ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev met with heads of United Nations agencies operating in the country on Feb. 14 in Almaty to discuss constitutional reform, sustainable development priorities and regional initiatives.
Photo credit: gov.kz
Kosherbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to the UN Charter and the organization’s central role in maintaining international peace, security and sustainable development, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service.
The minister outlined key provisions of the ongoing constitutional reform.
“The reform is systemic and long-term in nature. It is aimed at institutional transformation, strengthening the rule of law, increasing political stability and expanding the rights and freedoms of citizens,” Kosherbayev said.
He noted that a final decision on the proposed constitutional amendments will be made through a nationwide referendum scheduled for March 15.
The meeting also reviewed the priority areas of the five-year Cooperation Framework and discussed the UN Country Team’s plans for the upcoming period.
The development of the UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty was also on the agenda.
“The center is a practical contribution by Kazakhstan to strengthening the UN’s field presence and promoting multilateral cooperation in the region,” Kosherbayev said.
The center was formally established in August in a signing ceremony attended by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, following approval of its mandate by the UN General Assembly.
Kosherbayev thanked UN agencies for their contribution to the preparations for the Regional Ecological Summit scheduled for April 22-24. He also said the summit will launch international consultations on Tokayev’s initiative to establish an international water organization within the UN system.
Amid Kazakhstan’s rapid digital transformation, the meeting also addressed the initiative to establish a UN ESCAP-supported Asia-Pacific Center for Digital Solutions for Sustainable Development in Almaty.
