# Jenis Qasymbek

Jenis Mahmuduly Qasymbek (Kazakh: Жеңіс Махмұдұлы Қасымбек, Jeñıs Mahmūdūly Qasymbek,; born 7 May 1975) is a Kazakh politician who is currently serving as the Äkim of Astana since December 2022.

## Early life and education

The son of Mahmud Qasymbek, Jenis Qasymbek was born to a Muslim family in the village of Shu. In 1997 he graduated from the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering as an architectural designer.
In 2001, he graduated from the L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

## Career

After graduating in 1997, Qasymbek was a trainee researcher at the Kazakh Haed Architecture and Civil Engineering Academy. In 1998, he became a chief specialist of Temirbank OJSC.
From 1998 to 2000, Qasymbek served as the head of Department of the Committee on Antimonopoly Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2000, he became the director of the Department of Water Transport of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Kazakhstan until becoming the director of the RSE Aktau International Sea Trade Port.
On 4 November 2005, he was appointed as a Vice Minister of Transport and Communications and from 11 March 2009, Qasymbek was the executive secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
On 7 March 2014, he became a Minister of Transport and Communications until the ministry was abolished on 6 August 2014. Shortly after, Qasymbek was appointed as the First Vice Minister for Investment and Development on 13 August 2014. He became its minister on 21 June 2016 and served that position until the Sagintayev Government was dismissed in February 2019.
Following formation of Mamin Government, Qasymbek was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan on 25 February 2019. He served that post before becoming the akim of Karaganda Region on 19 September 2019.
On 4 September 2023, he became the President of the Athletics Federation of Astana.

## Äkim of Astana (2022–present)

On 8 December 2022, Qasymbek was appointed as the äkim of Astana under presidential decree by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, succeeding Altai Kölgınov who previously held the post. Upon his appointment, Qasymbek in his Instagram page expressed his commitment to enhancing Astana's infrastructure, social services, and living conditions, inviting residents to share their ideas for development. He also pledged that Astana would continue the construction of affordable social housing, schools, kindergartens, and medical facilities.
Qasymbek met with President Tokayev on 13 December 2022, where he presented a report on Astana's socioeconomic and infrastructural development, including updates on key construction projects and progress in gasification and support for businesses. From there, Tokayev instructed him to oversee the heating season and continue developing the city.

### Astana Light Metro

Qasymbek pledged that construction of Astana Light Metro will be completed within the "next two or three years", noting the issue with project financing.

### Gasification

In regard to the gasification of utility, Qasymbek noted that the work pace would not stop and that is carried out by private business.

### Housing shortage

According to Qasymbek, more than 47,000 residents of Astana were on waiting list for social housing, half of which were large families, urging the need to solve the problem.

## Rewards

Kazakhstan awards
| Сountry | Date | Award |
| Kazakhstan | — | Order of Kurmet |
| Kazakhstan | 2017 | Order of Parasat |
| Kazakhstan | 2001 | Medal "10 years of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan" |
| Kazakhstan | 2008 | Medal "10 years of Astana" |
| Kazakhstan | 2018 | Medal "20 years of Astana" |