AGILE GOVERNANCE IN CENTRAL ASIA: ADAPTING THE UAE’S 100-DAY CHALLENGE MODEL FOR KAZAKHSTAN’S PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Amid rising technological and institutional complexity, public administration increasingly confronts the limitations of traditional bureaucratic mechanisms for project delivery. Lengthy approval cycles, fragmented accountability, and weak interagency coordination reduce the state’s capacity to respond promptly to socio-economic challenges and implement innovative solutions. In this context, accelerated models of managing government initiatives-focused on achieving measurable outcomes within compressed timeframes-are of growing scholarly and practical interest. This study substantiates the feasibility and conditions for adapting the government acceleration model “100 Days Challenge,” implemented in the United Arab Emirates, to the public administration system of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The methodological basis comprises qualitative case analysis, comparative examination of international government accelerator practices, and analysis of the pilot application of the 100-day methodology in Kazakhstan in 2024. The article demonstrates that acceleration mechanisms can substantially shorten the implementation time of cross-agency projects, increase controllability and transparency, and create conditions for institutional learning in the public sector. It is argued that direct transplantation of the UAE model into Kazakhstan is not feasible due to differences in project management maturity and institutional environment. As a scientific contribution, the paper proposes an adaptation framework-Kazakh 100-Day Challenge (K-100)-that combines a centralized political mandate, temporary autonomous acceleration structures, and formalized transparency and documentation protocols. The findings expand understanding of governance innovation transfer mechanisms in transitional administrative systems and may inform the design of national tools for accelerating public reforms. Keywords: project management; public administration; acceleration; innovation; rapid innovation model; government accelerators; digital maturity