UN reform, SDGs, and diplomacy: Key takeaways from Kazakhstan’s UN panel

The event gathered representatives of diplomatic and government agencies to discuss the nation's contributions and the organization's evolving role.

A key theme of the session was dedicated to strengthening multilateral cooperation. During the opening remarks, Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin underscored the crucial role of middle powers in promoting global stability.

“I think this is a time when middle powers can step in and try to change the game. We are realistic enough to understand that this goal is very ambitious, but at the same time, without making the first step, we cannot succeed in making further steps. The United Nations is the entity uniting us in these efforts,” he stated, highlighting Kazakhstan’s commitment to the UN and multilateral cooperation.

The panel focused on multiple issues, including the UN's relevance and impact in today’s geopolitical and socio-economic landscape. Addressing this, Mr. Marcel Fortuna Biato, Ambassador of Brazil to Kazakhstan, emphasized the need for UN reform, particularly in voting rights and representation. “How do we ensure that one vote, one nation is able to reflect itself in this scenario? (...) Reforming the UN system, which basically has to do with voting rights, is part of the answer,” he suggested.

He also noted that discussions on reforming and expanding the Security Council have been ongoing for nearly three decades without significant progress. Stressing the need for innovative approaches to global governance, he urged decision-makers to “think outside of the box” in creating a more representative and effective system.

Expanding on this, Mr. Dauren Aben, Head of the Department of International Security at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, agreed on the importance of the reform.

“Kazakhstan has been firmly supporting this idea. We are strongly in favor of inclusiveness of the Security Council. We believe that such nations as Brazil and some others, like Germany, Japan, and others that have contributed to the UN mission, have central positions in the political economy in the world. They should be represented in the Security Council. But equally, we believe that nations from Africa, from Latin America, and from Asia should also be represented,” he stated.

He called for innovative approaches to restructuring the Security Council, including long-term permanent membership and alternative models to the veto system. Despite the challenges, Mr. Aben reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to multilateralism and unity in driving meaningful reform.

H.E. Mr. Mustafa Kapucu, Ambassador of Türkiye to Kazakhstan, shifted the discussion toward the broader challenge of sustainable development. He emphasized the need for a coordinated global response, pointing out that less than a fifth of SDG targets are on track, while over a third are stalled or regressing. The ambassador warned that without substantial investment, progress would remain insufficient.

“The SDG investment gap in developing countries stands at an alarming $4 trillion per year, underscoring the urgent need for more financial resources and fiscal space,” he said.

Despite the discussed challenges, Dr. Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute, presented data reflecting strong public trust in the UN across Central Asia. She highlighted that a majority of citizens in Central Asia express confidence in the organization.

“In Kazakhstan, 56.3% of respondents answered ’support’ and ‘trust and support’ in the United Nations. If you look at the other countries in Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, we see a high rate: 65.7% of Uzbek society trusts the United Nations, 57.5% in Kyrgyzstan, and 52.2% in Tajikistan. We see a very high level of trust in the United Nations. Of course, this is due to many years of cooperation between our countries, good attitude, cooperation. The benefits of society, trust, knowledge, and support are expressed on the basis of the institute,” she underscored.

Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan and the UNDP have discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation at the meeting chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko.