The US Agency forInternational Development does not seem to include information regarding aid specifically to police agencies; see their Khazakhstan Budget Summary FY04-FY06. That document’s "Conflict Prevention" section gets no more specific than mention of working with "local authorities." Similarly, "Promoting Democratic Culture" and "Cross-Cutting Programs" has only cryptic references to such activities as "civil society strengthening". These sections do list "principal contractors/grantees", so they could be a source for further investigation.
Federal Business Opportunities allows searching of government contracts. The full text search: kazakhstan got about 30 hits, but none seemed to involve police training. Grants.gov allows search of solicitations for proposals for projects – that is, for contractors to suggest a project and justify its funding. But the search: kazakhstan gets only 2 hits, that seem not to be related to police funding:
(1)"The Office for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL/PHD)announces a Request for Statements Of Interest (SOI) from
organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law in non-Middle Eastern countries with significant Muslim Populations including countries in Africa (Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, and Nigeria), Central Asia (Kazakhstan,Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan),
Azerbaijan, Russia (N. Caucasus only), South East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines), and South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan). This is an
initial solicitation to ascertain organizations that may be interested in implementing projects in the above countries/regions and does not constitute a Request For Proposals. Organizations that are invited by DRL to submit a proposal will have an opportunity to expand on their SOIs at a later date."
(2)"Annual Program Statement Number DCM116-06-006 Constitutional Reform Process in Kyrgyzstan The Mission of the United States Agency for International Development for the Central Asian Region (USAID/CAR) invites applications from U.S. organizations, Kyrgyzstani organizations or coalitions of similar organizations, or other type of legal entity accredited or able to obtain accreditation to operate in Central Asia to carry out activities described in this Annual Program Statement (APS) under grants or cooperative agreements. These activities will assist the people of Kyrgyzstan to have increased access to information about and increased opportunity and ability to participate in their country’s constitutional reform process....."
Searches of commercial news databases do not seem to be helpful. Lexis Academic/ World News/ European Sources/ past 2 years got 27 hits for the search: kazakhstan and police and
training (Headline, lead paragraph), but showed nothing on US funding. This may well be a job for an investigative reporter with contacts in the State Department, international police organizations, etc. But further search in the State Department web site may be well worthwhile, especially if you have the time to plow through some long reports.
The State Department’s advanced search lets you limit to a particular region. If you click on "European & Eurasian Affairs" and search: "police training," you get 42 hits, including "II. Country Assessments and Performance Measures – Kazakhstan". But I get better results with the search: kazakhstan and police and training. It seems to max out at 500 hits, but not far down the first page is a more recent (4/26/06) version of that "II. Country Assessments and Performance Measures – Kazakhstan".
Near the bottom of this long page, under "Security, Regional Stability and Law Enforcement" it says: "The GOK continues to place a high priority on security, regional stability, and law enforcement issues..." Just under that in, "U.S. ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES" it states: "In FY 2005, USG-funded security assistance programs in Kazakhstan continued to be based on a five-year bilateral plan of military cooperation focused on three main objectives: military interoperability (for waging the Global War on Terrorism and cooperating in international peacekeeping); establishing a military capability in the Caspian Sea region; and general systemic military reforms. USG assistance also focused on reducing the proliferation threat posed by Soviet-era nuclear, chemical and biological expertise and infrastructure." But at the end of that paragraph, it also says: "The U.S. also addressed law enforcement issues in four major areas: money-laundering and financial corruption; counter-narcotics; trafficking in persons; and border control/security."
In the next section, PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, paragraph 2 concludes; "The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) collaborated to send 16 Kazakhstani law enforcement officials to an eight-week training class at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Budapest."
It is well worth trying other searches in this State Department search site as well - perhaps using 2006 as one of the search terms, to try to get latest information. For sure the major news seems to talk about funding for nuclear non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, border security, etc., but there seems to be a little related to police forces - judging from these somewhat quick and dirty searches.
Jim Miller
U of Maryland