In 2025, the OECD's largest donor countries reduced international aid by 23.1% to $163 billion, according to Finprom.kz.
This trend affected Kazakhstan, where US aid fell by 40.9% to $15.8 million. The key factor was the curtailment of US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs.
Overall, US funding for Central Asian countries fell almost threefold to $94.1 million. In Kazakhstan, over half of the funds received ($8.6 million) went to support the non-governmental sector, and $2.8 million went to UN development programs.
The reduction in external donor funding reflects a global trend toward pragmatization of foreign policy in developed countries:
- Minimal Budget Dependency: Kazakhstan initially received relatively small amounts of aid ($84.4 million in 2024 compared to $2.6 billion for Uzbekistan), minimizing risks to the country's macroeconomic stability.
- Third Sector Transformation: Reducing USAID grants creates challenges for NGOs working in the fields of ecology, human rights, and healthcare, and requires more active use of the state social procurement mechanism.
- Regional Context: The reduction in international aid encourages Kazakhstan and its regional neighbors to rely on domestic resources and commercial investment projects in line with the decisions made at the Avaza summit.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 12, 2026