ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced Dec. 30 newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov to the senior staff of the ministry.
The head of state also announced the upcoming appointment of Erlan Idrissov as Kazakh ambassador to the United Kingdom and thanked him for his work as foreign minister over the past four years.
Nazarbayev emphasised that in the face of challenging global circumstances the foreign ministry faces new challenges that require new approaches.
“Starting Jan. 1, Kazakhstan will begin its work in the UN Security Council. The fact that we were elected as its non-permanent member is a testament of respect from the global community towards our country. This is an important task that requires the global leadership of Kazakhstan in the movement for a nuclear weapons free world and other international issues,” Nazarbayev said.
The President noted that in January Kazakhstan will host the 28th World Winter Universiade, which will be attended by representatives of many countries.
Nazarbayev also drew attention to the upcoming Astana EXPO2017 international exhibition in June-September 2017. “Representatives of 112 states and 18 international organisations confirmed their participation in the exhibition. The success of the event depends on the purposeful work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the President stated.
Nazarbayev emphasised the need for careful preparation for the upcoming talks on Syria in Astana. [Later in the day, he spoke with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on the phone to discuss the upcoming talks, reconfirming Kazakhstan’s readiness to host them.]
According to the President, an important task for the foreign ministry is to maintain its work on the Eurasian Economic Union, taking into account the country’s national interests.
“In the context of the global economic crisis, an economic dimension must remain the systemic element of paramount importance in the activity of the diplomatic service of the country. It’s necessary to deal with issues of attracting investments and export of domestic goods. In this regard, the work of the Foreign Ministry and embassies should be strengthened. Thorough work should be done on preparation of major international events scheduled next year in Astana – the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organisation] and the OIC [Organisation for Islamic Cooperation] summits,” the President said.
Nazarbayev also pointed out the need for embassies to monitor the implementation of Kazakhstan’s trade and economic agreements with other states and the importance of choosing the best ministry staff to represent the country abroad.
In conclusion, the Kazakh President praised the ministry for its efforts and congratulated everyone on the coming New Year.
