Kairbek Suleimenov

Kairbek Suleimenov (Kazakh: Қайырбек Шошанұлы Сүлейменов, Qaiyrbek Şoşanūly Süleimenov; Russian: Каирбек Шошанович Сулейменов; born 12 May 1949) is a Kazakhstani politician and a public figure. He has held positions of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Secretary of the Security Council, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Awarded the People's Hero of Kazakhstan award, the highest honor in Kazakhstan, in 2022.

Kairbek Suleimenov was born in the outskirts of Novosibirsk in May 1949 in the family of rich Kazakhs who moved from northern Kazakhstan to Siberia during collectivization reforms. Having graduated from Ural State Law University. and served in the army, he worked as a criminal case investigator in Kuibyshev municipal prosecutor's office for several years. For his contribution to solving a serious robbery case, Suleimenov was extolled in an article published in an influential Moscow newspaper, and the prosecutor of Alma-Ata invited him to work in Kazakhstan. Suleimenov later transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He had risen to the position of the First Deputy to the Minister of Internal Affairs by the time Kazakhstan gained its independence.

Kairbek Suleimenov was appointed Minister in 1995 and during his two terms (1995 – 2000 and 2002 – 2003) left a major mark as he oversaw reforms of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and interior troops; he also dispensed with the Soviet name of the police force (militia).

Kairbek Suleimenov served as assistant to the president and secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2008–2009. After his resignation, Mr. Suleimenov chaired the Veterans’ Council and worked as a MP in the Mäjilis.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Kazakhstan Halkyna Fund since 2022.

• People's Hero of Kazakhstan (2022);
• Order of Kurmet (2017).