ASTANA – The Astana Times has picked a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media across the world. This week’s foreign media digest includes articles on Kazakhstan’s green transition, the opening of the IMF Regional Capacity Development Center in Almaty, the Astana International Forum, energy security, the country’s cooperation with the European Union (EU), and the development of the Middle Corridor to strengthen Eurasian connectivity.
Photo credit: depositphotos.com.
Astana International Forum addresses climate change, energy security, green transition
NE Global Media, which covers geopolitical, security, economic, energy and scientific affairs, released an article on June 15 covering Kazakhstan’s green transition initiatives.
“As many countries are planning sustainability and decarbonization strategies to meet climate targets, Kazakhstan, one of the world’s largest energy producers, wants to be part of the global solution and strives to attract foreign investors to help implement a new green portfolio,” the article notes.
IMF Managing Director’s remarks at CCAMTAC opening ceremony
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) published Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva’s speech that was delivered at a June 9 opening ceremony of the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC) in Almaty.
According to Georgieva, the center will provide direct, easy-to-access capacity development resources to the region, help its members learn from each other and counter geo-economic fragmentation.
“We are opening this center to support our members across this diverse and dynamic region of close to 100 million people, as they navigate a range of economic opportunities and challenges. In areas spanning fiscal, monetary, and financial policy, and statistics, CCAMTAC will help members build stronger policies and institutions that foster inclusive growth,” said Georgieva.
Astana International Forum sees international delegates discuss global issues in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan hosted a two-day international forum, inviting delegates from around the world to Astana, reported Euronews on June 9.
More than 1,000 delegates from around the world debated global issues at the Astana International Forum (AIF) in Kazakhstan.
“In the face of global challenges, we remain committed to global cooperation by championing dialogue, trade, multilateralism and the exchange of ideas,” said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his welcome speech.
Euronews spoke with Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko, who said Kazakhstan appreciates trade and other ties with Europe.
“We are now on the edge of really changing the relations with the European Union as we think that these relationships can branch out beyond the traditional energy cooperation and supplying of Kazakh oil to Europe,” said Vassilenko.
Energy security in a fast-moving market
Another article in Euronews, published on June 14, reports that the question of energy security was actively discussed at the Astana International Forum, adding that Kazakhstan, one of the world’s most important oil producers, is aiming to increase its supply to and influence over the energy market.
The article also quotes Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko, who said Kazakhstan is thinking about developing a peaceful nuclear industry in the country given the abundance of resources that it has.
Western pundits offer advice on Kazakh geopolitics
Euractiv, a European news website, published an article on June 9 on the Astana International Forum.
On the fringes of the AIF, former high-level diplomats positively assessed Kazakhstan’s cooperation potential with the European Union. Stefano Stefanini, former Italian representative to NATO, and Jean de Ruyt, former Belgian ambassador to the United Nations and the EU, told Euractiv that the inaugural forum was well-timed to emphasize the importance of Kazakhstan on the EU agenda.
“Kazakhstan is pursuing the best foreign policy, given the circumstances,” said Stefanini, who has a long career in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, including posts in Moscow and Washington.
Why the Middle Corridor is more than just another transport route
Travel Tomorrow, a media outlet focusing on travel experiences and the tourism industry, published an article on June 12 on the Middle Corridor panel session as part of the Astana International Forum.
The conference brought together the international community to address current global challenges, including climate, food scarcity and energy security.
“One of the panel discussions addressed the Middle Corridor in the context of strengthening Eurasian connectivity. The participants touched on the bottlenecks still faced by the transport route, as well as the commitments and investments that need to be undertaken to overcome these hold-ups,” the article reads.
