The Aqorda press secretary also press secretary of the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan () is an official role within the Presidential Administration, responsible for the information support of the head of state's activities and his interactions with the media.
Officeholders #PortraitNameStartEndSourcePresident1Gadilbek ShalakhmetovDecember 1990September 1991Nursultan Nazarbayev2Seitkazy MataevSeptember 199119933Nurlan Dänenov199319944Dulat Kuanyshev199419965Krymbek Kusherbayev199619976Kairat Sarybai199719987Asylbek BisenbaevOctober 1998December 20018Janai OmarovDecember 200131 March 20049Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed31 March 200411 January 2007 10Erlan Baijanov8 February 200719 August 2008 11Beibit Isabayev19 August 200825 June 2009 12Baglan Mailybayev25 June 20096 October 201113Däuren Abaev6 October 20116 May 2016 14Aidos Ükibai16 May 201622 March 2019 15Berik Uali22 March 201929 March 2022 Kassym-Jomart Tokayev16Ruslan Jeldibai14 April 20221 September 2023 17Nurmuhamed Baigaraev6 September 202312 September 2023 18Berik Uali12 September 202317 February 2025 19Ruslan Jeldibai17 February 202529 January 2026 20Aibek Smadiarov29 January 2026Incumbent
History The position of Press Secretary was established in the early 1990s, shortly after the creation of the presidency in the Kazakh SSR. First Aqorda Press Secretary, Gadilbek Shalakhmetov, recalls that the institution of the presidency was only just taking shape at the time, with no one entirely clear on what the role of "press secretary" would entail.
Functions The Press Secretary of the president covers the president's activities and events involving him, while also preparing and supporting foreign visits and working trips for the media. In addition, it organizes the work of accredited journalists and conducts press conferences, briefings, interviews, and meetings of the president with domestic and foreign media. Key responsibilities include providing professional photo and video coverage of the president and his events, editing texts of speeches, interviews, articles, and other presidential materials, as well as preparing drafts of speeches, interviews, and publications that explain the president's position on domestic and foreign policy issues. The Press Service maintains and develops the president's official website (www.akorda.kz) by updating its design and implementing new technologies; it supplies media outlets with information and materials about the president's activities, coordinates the work of the Presidential Television and Radio Complex during televised coverage of his events, and organizes the commission for awarding presidential prizes and grants in the field of media.
Appointment The Press Secretary is appointed to the position on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff and dismissed by the President. The President also determines the term of office.
See also
Aqorda Chief of Staff Ministry of Culture and Information
References