Appointment

On 21 February 2019, Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev was dismissed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. As a result, Mamin became the Acting PM and was confirmed by the Parliament unanimously to be the new PM on 25 February.^[14][15] The following day on 26 February, Mamin at the meeting with the cabinet telling that the government should aim at "concrete results" that would improve of the quality of life of the population.^[16]

On 10 January 2021, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for the resignation of the government in accordance with the legislation on the day of the 2021 legislative elections which were held in Kazakhstan.^[17][18] Speculations arose regarding Mamin's fate, in which it was widely expected that he would retain it while among other likely contenders to possibly replace Mamin's prime ministerial post were seen as Bauyrjan Baibek, Nurlan Nigmatulin, Aset Isekeşev, Qanat Bozumbaev, Erbolat Dosaev or Baqyt Sultanov.^[19][20] Former president and Nur Otan chairman Nursultan Nazarbayev endorsed for Mamin's re-appointment, stating that the government has done its job contrary in other countries.^[21] On 15 January, Tokayev re-nominated Mamin to the post of the PM at the opening session of the 7th Parliament of Kazakhstan with 78 out of 99 deputies support while the rest abstained, marking it the first time since 2007, that the PM had not received unanimous support.^[22] From there, Mamin was criticised by the parliamentary opposition over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the session, Mamin thanked the deputies for support, outlining that effective measures would be taken in improving quality of life, increasing income and welfare, attracting investment, introducing new technologies, and creating workers' months.^[23]

Term

On 24 June 2019, a fire broke out in an ammo storage near the town of Arys in Turkistan Region, resulting in a huge explosion where three people died and 89 of them were injured.^[24] Mamin, on the behalf of Tokayev, visited the town on 29 June and from there, he ordered all repairs from the damage to be completed by 1 August 2019.^[25] For the restoration, 56.1 billion tenge was allocated, of which 27.5 billion were from the government's reserve.^[26] On 2 August, Mamin re-visited the town where he expressed gratitude to everyone who was involved in the repairs, calling it "a tremendous work" as 90% of restoration by then was completed.^[27]

By 2019, the GDP growth rate in Kazakhstan accounted 4.5%, a higher than expected figure thanks to a driven growth generated by the construction, transport, trade and communications industry, contrary to as the Kazakh Government and World Bank expected the range to be 3.5 to 3.8% rate.^[28] On 24 January 2020, at the government meeting, Mamin outlined key goals in ensuring the economic growth of 4.7 to 5% for 2020 with a given task in creating 430,000 new jobs and increasing real incomes for the population.^[29] A strategic objective was unveiled which aimed at increasing the volume of fixed investments by an average of 15% annually and to bring its level to 30% of GDP by 2025.^[29]

Amid the unrest in January 2022, he resigned his post.^[2][3][4][5]

Foreign policy

In an official visit to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on 11–12 July 2019, Mamin met with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov where they both discussed issues on bilateral trade, economic and investment cooperation.^[41] At the VIII Meeting of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Council held in Bishkek, Mamin along with Kyrgyz PM Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev outlined joint plans that were aimed at deepening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. As a result, a number of agreements were signed.^[41] In Dushanbe, Mamin with Tajik PM Kokhir Rasulzoda signed seven new cooperation agreements and discussed the commitment to the course of strategic partnership which would benefit both countries.^[42]

At the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council held on 17 July 2020 in Minsk, Mamin met with Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin where he thanked the Russian government for its assistance in a fight against COVID-19, telling that "we have received the competence of Russian doctors who have come, worked and work in different regions of Kazakhstan."^[43] He also expressed interest for Kazakhstan to be among the first countries in purchasing the Sputnik V vaccine.^[43]

On 6 November 2020, at the video conference between the heads of governments of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Mamin proposed to create the National Commodity Conducting System in Kazakhstan as well as the formation trade-supply system within the CIS to ensure the smooth flow of agricultural products between the countries. A decision was adopted on the cross-border transportation of radioactive materials, information cooperation of CIS member states in the field of digital development of society, as well as decisions to strengthen cooperation in nuclear energy, agriculture, transport sector, engineering and other spheres.^[44]