2017 will undoubtedly go down as a momentous year in the history of Kazakhstan. In January, the country took up its seat on the United Nations Security Council, the first time a Central Asian nation has been given such a responsibility.
This gives our country a vital and important role in helping shape peace and stability around the world. Secondly, Kazakhstan has made valuable contributions in the search for a solution to the ongoing conflict and humanitarian disaster in Syria. Several rounds of talks under the Astana Process have taken place, bringing together all the sides of the devastating civil war, and the so called guarantor states, to help them find a lasting settlement. Now Kazakhstan has the responsibility to deliver a successful EXPO 2017 in Astana for visitors from near and far.
In many ways, EXPO 2017 has similarities with these important global responsibilities. The event spearheads an international effort to address the energy challenges of the 21st century as it helps create a more stable and prosperous future for the entire planet. This forward-looking approach to long-term stability and prosperity is entirely consistent with President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s call to the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for “a strategy that would eliminate for good the threat of war and its causes.” A plentiful and sustainable energy supply to all parts of the world will help create conditions for peaceful co-existence.
Kazakhstan is blessed with a rich abundance of natural resources. Our country is a major global exporter of oil and gas, as well as uranium and other rare earth metals. So, some may be surprised that Astana is hosting a major event that is dedicated to renewable energy. But Kazakhstan sees no contradiction between supplying today’s energy needs while also being committed to the development of sustainable and cleaner energy that will benefit future generations. The two are not mutually exclusive in our progressive vision.
For those attending EXPO 2017 under the title Future Energy, there will be the opportunity to visit numerous awe-inspiring exhibits. From pavilions hosted by dozens of countries from around the world, to the incredible gravity-defying “Reflekt” show by Cirque de Soleil, it promises to be an experience that will live long in the memory. Indeed, EXPO 2017 was a driving factor in helping Kazakhstan become one of the New York Times’ “top 52 places to visit in 2017” as it hailed the country’s “earnest transition from oil state to eco-destination.”
EXPO 2017 is more than about being just an entertaining and spectacular destination, as important as that may be. Nations from every corner of the world are coming together to share and discuss one of the most pressing issues that faces mankind – our future energy. It’s arguably the biggest and most important event that’s focused on creating a clean and sustainable future for us all. Kazakhstan has an abundance of oil and gas reserves but we are also the first to admit that global supplies are finite, which is a sign of a mature and future-looking nation that considers the long-term future of this country and all others on Earth.
The exhibition will showcase developments from around the world in the field of renewable energy, including the latest advances in areas, such as wind power, solar energy, renewable fuel and clean coal technologies. It, therefore, promises to stimulate the mind as much as it does the senses.
The event has a major role to play in Kazakhstan’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top 30 global economies by 2050. Indeed, it has been designed to “drive the next stage of our industrial development and diversification with a new emphasis on sustainability, high-tech and skills.”
The global event will also act as a catalyst for tourism to Kazakhstan by giving the opportunity for visitors from near and far to experience Astana for the first time. They will be able to take in the wider sights of our capital city, including its world-class architecture, culture and cuisine. They can also be assured of the warmest welcome and famous hospitality that the people of Kazakhstan will provide like few can do elsewhere on Earth.
So, the world, welcome to Astana and welcome to Kazakhstan!
