Speaker Tokayev receives UN Under-Secretary-General

During the meeting in Astana, Mr. Tokayev noted the well-established cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN and thanked the UNEP for taking an active part in EXPO-2017.

"Kazakhstan is absolutely committed to the goals and objectives of the United Nations and stands for strengthening the Organization's central role in addressing urgent problems of our time. The UN Security Council, a nonpermanent member of which Kazakhstan has been elected, is the main mechanism for preserving peace and security," he said.

The sides exchanged views on the ways to coordinate common efforts in ensuring environmental security within the UN and stressed the importance of implementing the main provisions of the Paris Agreement in order to tackle climate change. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev confirmed Kazakhstan's readiness to take an active part in the Agreement implementation.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Erik Solheim also discussed prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Astana International Financial Center, the International Center for the Development of Green Technologies and "Future Energy" Investment Projects. The UN Under-Secretary-General expressed intention to support Kazakhstan's transition to a "green" economy. He also spoke in favor of strengthening regional cooperation with regard to environmental issues.

Speaker Tokayev thanked the UNEP Secretariat for its decision to open a Subregional Office in Almaty, which, according to him, will help turn the city into the regional UN hub for multilateral diplomacy.