Briefing dated to 25 years of Kazakhstan's independence held in Brussels
Attending the briefing were European officials, representatives of diplomatic and parliamentary corps, mass media as well as non-governmental organizations.
In his opening remarks Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium Almaz Khamzayev talked about the key milestones in the history of independent Kazakhstan.
"I remember that back in 1991 few believed Kazakhstan could survive as a sovereign country given its multinational and multi-faith population, unbalanced economy, military infrastructure and nuclear arsenal," the Kazakhstani diplomat said.
"This heritage was a challenge we managed to turn into an opportunity," said Khamzayev adding Kazakhstan achieved tangible results both in socioeconomic development and foreign policy becoming one of reputable players in the international arena.
In his words, Kazakhstan became a leader among the CIS member states in terms of attraction of foreign investment ($230 billion).
Participants of the briefing were informed of the main provisions of the Nurly Zhol program and the National Plan "100 specific steps" that will help Kazakhstan enter the world's 30 most developed countries.
According to Ambassador Khamzayev, 2017 will be a remarkable year for Kazakhstan that starts its two-year term as the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in January and welcomes the International specialized exhibition "EXPO 2017" in Astana in June.
"We consider our election to the UN Security Council as the international recognition of maturity of our foreign policy," the ambassador noted, stressing that Kazakhstan will contribute to the UNSC's work in such spheres as ensuring international peace and security, preventive diplomacy, settlement of conflicts, peacekeeping efforts, human rights, gender equality and international law.
At the briefing Ambassador Khamzayev also talked about the upcoming International specialized exhibition "EXPO 2017" in Astana. In his words, the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) will be headquartered at the EXPO pavilions after the exhibition.
"Kazakhstan - the Land of Great Steppe" exhibition was held on the margins of the press briefing displaying photos of modern life and culture of Kazakhstan, Astana's unique architecture, landscape and ancient historical monuments.
The photos of the Baiterek Monument, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, the Astana Opera and Ballet Theater, the Khazret Sultan Mosque sparked intense interest among guests of the exhibition.