NUR-SULTAN – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Deborah Lyons on June 1 in Almaty reaffirming Kazakhstan’s unwavering commitment to supporting Afghanistan, reports the presidential press service.
Tokayev and Lyons during their meeting in Almaty. Photo credit: Akorda press service
They discussed prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN as part of international efforts to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and provide humanitarian assistance.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan is committed to continuing comprehensive cooperation with the international community in the fight against terrorism and extremism, the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, and the continuation of educational programs for Afghan students.
Lyons spoke about efforts to rebuild Afghanistan as well as the results of the second meeting of EU and Central Asian Special Representatives for Afghanistan on May 31 in Almaty.
She expressed gratitude to the country’s leadership for its support of the UNAMA. Following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban on Aug. 15, 2021, and the disintegration of the government, Kazakhstan offered its support to relocate some staff to Kazakhstan temporarily to continue their operations.
The UNAMA office continues to be located in Almaty. The presidential press service said a corresponding agreement on the status of this mission in Kazakhstan will be signed in the near future.
