ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin underscored the crucial role of the United Nations in addressing urgent global challenges during his visit to the UN Plaza in Almaty on June 19.
Akan Rakhmetullin visited the UN Plaza in Almaty, where he met with UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey and heads of UN representative offices accredited in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: gov.kz
He highlighted the high level of interaction between Kazakhstan and the UN over 32 years of cooperation.
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service reports that this visit precedes UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s upcoming trip to Kazakhstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on July 3-4 in Astana.
Rakhmetullin emphasized President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s focus on sustainable development, linking the country’s strategies and programs to the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.
He highlighted key achievements, including the adoption of the first Central Asian resolution in the Human Rights Council at the initiative of Kazakhstan called Ensuring Quality Education for Peace and Tolerance for Every Child. He also noted the UN General Assembly’s declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, and the election of Madina Dzharbusynova to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for 2025-2028.
Rakhmetullin also stressed Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish the UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, highlighting its potential to enhance regional peace and security.
Considering that UN agencies with a regional mandate are based in Almaty, the sides discussed regional cooperation within the UN and project activities on current issues facing Central Asia.
UN representatives discussed ongoing activities and priorities, expressing their readiness to assist Kazakhstan in achieving sustainable development at both the regional and country levels.
Rashed Sarwar, UN Children’s Fund Representative in Kazakhstan, outlined projects aimed at empowering children and implemented in close cooperation with government agencies, business representatives, and civil society.
Katarzyna Wawiernia, Resident Representative of the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, focused on joint projects in Abai, Zhetisu, Ulytau, and Kyzylorda regions, especially supporting socially vulnerable populations, including those with special needs.
