Zülfia Süleimenova

Zülfia Bolatqyzy Süleimenova (Kazakh: Зүлфия Болатқызы Сүлейменова, romanized: Zülfia Bolatqyzy Süleimenova; born 25 February 1990) is a Kazakh politician who served as a Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources from 4 January 2023 to 1 September 2023, making her one of Kazakhstan's youngest ministers to serve in the government.[1] She also previously served as a deputy of the Mäjilis of the 7th convocation from 2021 to 2022.

Zülfia Süleimenova
Зүлфия Сүлейменова
Süleimenova in 2023
Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources
In office
4 January 2023 – 1 September 2023
PresidentKassym-Jomart Tokayev
Prime MinisterÄlihan Smaiylov
Preceded bySerıkqali Brekeşev
Succeeded byErlan Nysanbaev (Ecology and Natural Resources)
Member of the Mäjilis
In office
15 January 2021 – 10 March 2022
Parliamentary groupNur Otan (2021–2022)
Jaña Qazaqstan (2022)
Personal details
Born (1990-02-25) 25 February 1990
Aktyubinsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
NationalityKazakh
Political partyAmanat
Alma materL. N. Gumilev Eurasian National University
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies

Biography

Süleimenova was born on 25 February 1990 in the city of Aktobe. She graduated from the bachelor's and master's programs of the L. N. Gumilev Eurasian National University with a degree in International Relations and received a PhD degree from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies under the program "Security and International Studies".[2][3]

Süleimenova worked as deputy director of the Department of Climate Policy and Green Technologies of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources; consultant to the Environment and Development, Energy, and Macroeconomic Policy and Development Finance Divisions of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok; United Nations Development Programme offices in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; researcher at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies. In 2019, Süleimenova joined the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve.[4]

Since 15 January 2021, Süleimenova served as a deputy of the lower house Mäjilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan in the 7th convocation,[5] where she served in the Committee on International Affairs, Defense and Security.[6] She was originally elected from the Nur Otan party-list following the 2021 legislative election.[7] From February 2022, Süleimenova was one of deputies in the Jaña Qazaqstan parliamentary group,[8] while continuing serving in her Mäjilis seat before stepping down following the termination of her mandate on 10 March 2022.[9]

After working as a deputy, she was subsequently appointed as the Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources on 14 March 2022.[10]

She was appointed National Coordinator of Kazakhstan for the Global Environment Facility on 3 June 2022 by Prime Minister Älihan Smaiylov.[11]

On 4 January 2023, Süleimenova was appointed as the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's decree.[12] During her ministerial tenure, Suleimenova faced infamy as she grappled with the 2023 Kazakhstan wildfires. A public scandal erupted when 14 employees of the Semey Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve tragically perished in the fire, highlighting a critical lack of necessary equipment. Since the nature reserve fell under the responsibility of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, there have been calls for resignation and potential prosecution against Süleimenova.[13] In June 2023, The Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan, Jandos Ömiraliev, announced the investigation against Suleimenova following the death of Semey Ormany workers incident.[14][15] In addition, another subsequent scandal occurred on internet regarding Süleimenova as her father, Bolat Kalimullovich Suleimenov, was revealed to have been convicted of embezzlement in four years with confiscation of property in 2011.[13] After being relieved from her ministerial job on 1 September 2023 and succeeded by Erlan Nysanbaev as the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources,[16] On 5 September 2023, Süleimenova in her Instagram post congratulated Nurjan Nurjigitov in a newly formed Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation for his appointment.[17][18] From there, she highlighted her own achievements as a minister which included an increased water inflow into the Aral Sea, efforts to minimize crop losses in the Jambyl Region, and initiatives to eradicate the 'black market' in the water sector. She also mentioned work on providing drinking water to residents of specific districts, restructuring international loans, submitting international conventions for ratification, and engaging in negotiations related to transboundary water use with Uzbekistan and China.[19]

Since 21 September 2023, she has been serving as an Advisor to the President – Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Environmental Cooperation.[20][21][22]

Criticism

According to Kazakh journalist Mikhail Kozachkov, the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan was allegedly offered to dismiss Süleimenova from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, due to former minister Serıkqali Brekeşev raising issues about her refusal to issue an environmental permit to CNPC-Aktobemunaigas JSC, which led to allegations of personal motives tied to her family's history with the company. The controversy also encompassed her performance in various roles, including delays, missed meetings, and frequent sick leaves. Despite these concerns, Süleimenova assumed the position of Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in January 2023.[23]

Süleimenova's successful growing career also became associated by others due to her kinship with the politician Erlan Karin, the State Counselor of Kazakhstan. She was criticized for her lack of appropriate education in the field of ecology. Also, for carrying teams that are not specialists in the field of ecology. Süleimenova's unpopular decision to make crime boss, Zañgar Hasenov, as her assistant was criticized.[24]

Personal life

During an interview in one of programs of the Khabar Agency, Süleimenova revealed that she was strictly vegan stating, "I don't wear skin products, I don't eat meat. I believe that the moral consideration of animals should begin with humans, ourselves. I do not use animal-tested cosmetics, I do not go to zoos, dolphinariums, this is my personal decision."[25][26]

References
  1. Bulatkulova, Saniya (4 January 2023). "Zulfiya Suleimenova Becomes Kazakhstan's Youngest Minister at Only 32 Years-of-Age". The Astana Times. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. "Сүлейменова Зүлфия Болатқызы". BAQ.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  3. "Сүлейменова Зүлфия Болатқызы". inbusiness.kz (in Kazakh). 22 September 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. "Зульфия Сулейменова". ElDala.kz (in Russian). 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  5. "Верно служить народу Казахстана поклялись депутаты Мажилиса". azattyq-ruhy.kz (in Russian). 15 January 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. "Мажилис покинул еще один депутат". oqu.news (in Russian). 10 March 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  7. Бақыт, Нұрбек (13 January 2021). "Жаңа сайланған Мәжіліс депутаттарының толық тізімі жарияланды". Aikyn.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  8. Смайыл, Мейирим (9 February 2022). "Депутатскую группу "Жаңа Қазақстан" создали в Мажилисе". Tengrinews.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  9. "2022 жылғы 10 наурызда Қазақстан Республикасы Орталық сайлау комиссиясының отырысы өтті" (Press release) (in Kazakh). Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  10. Қадыржанова, Жансая (14 March 2022). "Зүлфия Сүлейменова жаңа қызметке тағайындалды". Tengrinews.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  11. "Вице-министр Зүлфия Сүлейменова жаңа қызметке тағайындалды". Egemen Qazaqstan (in Kazakh). 3 June 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  12. Досымшалова, Гүлнара (4 January 2023). "Зүлфия Сүлейменова экология және табиғи ресурстар министрі болып тағайындалды". Tengrinews.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  13. Алиева, Дина (14 June 2023). "В Казахстане можно стать чиновником, имея отца-уголовника: что скрывает самый молодой министр?" (in Russian). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  14. Мәдениет, Жандос (14 June 2023). "Ильин, Сүлейменова және Ахметовтен Абай облысындағы өрт бойынша жауап алынады". kaz.orda.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  15. "Бас прокуратура Ильин, Ұранхаев және Сүлейменова Абай облысындағы өртке байланысты қылмыстық істе тергелетінін айтты". Азаттық радиосы (in Kazakh). 14 June 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  16. Кенжеғазыұлы, Думан (5 September 2023). "Ерлан Нысанбаев ҚР Экология және табиғи ресурстар министрі болып тағайындалды » 018.kz - ABAI AQPARAT". 018.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  17. "Зүлфия Сүлейменова Экология және табиғи ресурстар министрі лауазымынан босатылды". nege.kz (in Kazakh). 1 September 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  18. "Қазақстанда жаңа министрлік құрылады". el.kz (in Kazakh). 1 September 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  19. Ботақара, Есжан (5 September 2023). "Қызметтен босаған Зүлфия Сүлейменова жаңа министрге аманат айтты". inbusiness.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  20. Ермекқызы, Айзат (21 September 2023). "Тоқаев бұрынғы министр Зүлфия Сүлейменованы жаңа қызметке тағайындады". Nur.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  21. Мінап, Рая (21 September 2023). "Зүлфия Сүлейменова жаңа қызметке тағайындалды". Aikyn.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  22. Мұқаев, Шыңғыс (21 September 2023). "Зүлфия Сүлейменова жаңа қызметке тағайындалды". Egemen Qazaqstan (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  23. "Акорде предлагали уволить Сулейменову из минэкологии до ее назначения министром". KazTAG (in Russian). 13 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  24. Аянова, Айнель (19 June 2023). "Сүлейменова экс-көмекшісінің қылмыс әлемінің "серкесі" болғанын жоққа шығармады". Ulysmedia.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  25. ""Мен тері өнімдерін кимеймін, ет жемеймін"- Экология министрі". kazface.kz (in Kazakh). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  26. Шарипханова, Дина (4 January 2023). "Ет жемейді, зообақтарға бармайды. Жаңа экология министрі туралы не белгілі?". Tengrinews.kz (in Kazakh). Retrieved 19 October 2023.
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