Amid controversial discussions about USAID funding activities in various countries, Irina Smirnova, a member of the Mazhilis (parliament) of Kazakhstan, proposed considering the adoption of a law on foreign agents in the country, according to Kazinform News Agency.

According to her, approximately 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) currently receive foreign funding, 70 percent of which come from the US. She noted that the status of a number of NGOs should be reconsidered.

"It is necessary to reconsider the status of those working for years in the gray zone and rewrite the rules for foreign donors who mask political interests under media support, human rights protection, and tolerance promotion," she said.

Smirnova also cited examples of countries that address these issues by adopting foreign agent laws.

"There are many examples in the world where countries facing similar issues counter them by adopting foreign agent laws. For instance, such laws have been in place in Israel since 2016, in China since 2017, in Australia since 2018, in the United Kingdom since 2023, and in France since 2024," the deputy stated.

According to her, Kazakhstan needs to develop national legislation that will allow the identification of various structures and track their funding.

Recently, another member of Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis, Magerram Magerramov, also commented on the activities of USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development. The deputy stated that between 2022 and 2025, USAID allocated $2 million to strengthen human rights and equality in Central Asia. Magerramov emphasized the need to investigate "which funds, by whom, where, and for what purposes are being allocated, who receives them, and which projects are being implemented in our country."

Previously, U.S. State Department head Marco Rubio declared himself the acting head of USAID. The Agency for International Development is now under the control of this department.