Tokayev reappoints Alikhan Smailov as Supreme Audit Chamber chairman
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reappointed Alikhan Smailov as chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber on September 18, 2026. Smailov has led the chamber since April 2024, after serving as prime minister from January 2022 to February 2024. The decree was announced alongside reappointments of the Constitutional Court and Central Election Commission heads.
Key Facts
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on September 18, 2026, reappointing Alikhan Smailov as chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber.
- Smailov has led the Supreme Audit Chamber since April 1, 2024, according to the chamber's official website.
- Smailov served as prime minister of Kazakhstan from January 2022 to February 2024.
- The decree was announced simultaneously with reappointments of the heads of the Constitutional Court and the Central Election Commission.
- Smailov was born on December 18, 1972, in Almaty and graduated from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 1994 with a degree in applied mathematics.
Reappointment Decree
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on September 18, 2026, reappointing Alikhan Smailov as chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan. The decree states: "By the decree of the head of state, Smailov Alikhan Askhanovich is appointed chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan." The reappointment was announced alongside decrees for the heads of the Constitutional Court and the Central Election Commission, all of whom retained their positions. Smailov has led the Supreme Audit Chamber since April 1, 2024, when he was first appointed to the post by presidential decree.
Smailov's Government Career
Before heading the audit chamber, Smailov served as prime minister of Kazakhstan from January 2022 to February 2024. He was reappointed as prime minister in March 2023 and held the position until February 2024. Smailov previously served as first deputy prime minister and minister of finance from 2019 to 2021, and as minister of finance from 2018 to 2019. Earlier roles included chairman of the Statistics Agency, vice minister of foreign affairs, and president of the KazAgro national holding.
Biographical Background
Alikhan Smailov was born on December 18, 1972, in Almaty. He graduated from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 1994 with a degree in applied mathematics. In 1996, he earned a master's degree in public administration from the Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Forecasting under the President. Smailov began his career in 1993 at the A-Invest investment and privatization fund.