Kanat Saudabayev

Kanat Saudabayev entered diplomacy after a career in cultural administration, including leadership of the Kazakh Academic Theatre and the State Committee of Culture. He served as foreign minister, ambassador to Turkey, and ambassador to the United Kingdom before becoming head of the prime minister's chancellery. His Washington ambassadorship lasted from December 2000 to May 2007. ¹

On June 1, 2004, Saudabayev joined the representatives of the other four Central Asian states and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick in signing a regional Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. It created a council to discuss obstacles to commerce, with an agenda encompassing intellectual property, labor, the environment, and smaller businesses. ²

After Washington, Saudabayev became secretary of state and again took responsibility for foreign affairs. As OSCE chairperson-in-office in 2010, he represented Kazakhstan during its leadership of the organization. ¹