on his prior work as a presidential adviser on political reform.^[27]

During his tenure, he supported President Tokayev in advancing constitutional reforms following the 2022 unrest, publicly outlining the objectives of the proposed amendments.^[28] Qarin described the Tokayev's reforms as part of the "New Kazakhstan" agenda and the transition toward a "Second Republic",^[29][30] stating that conducting the reform through a republican referendum would ensure its legitimacy and national character.^[31][32]

On 14 June 2022, the office of State Secretary was abolished and reorganized into the post of State Counsellor of Kazakhstan by President Tokayev's decree,^[33] to which Qarin was appointed.^[34] In the newly formed role, he assumed responsibility for strategic domestic policy, coordination of key commissions, and oversight of social, humanitarian, and analytical initiatives under the president.^[35]

Qarin speaks Kazakh, Russian and English. He names Alikhan Bukeikhanov, John F. Kennedy and Nursultan Nazarbayev as ideal political figures. He is married and has six children.

• Order of Kurmet
• Medal "10 years of Astana"
• Medal "20 years of Independence of Kazakhstan"
• Medal "20 years of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan"
• "Honorary sports worker"