Kazakh Gov’t wants Almaty as international diplomacy hub, mulls KazAid

"After gaining its independence, Kazakhstan has been vigorously developing fruitful cooperation with the United Nations... Since February 1992, some 19 specialised agencies, funds and programmes of the UN system have established their active presence in Kazakhstan. Since the early days, there has been a full-scale cooperation with all UN institutions," the Minister told the group in a meeting at the Foreign Ministry. "The UN family has significantly contributed to the Kazakhstan's state-building and the adaptation of economic and social system to market economy conditions," he emphasised.

According to the press service of the Kazakh MFA, Kazykhanov highlighted a considerable intensification of contacts on all fronts between Kazakhstan and the UN in recent years. As an illustration, he mentioned two visits by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to Kazakhstan in 2010, visits by Under-Secretary-General, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the UNECE Jan Kubis, FAO Director General Jacques Diouf and UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli in 2011, as well as the recent appointment of Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, former Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan and one of Kazykhanov's predecessors, as Under-Secretary-General, Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva.

"Kazakhstan, which has been playing over the years an ever more important role as a regional donor and providing significant assistance to the neighbouring countries, is working on the establishment of KazAID, Kazakhstan's international aid agency. The United Nations Country Office could provide invaluable expertise and technical assistance in the practical implementation of that idea," the Foreign Minister underlined.

Kazykhanov suggested efforts to implement Kazakhstan's plans to turn the city of Almaty into a sub-regional hub of multilateral diplomacy provide a good basis for further cooperation.

"We believe a decision to accord Almaty the status of a UN regional centre would not only contribute to the fuller implementation of regional projects that serve to strengthen cooperation in Central Asia, but could also provide an impetus to the process of drawing next-door countries and regions into the orbit of development assistance," the Minister noted.

According to Kazykhanov, Kazakhstan, in turn, is ready to provide active support to the strengthening of the regional role of the UN offices in Almaty and the expansion of their project activities. For instance, this year Kazakhstan lifted visa requirements for holders of the UN Laissez-Passers, as well as extended diplomatic accreditation to UN staff members. Moreover, work on renovation of the premises of the UN Office in Almaty is being carried out, as well as the provision of a new building to the UN Office in Astana and the provision of a building to the sub-regional office of UNESCAP in Almaty.

"Our country has reached such a stage in its development when we should consider upgrading our cooperation, bringing it to a brand new level," Kazykhanov stressed.

An important step in this direction, the Minister said, was the signing on 25 November 2009 of a Memorandum of Understanding between Kazakhstan and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

"As the first example of cooperation under the new scheme, we can refer to a joint programme for the development of the Semey (Semipalatinsk) region, for which Kazakhstan has allocated some US$ 10 million in accordance with an agreement signed last May during the visit of the UNDP Administrator Helen Clark. Last year, we signed agreements on country cooperation programmes for 2010-15 with UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA," the Minister said.

A strategic roadmap of the country's cooperation with the organisation is the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Kazakhstan for 2010-15, which has been developed to ensure collective and consistent support by the UN system of efforts to advance Kazakhstan's national priorities. The UNDAF cycle identifies three priority areas of cooperation, including economic and social well-being, environmental sustainability, and good governance.

"The Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations are facing great and important challenges, which could be met only through close cooperation. In this regard, I would like to reaffirm my readiness to contribute personally, in every possible way, to your work here, to the solution of emerging problems, as well as to the careful consideration of your proposals and suggestions," Kazykhanov concluded.