Political, trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State of Qatar was discussed within the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two states.Kazakh delegation was headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister Akylbek Kamaldinov, and Qatari delegation was headed by the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi.The parties outlined ways for cooperation development and expansion in bilateral and multilateral formats, discussed interaction within international and regional organizations to coordinate positions and address current issues, as well as mutual support for each other's foreign policy initiatives. In this context, Kazakhstan and Qatar delegations noted the importance of joint efforts within the United Nations in light of Kazakhstan's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council.The meeting also noted the importance of cooperation within the Joint High-Level Commission and implementation of joint projects aimed at attracting investment to Kazakhstan's economy.The parties agreed on setting a closer cooperation for implementing joint projects in the fields of culture, education and science.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27738?lang=kk

Kazakhstan proposes a road map for implementing the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union (EPCA). This was the announcement made in Brussels today by Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov during the 16th meeting of the Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council.The Agreement, signed in 2015, has so far been ratified by majority of the EU Member States and received consent from the European Parliament. The EPCA is a next-generation document that covers 29 fields of cooperation. Already, new collaborative structures have been created – the cooperation committee in the “trade configuration", a subcommittee on customs issues, and a subcommittee on energy, transport, environment and climate change.“The implementation of the EPCA's full potential corresponds to Kazakhstan's interests as the document will facilitate the effective implementation of the comprehensive modernization strategy pursued by President Nursultan Nazarbayev", the Minister said. The Kazakh diplomat briefed his European colleagues on the policy priorities of the Head of State, as outlined in the yearly State-of-the-Nation “New Opportunities for Development Under the Fourth Industrial Revolution". Kazakhstan offers EU Member States the chance to actively participate in the digitalization of its industry, development of transportation and logistics, and modernization of its agricultural sector.The European delegation, which included high-ranking representatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service, was headed by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Ekaterina Zaharieva, whose country now holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council. During the meeting, the delegations reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation issues between Kazakhstan and the EU, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on February 2.The European Union is Kazakhstan's largest trade and investment partner, accounting for about half of the country's foreign trade and direct investments. The volume of trade between Kazakhstan and the EU increased by 25% in 2017 over the previous year, amounting to about $30 billion.As stated by the Kazakh side, the implementation of the new Agreement will let increase trade volume significantly firstly by high-tech products, and generate new opportunities for economic growth and job creation.“In turn, the strengthening of trade and economic ties is inextricably linked with the free movement of citizens. In this regard, starting negotiations on facilitating the visa regime as soon as possible has become an objective necessity," Minister Abdrakhmanov said. He expressed the hope that negotiations on visa facilitation will start this year.The Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council is the highest body for interaction established under the EPCA. The Council meets once a year at the level of foreign ministers of Kazakhstan and the Member State holding the EU presidency in order to carry out a regular review of the Agreement's implementation, and also to discuss bilateral and international issues.Also today in Brussels, the European media platform “Euractiv" organized a forum on the topic “What's next for EU-Kazakhstan relations", with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko, EU Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian, members of European Parliament, high-ranking officials from the European External Action Service, European experts and the media in attendance. The forum participants noted the high level of comprehensive interaction between Kazakhstan and the EU and the existence of considerable prospects for the continued growth of this cooperation. The forum also highly evaluated Kazakhstan's presidency of the UN Security Council in January 2018.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27736?lang=kk

Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov has held a series of bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Kazakhstan-European Union Cooperation Council meeting taking place in Brussels. At the meeting with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the two sides exchanged views on a wide range of topical international and regional issues, including the situation in Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, as well as the DPRK nuclear programme.Talks with Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, were devoted to the process of updating the EU Strategy for Central Asia. Minister Abdrakhmanov underscored Kazakhstan's readiness to actively participate in the development of a new document with a view to contributing to its effectiveness and taking into consideration the interests of all states in our region. Particular attention was also devoted to cooperation and assistance for Afghanistan, including in education field.The Kazakh Minister also had a noteworthy meeting with Iveta Grigule, the Chair of the European Parliament delegation for Central Asia, during which parties sides discussed the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, including in the legislative field. The next meeting of the Kazakhstan-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee is planned for the fall of 2018.At the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of Belgium, Didier Reynders, Kazakh Foreign Minister discussed the prospects for developing bilateral trade, economic cooperation, and attracting Belgian investment and technologies to Kazakhstan. In the light of Belgium's bid for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in 2019-2020, Minister Abdrakhmanov provided a detailed briefing about Kazakhstan's activities on the UNSC and President Nursultan Nazarbayev's peace-building initiatives.During his trip to Brussels Minister Abdrakhmanov also met with Foreign Ministers Carmelo Abela of Malta and Simon Coveney of Ireland.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27735?lang=kk

According to the information provided by the Guarantor States of the Astana Process on Syria, foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey intend to meet in the capital of Kazakhstan on March 16, 2018.During the talks, the participants are planning to analyze the results achieved during the first year of cooperation on the settlement of the situation in Syria, as well as outline further joint actions.On the eve of the meeting, March 15, 2018, a meeting of senior officials, as well as meetings of the Joint Working Group and the Working Group on the release of detainees/hostages, the transfer of bodies of the deceased and the search for missing persons are expected.The ministerial meeting in Astana will be held without the participation of observers or parties to the Syrian conflict. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will be invited to the meeting.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27429?lang=kk

New York, March 8, 2018. The Kazakhstan delegation headed by Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador at Large Stanislav Vassilenko took part in a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.Within the event, the Security Council members unanimously approved resolution 2405, containing an assessment of the situation in that country, as well as the extended mandate of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan for another year. This event is held quarterly to implement the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to discuss political developments in the country. The meeting was particularly focused on women's involvement in the peace process.The Security Council highly appreciated the visit of the UNSC members to Afghanistan under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in January 2018, which helped to better understand the situation in the country. Additionally, the emphasis was laid on the weight and effectiveness of the UNSC debates on Afghanistan chaired by Kazakhstan on January 19, 2018, themed “Building a regional partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a model to link security and development."Vassilenko stated that political and economic challenges, as well as security threats faced by Afghanistan, require ongoing support from the regional countries, the international community, and, notably, the Security Council. It was highlighted that women and youth occupy a central position in the conflict prevention pattern.Therefore, Kazakhstan is planning to carry out an international conference “Women empowerment in Afghanistan" in autumn 2018 in Astana. Vassilenko also stated: “Our country has suggested to continue the education program for Afghan citizens with co-financing from the European Union and other partners. Within the framework of our $ 50 million educational program, about 1,000 Afghan citizens will study in Kazakh universities between 2010 and 2021." Currently, the European Union has been allocating funds for the first stage of the joint project, which will be implemented together with UN Women and is aimed at training Afghan girls in the universities of our country.Vassilenko pointed out that during the UN Security Council's mission to Afghanistan meetings were held with all the key representatives of the Afghan government and socio-political communities of the country, including women's organizations led by First Lady Rula Ghani.The Kazakh delegation underlined the significance of the so-called three-pronged strategy for tackling conflicts. It includes, firstly, the link between security and development, where sustainable development programs are also required for a lasting peace and security in the country; secondly, a regional approach for close cooperation among the regional countries is needed to overcome transboundary challenges and threats, because today it is impossible to deal with various threats and challenges exclusively within the borders of one state; thirdly, the One United Nations principle, the essence of which is to strengthen coordination and efficiency of the UN at the central and local levels.Given the importance of women in conflict resolution, the Kazakh representative concluded his speech with the Kazakh proverb “Woman rocks the cradle with one hand and rules the world with the other."Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27399?lang=kk

Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, received Ambassador Traian Hristea, the Head of the EU Delegation in Astana, to discuss prospects for developing relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union within the context of agreements reached at the 16th session of the Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council held on 26 February 2018 in Brussels.The two diplomats agreed on the need to begin developing a Roadmap that would reflect joint steps to implement the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), signed in Astana on 21 December 2015. (At the moment, the EPCA is in a status of provisional application pending its ratification by all 28 EU Member States; so far, 23 EU states and the European Parliament have already given their consent for its approval)Moreover, Minister Abdrakhmanov and Ambassador Hristea examined promising areas of cooperation in the field of connectivity, the development of transport and logistics links on the Eurasian continent, and positive developments in cooperation between Central Asian states. The Head of the EU Delegation spoke about the EU Connectivity Strategy for Asia, which is being developed by the European Union and is set to be adopted before the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit to be held in October 2018. In addition, the EU, together with active participation from Central Asian states including Kazakhstan, is engaged in developing a new EU Strategy for Central Asia. It is planned that the new EU Strategy will be adopted in the second half of 2019.Particular attention was paid to cooperation on advancing the sustainable development of Afghanistan. The EU Ambassador reported that the European Commission had begun preparing the first phase of a project to finance the education of Afghan women in Kazakhstan's higher education institutions, which will be implemented as an extension of the Kazakh education program for Afghanistan in place since 2010.During the meeting, the European diplomat was briefed about the status of institutional reforms being implemented in Kazakhstan to ensure the rule of law and improve legislation in various spheres of public life.Minister Abdrakhmanov gave a detailed explanation of the Five Social Initiatives of President Nursultan Nazarbayev aimed at creating new incentives for economic development, strengthening the middle class, and developing the country's human potential.In this context, the two sides discussed prospects for Kazakh-EU collaboration on implementing the initiatives, in view of their compatibility with the main fields of cooperation between Kazakhstan, the European Union, its Member States, and financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27273?lang=kk

ASTANA, March 16, 2018 – Astana hosted a ministerial meeting of the guarantor states of the Astana Process on Syria attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.  In his opening remarks, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov noted that the talks on Syrian settlement launched in Astana in January 2017 with the full support of President Nursultan Nazarbayev provided great opportunities for peace restoration and contributed to a significant reduction of violence and the scale of armed clashes in the country.  “Despite difficulties, the Astana Process has proven to be effective as a platform where all sides to the conflict can express their views and, most importantly, agree on concrete steps. The four de-escalation zones and a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Syria helped reduce the level of violence and enabled more civilians to receive humanitarian aid,” Abdrakhmanov said. The Kazakh Foreign Minister highlighted that the agreements reached within the Astana Process must not remain on paper and called on all actors to observe the UNSC Resolution 2401 and fully comply with the ceasefire regime to stop the unnecessary bloodshed, that is unfortunately happening, for example, in Eastern Ghouta, for instance “No lasting settlement of the Syrian crisis can be achieved without a direct and inclusive dialogue between the parties,” the Minister concluded.  In his opening address at the plenary session, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Astana format, which was set up by Russia, Iran and Turkey a year ago, proved its significance. “With the start of the Astana Process, the city has become a crucial platform for decision-making on a Syrian settlement, one of the most acute international problems. To speak in a lofty style, when the name of the capital of Kazakhstan is heard in the media, millions of Syrians look to Astana with hope,” Minister Lavrov said.  During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey exchanged views on the outcomes achieved during the year since the launch of the Astana Process and outlined further steps to resolve the situation in Syria. Following the meeting, the Ministers adopted a joint statement. A day earlier Astana hosted the first meeting of the Working Group on the Exchange of Detainees and Handover of the Bodies as well as the Identification of Missing Persons established following the eighth round of talks. On the margins of the meeting, Minister Abdrakhmanov held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Turkey to discuss the current issues of Kazakh-Iranian and Kazakh-Turkish relations.  The Foreign Ministries of Iran, Russia and Turkey were also received by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27264?lang=kk

Tashkent, March 27, 2018. Kazakhstan supports international efforts to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and calls on the parties concerned to launch peace talks as soon as possible. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov at the Tashkent High-Level Conference on Afghanistan “Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Connectivity", initiated by the leadership of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The event was opened by Presidents of these states Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.The main purpose of the Conference was to coordinate the basic principles of a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, develop a mechanism for launching negotiations between the government of Afghanistan and the armed opposition, the Taliban movement in particular, as well as to coordinate joint efforts of the world community to support this process.In his address, the Kazakh Foreign Minister underlined that building a model of a regional zone of peace, security, cooperation and development in Central Asia, including the provision of multilateral assistance to Afghanistan in economic and social development, countering threats to peace and security, and strengthening its potential is one of the main priorities of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council.Global initiatives of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev widely supported by the international community are aimed at achieving these and other sustainable development goals.The Kazakh delegation to the UN Security Council held a ministerial debate “Building Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development" on January 19, which resulted in a consensus statement by the UNSC President aimed at improving the efficiency and coordination of the UN funds, agencies and programs in our region.It is noteworthy that in his welcoming address to the participants of the Tashkent conference President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his sincere gratitude to President Nursultan Nazarbayev for initiating that meeting in the UN Security Council.“We believe that reforms aimed at improving social and economic indicators in the country and enhancing the level of education and other human standards should serve as the foundation for stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan," the Minister said.It is known that Kazakhstan had taken the initiative to continue an education program for Afghan citizens provided it would be co-financed by the European Union and other partners. Since 2010, the $50 million education program for Afghan citizens is being implemented in the Kazakh educational institutions. About 1,000 Afghan citizens will receive training in Kazakh universities from 2010 to 2021 as part of the program.“Kazakhstan plans to organize an Empowering Women in Afghanistan International Conference in the autumn of 2018 in Astana. Among its main goals is to discuss the role and contribution of women in the peaceful development of Afghanistan; empowering Afghan women in social, economic and political spheres of the country by enhancing their involvement in the public and private sectors as well as the development of specific recommendations aimed at empowering women in this country," Minister Abdrakhmanov said.It was noted that Kazakhstan would continue rendering technical and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, both as part of bilateral arrangements and multilaterally, annually providing thousands of tons of humanitarian supplies, including food, essential goods, petroleum products and various equipment.New opportunities for providing collective assistance to the social and economic development of Afghanistan are opened by the successful outcome of the working (consultative) meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia, chaired by the President of Kazakhstan in Astana on March 15.The Conference in the capital of Uzbekistan was attended by Foreign Ministers and High Representatives of China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Turkey, United Kingdom, UN, European Union, CSTO, SCO, NATO, and others.The Conference adopted a Tashkent Declaration, which sets out further steps to promote a political settlement in Afghanistan, outlines the central and coordinating role of Afghanistan in the political settlement.On the margins of the international conference, Minister Abdrakhmanov held bilateral meetings with the heads of the US and Iranian delegations.At the meeting with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon, the two sides discussed how to further strengthen the enhanced strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the agreements reached during the official visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the United States in January 2018.The diplomats confirmed the readiness of the sides to support international efforts in stabilization and economic recovery of Afghanistan. The US highly appreciated Kazakhstan's contribution to the peaceful development of Afghanistan. The sides also exchanged views on strengthening regional cooperation between Central Asian countries and the United States.At the meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the ministers discussed Kazakh-Iranian cooperation, including trade, transport and logistics. The main theme of the conversation was interaction within international and regional organizations, including the CICA, SCO, and in the context of the Astana process for the settlement of the conflict in Syria.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27198?lang=kk

KUALA-LUMPUR, April 5, 2018 – On April 5 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Akylbek Kamaldinov paid a visit to Malaysia in the frame of the working trip to the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.During the visit A. Kamaldinov held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato' Sri Anifah Aman, where the parties discussed the state and perspectives of bilateral partnership. Kazakhstan's diplomat underlined that Astana attaches a great importance to the development of relations with Kuala Lumpur at the level of comprehensive partnership declared by the leaders of the two states.The Head of Malaysian Foreign office noted that the Kazakhstan-Malaysian relations are characterized by sustainable political partnership, mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment cooperation.The parties expressed the satisfaction by the progressive development of relations, noted the intensification of the mechanisms of economic cooperation such as the Joint Trade and Economic Committee and the Kazakh-Malaysian Business Council, as well as the dynamics of mutual trade and investment growth.Diplomats underlined that the 14th World Islamic Economic Forum expected to be held during the presentation of the International Financial Center «Astana» on July 4, 2018, should give a new impetus to the further collaboration.A. Aman also has mentioned that the Malaysian side pays particular importance to this significant event of Islam world, as the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak being the Patron of the WIEF traditionally participates at the meetings of the Forum, and considering the possibility of organising the visit of N. Razak to Astana to attend the «Muslim Davos».Diplomats also have discussed relevant issues of the world agenda, exchanged of their views on perspectives of collaboration in the frame of regional organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) was established by the initiative of the Government of Malaysia in 2006. WIEF is the main yearly economic summit of the Muslim world.The agreement to hold the 14th World Islamic Economic Forum in Astana was signed during the visit of the WIEF Foundation's Secretariat Chairman to Kazakhstan on March 13, 2018.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27049?lang=kk

Jakarta, April 6, 2018 – On April 5-6 Mr. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan visited Indonesia in the framework of his working trip to the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.During the visit Mr. Kamaldinov held a meeting with Ms. Retno Marsudi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. The sides discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres, as well as interaction within the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.Both sides expressed satisfaction with the intensification of bilateral cooperation, as it is evidenced by the the participation of Vice President of Indonesia Mr. Jusuf Kalla in the First OIC Summit on Science &Technology held in Astana on September 8-12, 2017, as well as the visit of the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Jakarta in March 2018.The Kazakh diplomat noted that Astana attaches great importance to the development of comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation with Jakarta, which is one of Kazakhstan's key partners in South-East Asia.A. Kamaldinov stressed that Kazakhstan pays special attention to participation of Indonesia, which is a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, in the VI Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in October this year in Astana.Indonesian Foreign Minister expressed gratitude for the invitation of the President of Indonesia to take part in the VI Congress. R. Marsudi for her own part expressed a request for Kazakhstan's support of the candidacy of the Republic of Indonesia for the post of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2019-2020.In conclusion of the meeting Mr. A. Kamaldinov expressed his gratitude to Ms. R. Marsudi for having substantive and trusting negotiations, as well as expressed his hope for the expansion and strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27005?lang=kk

ASTANA, 11 April, 2018 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has resumed the publication of The Diplomatic Herald of Kazakhstan after approving its new format and concept.The Herald pays special attention to analysis of the most important international events and issues, primarily involving the President of Kazakhstan.“Founded in 1996, the journal remains committed to its fundamental purpose – to provide relevant and competent journalistic information on the foreign policy of Kazakhstan. The periodical of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry will include not only the publication of the official opinion of Astana, but also articles by politicians, diplomats and experts of our country and from abroad. We hope that the journal will become an important platform for the development of foreign policy thinking in Kazakhstan," noted Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov in the introductory article.The first issue of 2018 pays considerable attention to the results of the official visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the United States and the outcomes of Kazakhstan's Presidency in the UN Security Council in January. Separate articles are dedicated to the relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union, the country's presidency of the CSTO, the issues of disarmament and the outcomes of the eight rounds of the Astana Meeting on Syria.In addition, a number of authors have shared their thoughts on implementation of the Rukhani Zhangyru program, prospects for digital diplomacy, the Institute of Diplomacy of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan and activities of the Association of Kazakh Diplomats. The section called “Chapters of History" is dedicated to the Kazakh statesman and diplomat Nazir Torekulov.The Diplomatic Herald is published in the Kazakh (“Дипломатия жаршысы"), Russian (“Вестник дипломатии") and English languages.The electronic version of the publication is available on the website – http://mfa.gov.kz/en/content-view/diplomatia-zarsysy-no1-2018Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26979?lang=kk

DUSHANBE, 17 April, 2018 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Akylbek Kamaldinov, attended the 23rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Dushanbe.During the meeting, at which the ECO Chairmanship moved from Pakistan to Tajikistan, the participants considered the reports of the ECO Secretary General and the implementation progress of ECO VISION 2025. The heads of delegations paid special attention to the issues of developing a new scale of assessments and ECO reforms, including its specialized agencies and regional institutions. The Council of Foreign Ministers appointed the representative of Iran, Hadi Soleimanpour, currently holding the post of Deputy Secretary General of the Organization, for the post of a new ECO Secretary General.In his speech, the head of the Kazakh delegation focused on the ECO cooperation areas which are of high priority for Kazakhstan, including in the field of transport, regional trade and investment, as well as on the need for further ECO reforming in order to increase its effectiveness. The Deputy Minister also invited the participants to make use of the potential of the Astana International Financial Center.As a result of the meeting, the ECO adopted the Dushanbe Communiqué.On the sidelines of the Ministerial Council, Mr. Kamaldinov also met with the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif. The sides discussed preparations for the Fifth Caspian Summit. At the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Sirojiddin Aslov, the Kazakh diplomat congratulated Tajikistan on the Chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) for 2018-2020.Kazakhstan joined the ECO in 1992. Currently, the members of the Organization include Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26614?lang=kk

During his visit to the Republic of Turkey, the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, was received by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.The Kazakh Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings and best wishes to the Turkish leader on behalf of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Mr. Abdrakhmanov emphasize that Kazakhstan notes Recep Erdoğan's role in strengthening the Kazakh-Turkish strategic cooperation. Thanks to joint efforts, the leaders of Kazakhstan and Turkey made a statement to intensify conciliatory processes in the Islamic world. Minister Abdrakhmanov recalled that Astana held the first OIC Summit on Science and Technology in September 2017 during Turkish chairmanship ofthe Organization.Mr. Erdoğan expressed his confidence that the official visit of President Nazarbayev to Ankara, planned for the summer, will give a great impetus to all-round cooperation between the two countries. He noted the need to further intensify the work of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council chaired by the leaders of the two states. Kazakhstan is Turkey's largest trading partner in Central Asia and, in this regard, President Erdoğan proposed to set a new goal of increasing the trade turnover to $10 billion.The President of Turkey expressed support for the Astana process on Syria, which, in his opinion, increased the credibility of Kazakhstan onthe world stage. According to Mr. Erdoğan, the guarantor countries will seek to stabilize the situation in Syria, as agreed by the leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran during the meeting in Ankara on April 4. The Turkish leader also thanked Nursultan Nazarbayev for Kazakhstan's contribution to rendering humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people.In Ankara, Kairat Abdrakhmanov also held a meeting with the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, İsmail Kahraman, during which they considered issues of inter-parliamentary relations and interaction between the two countries in international parliamentary organizations.The Kazakh Foreign Minister held a roundtable with representatives of major Turkish companies and honorary consuls of Kazakhstan in Turkey. The Minister briefed them on the economic initiatives of President Nazarbayev, described in the State of the Nation Address New Development Opportunities in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Address Five Social Initiatives. According to the Minister, the Government of Kazakhstan is working to strengthen the stability of its legislation, protect foreign investors and improve the conditions for doing business in the country. Kairat Abdrakhmanov drew their attention to the opportunities connected with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the Astana International Financial Centre.To date, the Turkish business community has invested more than $2 billion in the Kazakh economy, while the volume of Kazakh investments in Turkey is approximately $1 billion. Honorary consulates of Kazakhstan operate in the Turkish provinces of Adana, Bursa, Nevşehir, Mersin and the city of Alanya.As part of his visit, the Kazakh Foreign Minister also held a meeting with the heads of political centers and observers of the Turkish media, where they exchanged views on the geopolitical situation in Central Asia and the Middle East.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26603?lang=kk

BEIJING, April 24, 2018 - The Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states agreed on the agenda for the upcoming Summit to be held in June this year in Qingdao.During the meeting in Beijing, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan discussed the future activities of the SCO in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, and considered a draft Qingdao Declaration and a number of other decisions on the current activities of the organization. The parties carried out an extensive exchange of views on topical issues on the international and regional agendas. They also considered implementation progress of the agreements reached at the SCO Summit in June 2017 in Astana.Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov also noted in his speech the urgency of ensuring food security, and the development of roads and railways, taking into account the extensive system of transport routes of the SCO member states. He also stressed that Kazakhstan supports full involvement of the SCO Business Council and the SCO Interbank Consortium in broader cooperation with the mechanisms of the ministerial meetings and working groups, and proposed to conduct an inventory of the adopted documents in the trade and economic domains and ensure their further implementation.On the eve of the meeting, the heads of delegations met with the President of China, Xi Jinping. He noted that China considers development of the SCO as one of the priorities of its foreign policy and is ready jointly with the other member states of the organization to provide mutual political support, as well as to ensure security and stability in the region, deepen cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road program, and expand humanitarian exchanges.In general, the Foreign Ministers noted that the SCO, drawing on the 'Shanghai spirit' – mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, respect for the diversity of cultures and the desire for joint development – proved to be a credible international organization of a new format and an influential participant in the global community.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26588?lang=kk

ALMATY, April 27, 2018. - Kazakhstan and Poland are focused on further strengthening mutually beneficial trade and economic, cultural and educational cooperation, as well as contacts between citizens of the two countries. This was discussed on April 27, 2018 at the meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Andrzej Papierz, who arrived in Almaty to take part in the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Polish statehood.During the meeting, the parties discussed various issues of bilateral cooperation, expressing satisfaction with the high level of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian collaboration between two states. It was noted that regular visits at the highest level gave a strong impetus to the development of Kazakh-Polish relations. Thus, the state visit of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Poland in August 2016, as well as the return state visit of President of Poland Andrzej Duda to Kazakhstan in September 2017, gave a significant boost to the development of relations, laying a solid foundation for strengthening further cooperation. The Kazakh side expressed special gratitude for the participation of the President of Poland in the high-level debate on Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Confidence-Building Measures under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan held on January 18, 2018 in the UN Security Council. Having wished success to the Polish chairmanship in this important body, which starts this May, Deputy Minister Vassilenko assured his colleague in Kazakhstan's readiness to ensure a high level of participation of the Kazakh side in key events within the framework of the upcoming chairmanship.The meeting also noted the establishment of regular contacts at various levels. It particularly highlighted the importance of the visit of Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki to Astana and his participation in the World Mining Congress this June. Furthermore, the sides discussed the upcoming 8th session of the Kazakh-Polish Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation scheduled for June 20, 2018 in Astana. It is expected that during the upcoming meeting the parties will discuss issues related to extension of cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources, science and technology, agriculture and tourism development.Generally, economic cooperation between the two countries has been developing dynamically since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Poland; today more than 100 Polish companies operate in Kazakhstan, the largest one is POLPHARMA, whose head is a member of the Foreign Investors Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as SELENA, which is actively investing in the economy of our country. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Poland in 2017 amounted to more than $900 million with an increase by 19 percent compared to 2016.No less importance during the negotiations was given to the issue of visa regime facilitation for citizens of the two states. Mr. Vassilenko expressed his gratitude to the Polish side for all-round support in promoting negotiations on the facilitated visa regime for the citizens of Kazakhstan, stipulated in the framework of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union.The sides also discussed development of cooperation in the field of education between Kazakhstan and Poland. As is known, about 800 Kazakh students study in Poland today. The Deputy Foreign Ministries also discussed a number of cultural events to be held this year for strengthening historical and cultural ties between the two countries.In general, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the main issues of the bilateral agenda to promote development of prolific cooperation.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26556?lang=kk

The Astana Economic Forum - 17–19 May 2018 - hosts decision makers in politics, business, science, sport, economics and the arts to discuss the opportunities and risks facing the worldAstana, the capital city of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will welcome world renowned experts and leaders – including Ban Ki-moon, eighth General Secretary of the United Nations and Chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission, Hans Timmer, Chief Economist for the Europe and Central Asian region of the World Bank, and former French President Francois Hollande - to the 11th Astana Economic Forum, Eurasia's leading economic conference, on May17-19.As the Global Challenges Summit 2018, this year's Forum positions Kazakhstan at the heart of the international debate on the opportunities and risks for the future of the planet at a time of remarkable and accelerating change.The unprecedented technological revolution of recent years created world changing megatrends which are affecting every country, business and human being on the planet. Economic growth and resource resilience, digitalisation and urbanisation, longevity and the financial revolution, global security and cultural shift – will all be discussed at the Summit.The Summit brings together more than 200 international speakers from over 27 countries to debate the world's most important challenges and discuss solutions to create a safer and more sustainable planet.Participants include Michio Kaku, physicist, co-founder of the string field theory and populariser of science, Jim O'Neill, former chief economist of Goldman Sachs who is known for coining the BRIC acronym, Parag Khanna, international relations expert and visionary strategist of urban development, Mikheil Janelidze, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Toomas Ilves, ex-president of Estonia, Krzysztof Zanussi, film director and winner of the Golden Lion, the highest prize of the Venice Film Festival, and many others.The Astana Economic Forum will see the most senior executive officials of the Republic of Kazakhstan and chief executives of state-owned companies and development agencies discussing the country's strategies for adapting to the rapidly changing world and its role in developing the Central Asia region.The Global Challenges Summit 2018 follows Astana's successful Future Energy Expo 2017 which provided the backdrop for Kazakhstan to announce its large-scale Third Modernisation pushing the country into the top 30 of the world's strongest economies by means of breakthroughs in innovative development, bold institutional reforms, and extensive international integration.The Astana Economic Forum will be held at the EXPO Congress Centre and Hilton Astana.Prospective participants are invited to register at the Congress website: forum-astana.org.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26459?lang=kk

DHAKA, May 5, 2018 – Kazakhstan's delegation headed by the Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov is taking part in the 45th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.The meeting is themed “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development". The agenda traditionally covers the widest range of issues that are currently relevant for the Islamic world in terms of security and its further enhancement.One of the main issues on agenda is the large-scale humanitarian crisis that resulted from a mass exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar, Bangladesh's neighbor. As Abdrakhmanov noted in his speech, Kazakhstan is fully committed to the collective will and responsibility to protect Rohingya people. In April this year, Kazakhstan's government provided $500,000 worth of humanitarian aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which was delivered to the places where Rohingya are located in.Touching upon the main topic of the session, Abdrakhmanov stressed the paramount importance of strengthening tolerance in relations between Muslim countries and ensuring readiness for interstate dialogue. In this regard, Kazakhstan stresses the Islamic Rapprochement initiative proposed by the presidents of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. The draft resolutions were submitted for the ministerial council's consideration. Their adoption is expected on the second day of the meeting.Abdrakhmanov also highlighted the Astana Process on Syria, which fully supports the UN-led Geneva talks and has proved to be the only platform where practical results were achieved in four de-escalation zones in significantly reducing violence, maintaining ceasefire and returning to peaceful life.“The belief of Kazakhstan in a prosperous future of the Islamic world was the main rationale behind the proposal of the President of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev to hold the 1st OIC Summit on Science and Technology in Astana in September 2017 and it is my pleasure to convey a gratitude to all OIC Member States, which were well represented in that historical Assembly," said Abdrakhmanov.The Kazakh minister informed about the launch of the work of the Secretariat of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) in Astana. It was facilitated by the entry into force of the IOFS Statute after it was ratified by ten member states of the organization. In addition, Kazakhstan has ratified the Agreement On the Headquarters of the IOFS between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the IOFS.Meanwhile, the new organization's work requires a high degree of interstate interaction to address the issue of food scarcity. This should be facilitated by the effective implementation of Kazakhstan's Islamic Infrastructure Initiative (Triple I). Its main goal is the maximum integration of OIC transport and logistics systems through linking the three special development programs of the Islamic Development Bank for Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol program and China's Belt and Road Initiative will gain new impetus.The second day of the OIC ministerial in Dhaka is expected to adopt a Declaration and a package of resolutions on key issues on the Organization's agenda, including staff appointments.The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was named the Organization of the Islamic Conference until 2011, was established in 1969. The Organization received its present name by the decision of the 38th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Astana on June 28-30, 2011. Kazakhstan became a full member of the Organization in 1995. At present, 56 countries are members of the OIC, five countries and five international organizations have the observer status.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26455?lang=kk

DHAKA, May 5, 2018 – Kazakh diplomat Askar Musinov was elected Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Science and Technology at the 45th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Dhaka (Bangladesh).Musinov is a career diplomat who held various positions in the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, served as ambassador to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, executive secretary and deputy foreign minister. He was delegated by the Government of Kazakhstan as the head of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit in the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.“This appointment became possible due to the high authority of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Muslim world and his active work on developing the Islamic world. The election of a Kazakh diplomat for this important post is of particular importance in the light of the implementation of the results of the first OIC summit on science and technology held in September 2017 in Astana," said Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.The victory in the elections is also significant because Kazakhstan's representative has never held such a high-level position in the OIC. Kamrul Ahsan, a Bangladeshi diplomat was Musinov's opponent at the elections. Twelve out of 18 members of the OIC Asian group voted for the representative of Kazakhstan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26451?lang=kk

The 45th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Dhaka (Bangladesh) adopted a Declaration and several resolutions.“We express our profound satisfaction that after over four decades of its establishment, the OIC as the overarching multilateral body of the Muslim world, has continued to raise its profile and visibility at the international level and has become a strategic dialogue partner in the maintenance of international peace and security as well as countering emerging challenges and threats across the OIC space," reads the Declaration.The OIC ministerial was held under the theme “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace and Development". The final Declaration covered a wide range of urgent issues of the Muslim world. The Declaration calls on member states “to actively implement the outcome of the OIC Summit on Science and Technology held last year in Astana, Kazakhstan." A separate resolution highlights the role of the OIC STI Agenda-2026 adopted during the Summit, which outlines the priorities and recommended actions to promote science, technology and innovation. The document recognizes the significance of the EXPO 2017 exhibition in Astana themed “Future Energy", which “would provide impetus to the development of Science and Technology in the OIC Member States".The resolution on Agriculture, Trade, Tourism and Transportation expresses appreciation to the Government of Kazakhstan for facilitating the early take-off of the Secretariat of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS). The IOFS is to undertake appropriate measures for the timely and effective implementation of its five-year Plan of Action. Support was expressed for the development of a comprehensive strategic program (roadmap) on practical implementation and resource mobilization for the “Islamic Infrastructure Integration Initiative", proposed by Kazakhstan.The Foreign Ministers Council welcomed “the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to create a new communication platform G-Global as the most influential force in setting international economic policy through expanding the number of countries participating in the search for global anti-crisis solutions." The resolution “calls upon the OIC General Secretariat and IDB in coordination with other OIC relevant institutions to consider the issue of participating in G-Global."A separate document welcomes the joint declaration of the presidents Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Islamic Rapprochement.The Council of Ministers “reiterates the OIC's support to the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, convened triennially on the initiative by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, and encourages religious leaders of the OIC Member States and the international community to actively participate in the VI Congress to be held in Astana on 10-11 October 2018 under the slogan of “Religious Leaders for a Secure World", reads a resolution.The Resolution on the Situation in Syria welcomes “the cooperation and efforts of Turkey, Russia and Iran in consolidating the ceasefire, establishing the de-escalation areas and adopting confidence-building measures through the Astana process in order to ensure calm for political negotiations."The Resolution on the Regional Arms Control and Disarmament welcomes the entry into force, on 21 March 2009, of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, “which became the first such zone made up entirely of OIC Member States." The document supports Kazakhstan's initiative to elaborate further the issue of the international legal status of the nuclear-weapon-free zones, including security assurances and appropriate preferential status of States Parties to such zones. Hope is expressed that the Protocol to the Negative Security Assets Treaty, signed by five members of the UN Security Council on May 6, 2014, will enter into force in the very near future.Upon Kazakhstan's initiative, a Resolution was adopted on the Former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and the International Day against Nuclear Tests and the Rehabilitation of the Aral Sea Region.The Resolution on Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons “supports the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the adoption of the Universal Declaration of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World in prospect as an important step towards the adoption of the Nuclear Weapons Convention.A Kazakhstan's delegation headed by Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov took part in the OIC ministerial. The Dhaka meeting elected a prominent Kazakh diplomat Askar Musinov as OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26445?lang=kk

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan informs that the guarantor states of the Astana Process have confirmed that the Ninth International High-Level Meeting on Syria will be held on May 14-15, 2018 in the capital of Kazakhstan.Apart from guarantor states of Iran, Russia and Turkey, the delegations of the government and opposition groups of Syria were invited to the meeting, with the UN, the USA and Jordan acting as observers.According to the information received from the guarantor states, during the Astana talks, the sides intend to consider the current situation in Syria, including in the de-escalation zones, discuss humanitarian and confidence-building measures, and coordinate further steps to promote crisis settlement in Syria.Bilateral and multilateral consultations are planned for May 14, and a plenary meeting is scheduled for May 15.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26441?lang=kk