12 Facts About Kanat Saudabayev

Kanat Bekmyrzauly Saudabayev is a Kazakh politician who served as the State Secretary of Kazakhstan from 2007 to 2012.

In 1988, Kanat Saudabayev graduated from the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union under the CPSU Central Committee.

From 1976 to 1977, Kanat Saudabayev served as the head of the Culture Department of the Administrative Department of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR.

From 1983 to 1988, Kanat Saudabayev served as the chairman of the State Committee of the Kazakh SSR for Cinematography.

Kanat Saudabayev was Kazakhstan's signatory to NATO's Partnership for Peace agreement.

Kanat Saudabayev served as Kazakhstan's ambassador to the United States from December 2000 until the political shakeup of 2007, when President Nursultan Nazarbayev promoted him to the position of the Secretary of State on 15 May 2007.

In Washington DC, Kanat 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 8 April 2011, Kanat Saudabayev was dismissed from the post and was succeeded by Erzhan Kazykhanov.

However, he remained as the State Secretary until 23 September 2012, when Kanat Saudabayev was dismissed and replaced by Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed as the State Secretary.

On 26 August 2015, Kanat Saudabayev became a member of the Mazhilis and served that position until its dissolution on 20 January 2016.

Kanat 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.

Kanat Saudabayev's service has been recognized by the orders of Otan, Kazakhstan's highest state award, and Kurmet.