Kazakhstan can play key role in advancing equitable development in Central Asia - UN expert Surya Deva

The world is currently experiencing a complex geopolitical environment. How do you define the “right to development” in the context of increasing geopolitical fragmentation and economic inequality?

The right to development is a holistic human right encompassing economic, social, political and cultural development. It also underscores the importance of creating enabling conditions to realise this right. Both economic inequality and geopolitical divides undermine the creation of such conditions at national and international levels. At the same time, the right to development offers tools to overcome such challenges. For example, a fair distribution of benefits can reduce economic inequality, while international cooperation can overcome geopolitical fragmentations.

Many policymakers have previously argued that the United Nations needs transformation. Do you believe that the concept of the right to development also requires revision or updating?

The world is very different today in comparison to 1945 when the United Nations was established. The UN definitely requires transformation to make it fit for the purpose in the 21st century. The UN80 was intended to achieve this goal. However, from what I have seen so far, I am not optimistic that this process will result in transformative changes. Human rights are inherently dynamic to allow them to evolve with changing times and circumstances. While the right to development does not require any revision, it will benefit from States adopting an international treaty codifying the right to development. Moreover, the articulation of the right to development should show its relevance in dealing with contemporary challenges such as inequalities, conflicts and climate change. With this in mind, I have been encouraging States and other actors to move from “people-centred development” to “planet-centred participatory development”.

We are living through a boom in artificial intelligence (AI). How do digitalization and AI affect the right to development - do they help bridge the gap or, on the contrary, widen it?

Technologies can both promote and undermine human rights. This holds true for AI and digitalisation too. AI and digitalisation have a huge potential to ensure that right to development of everyone everywhere is realised. However, this will require “active, free and meaningful” participation of all people in the creation and deployment of AI. International cooperation in the form of financial assistance, capacity building, technology transfer and sharing of good practice will also be vital. Similarly, digitalisation should promote inclusion, rather than result in exclusion, discrimination or surveillance. I will elaborate the nexus between AI/digitalisation and the right to development in one of my thematic reports in 2027.

What role can Kazakhstan (as a heart of Central Asia) play in advancing the right to development, particularly in the context of transport corridors and energy?

Being the largest economy in Central Asia and having significant oil, gas and mining resources, Kazakhstan has a critical role to play in realising the right to development – both of its people within the country as well as of people in other countries. Kazakhstan would need to ensure that benefits of economic development are distributed fairly and the process of decision making allows active, free and meaningful participation of all individuals and groups in society. Moreover, the country would need a green energy transition in a swift, just and responsible way.

The region continues to face environmental sustainability challenges (for example, water resources). How can these issues be addressed through a human rights lens?

Human rights provide concrete guidance on how to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. For instance, economic development should be within planetary limits and be guided by the precautionary principle. Access to basic services such as water must adhere to the non-discrimination principle. Moreover, the process of economic development matters – people should be able to participate meaningfully in all decisions about oil and gas or mining projects to ensure their environmental sustainability.

Which countries or practices do you consider the most successful examples of implementing the right to development?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a concrete pathway to realise the right to development. However, as documented in the annual SDG report, the progress in achieving the SDGs has been very slow. There is no single country that can be labelled as a champion country in implementing the right to development. Different countries have adopted promising practices on different aspects of the right to development. I have noted some of these practices in my annual thematic reports.

The UN Special Rapporteur will visit Kazakhstan from 5 to 15 May 2026 at the invitation of the Government. As part of the UN system of Special Procedures mandate-holders, he will assess the realization of the right to development in Kazakhstan, including progress, challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of the SDGs. This will be the first visit of this mandate to a Central Asian and landlocked country. At the end of the visit, the Special Rapporteur will hold a press briefing on 15 May 2026 to present his preliminary findings and recommendations. A full report, including detailed recommendations, will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2027.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026 published by the Asian Development Bank, Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product is projected to grow by 4.8% in 2026 and 4.5% in 2027.