August 19, 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Portuguese Republic. Throughout a quarter-century of friendship and rapport, cooperation between Astana and Lisbon has developed in an environment of mutual benefit and progress. The visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to Portugal in 2010, as well as the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Portuguese Republic, Paulo Portas, to Kazakhstan in 2014 became significant milestones in bilateral relations. Collaboration between the foreign ministries and relevant agencies of the two nations is strengthening. The first political consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs took place in 2012. The opening of the Embassy of Portugal in Astana in 2015 gave additional impetus to the development of bilateral cooperation. Economic ties are seeing steady expansion. Astana and Lisbon host business meetings on a regular basis, which increasingly lead to the opening of new avenues for mutually beneficial partnerships. Among the promising fields for bilateral economic cooperation are energy (including alternative energy), electronics, agriculture, food industry, pharmaceuticals, civil engineering, and consumer goods. An important line of cooperation is multilateral interaction within the framework of the UN, the OSCE, and other international organizations where Kazakhstan and Portugal hold similar or identical positions on key issues on the international agenda. Kazakhstan is committed to further strengthening political dialogue and expanding comprehensive collaboration with Portugal.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/32001?lang=kk

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Honduras Maria Dolores Aguero, who is paying the first visit by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Astana in the history of bilateral relations.During the meeting held in a friendly atmosphere the parties expressed their interest to establish political dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and Honduras. They also noted the need to identify the most promising areas of bilateral relations, including trade and tourism.The Ministers exchanged views on pressing issues of international relations and regional security. They noted similarity in approaches of two countries on key matters of multilateral agenda and underlined the need to continue fruitful engagement within the framework of the United Nations, where Honduras has put forward its candidacy to the Security Council for 2022-2023.Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov informed about Kazakhstan's engagement with such platforms of regional cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean as the Organization of American States, Association of Caribbean States, Caribbean Community and others. Another important organization is the Central American Integration System that has Honduras among its members and aims to create a free trade zone and common market.Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras led respectable delegation to participate in the celebration of the National Day of Honduras at the EXPO 2017 in Astana. Honduras is operating a pavilion and celebrated this day with an exciting performance of its artists.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/31375?lang=kk

ASTANA, 10 September, 2017 - President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev opened the First Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on science and technology.The heads of delegations adopted Astana declaration of the First Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on science and technology “Science and technology, innovation and modernization in Islamic world"Also, the OIC Chairman's summary report of the meeting of heads of State and Government on the Rohingya muslim community in Myanmar was approved.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/31267?lang=kk

On 10 September 2017 Kazakhstan and the Netherlands mark a significant event - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.In a quarter of a century, Kazakh-Dutch relations have reached a high level of development, and Astana and The Hague maintain intensive and trustful political dialogue while actively expanding trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian ties.The official visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to The Hague within the framework of his participation in the Nuclear Security Summit in March 2014, and the official visit of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, to Astana in December 2015 provided significant impetus to comprehensive dialogue.Parliamentary diplomacy has made its own contribution to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation. The President of the Dutch Senate, Rene van der Linden, and the Chairman of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Kabibulla Dzhakupov, exchanged country visits in September 2012 and May 2015, respectively.During their tenure in 2018 as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands intend to work closely on issues of strengthening peace and stability as well as to provide mutual support in the promotion of the two countries' international initiatives.Trade and economic cooperation lies at the core of bilateral relations. The Netherlands is the “number one” investor in terms of direct investments in Kazakhstan's economy and the second largest European Union partner in terms of foreign trade turnover with Kazakhstan.More than 900 companies with Dutch capital are represented in Kazakhstan's economy, most of them actively engaged in oil and gas, geological exploration, aerospace, supply of agricultural machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals and medicine, and the production of consumer goods.The parties show considerable interest in developing cooperation in the “green technologies” field, as clearly demonstrated by the participation of the Netherlands in EXPO 2017 in Astana.Kazakhstan and the Netherlands intend to continue close trade, economic, and investment cooperation as the foundations for mutually beneficial strategic partnership.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/31257?lang=kk

Distinguished Representatives of the Media,The 6th high-level meeting of the Astana Process on Syria will take place on 14-15 September 2017.Journalists are invited to provide media-coverage of the plenary session which is to be held on 15 September at the «Rixos President Astana» Hotel (time of the beginning of the session will be announced additionally).In order to get accredited it is necessary to send a filled accreditation form (attached hereto) and a scanned copy of a passport, under the “Syrian talk” email subject, to the accreditation@mfa.kz email address, by 12 p.m. (time of Astana) 13 September.Time and place of a press conference (if any) following the meeting will be announced additionally.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/31252?lang=kk

ASTANA, September 21, 2017 - Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko held a meeting with holders of fellowship of the UN Programme on Disarmament who arrived in Kazakhstan within the framework of a three-day visit, organized with the support of the Kazakh Foreign Service. The delegation included diplomats under the age of 35 representing 27 countries.During the meeting Vassilenko briefed the participants about the initiatives of President Nursultan Nazarbayev on strengthening peace and global security announced at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in 2015 as well as during other international events. The Kazakh diplomat stressed the historic importance of opening of the first IAEA Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank on the territory of our country which will help to promote the development of a peaceful atom use and strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. In his speech, Vassilenko paid special attention to explaining Astana's priorities in the UN Security Council promulgated in the political address to the members of the Councilfrom January 10, 2017.UN fellows also took interest in the information on the ATOM Project initiated by the President of Kazakhstan in 2012 to raise awareness of the world society about the threats and consequences of nuclear weapons testing. Vassilenko encouraged the fellows to sign the Project's online petition to world leaders about the renunciation of nuclear weapons and also answered their numerous questions.The UN Programme of Fellowship on the Disarmament was established by the General Assembly in 1978 and aims to ensure the training and capacity development of officials of Member States for their subsequent effective participation in international discussion and negotiation forums on nuclear disarmament.The program of fellows' stay in Kazakhstan also includes a visit to Kurchatov, the territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, facilities of the National Nuclear Center. The fellows will also travel to Semey where they will get acquainted with the exhibits of the State Medical University Museum and visit the "Stronger than Death" monument on Polkovnichy Island.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/31100?lang=kk

ASTANA, October 6, 2017 - In connection with the completion of the diplomatic mission of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Kazakhstan Christian Kamill, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko presented today the Swedish diplomat with the state award - the Certificate of Honor of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to the corresponding Decree of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, Mr.Kamill was awarded the Certificate of Honor for his achievements in the development of fruitful partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Sweden.Mr. Vassilenko highlighted efficient efforts of Ambassador Kamill towards fostering political dialogue, economic interaction and cultural ties between our countries.The official visits of Speaker of theRiksdag (Swedish Parliament) Urban Ahlin and Minister of Agriculture of Sweden Sven-Erik Bucht to Kazakhstan were carried out during the service of Ambassador Kamill. Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Margot Wallström, met three times at the international forumsthis year. This January Kazakhstan and Sweden began joint activities in the UN Security Council and are closely cooperating within its agenda, primarily with respect to non-proliferation and disarmament. Under the auspices of Business Sweden - the Swedish Trade and Invest Council - large Swedish companies well-known for their high-tech and innovative developments paid visits to our country. The exhibition of Swedish artist Tove Krabo in Astana, Almaty and Kurchatov, devoted to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, raised a special interest among the Kazakh public. The concert organized by the State Opera and Ballet Theatre "Astana-Opera" together with one of the main conductors of the Royal Swedish Chamber Orchestra Mats Liljefors was great success.Christian Kamill thanked the leadership of Kazakhstan for the high praise for his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and expressed gratitude to the Foreign Ministry for fruitful collaboration with the Swedish Embassy that became the basis for holding a range of successful joint events.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30934?lang=kk

October 27, 2017, New York – The First (Disarmament) Committee of the United Nations General Assembly today expressed unanimous support for the renewal of Assembly Resolution 64/35 establishing the International Day against Nuclear Tests. The Committee did so by approving, without a vote, the draft resolution contained in document A/C.1/72/L.36, which will now go before the full Assembly for adoption later in December this year.The new draft resolution specifically requests the President of the General Assembly to organize an annual high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests.The International Day, August 29, was established by the General Assembly on 2 December 2009, at the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As is known, it was on this day, in 1991, that President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, by decree, closed the Semipalatinsk test site, which was the second largest nuclear test site in the world.Since 2010, the Day has been widely celebrated all over the world, including annual observances at UN Headquarters that have been organized as informal meetings under the auspices of the General Assembly President. Such annual observances were conducted despite the lack of a clear mandate for the Assembly President to organize them.This year, Kazakhstan took the initiative to include in the text of the resolution the necessary mandate by adding language in which the General Assembly "requests the President to organize an annual high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests".Approval of the draft resolution demonstrates Member States unanimous support for including the necessary language, and reflects the unity of views on the relevance of the International Day in achieving a complete ban on nuclear testing. By its action, the world community also stressed the importance of the International Day as a tribute to the victims of nuclear tests and a reminder to all humankind of the continuing serious threat to international stability and security.Speaking before the First Committee took action on the proposed draft resolution, Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Kairat Umarov, observed that 29 August is a day of historical significance not just for Kazakhstan, but for many other countries around the globe and many millions of people affected by the harmful consequences of nuclear weapons. He called on the world to speak with one powerful and united voice, as well as with firm conviction to continue the struggle to achieve a complete ban on nuclear testing."We are bound by a common shared destiny, and while, in the terminology of the Sustainable Development Goals, we say, 'leave no one behind', in disarmament we should say 'we take care of each other' to save people and this precious planet imperative of ending nuclear weapons tests for the safety and security of humankind," the Kazakh diplomat stated, while requesting support for the continuation of the observance of the International Day against Nuclear Tests.Ambassador Umarov expressed his gratitude to all countries that actively participated in the informal consultations on elaborating the updated draft resolution, as well as its 42 co-sponsors.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30863?lang=kk

ASTANA, 30 October 2017 – Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov hosted Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David M. Satterfield who arrived in Kazakhstan to participate in Astana process as an observer.The parties noted progressive development of strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States. The foreign-policy establishments of the two countries will continue to cooperate tightly on the implementation of the arrangements reached during the telephone conversation between Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Donald Trump in September this year.The talkers exchanged views on the possibilities of resolving the Syrian crisis. The US representatives highly appreciated the role of the Astana process in the de-escalation of the situation in Syria and the cessation of violence.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30860?lang=kk

ASTANA, November 20, 2017 - A group of foreign journalists arrived in Kazakhstan to get acquainted with modern Kazakh culture. The week-long press tour organised jointly by the Kazakh Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Sports, includes visits to Astana, Almaty, Shymkent and Turkestan.The tour involves more than twenty journalists and bloggers specialising in culture and art from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain and the United States.As Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov explained during the meeting with the participants of the press tour, Kazakhstan this year started the implementing a major programme initiated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev under the title of “Modernization of Kazakhstan's Identity," which includes the intensification of efforts to promote modern Kazakh culture internationally. The press tour will help the journalists get a broad view of Kazakhstan's cultural diversity and potential.In Astana, the journalists familiarised themselves with the activities and expositions of the National Museum and the Kazakh pavilion at the EXPO 2017. Kazakh writers and scholars – Umitkhan Munalbayeva, Tursyn Zhurtbai, Bolat Komekov, Alimzhan Bayangali, Turzhan Onaygul and Ulyqbek Yesdaulet – addressed the press tour participants at the National Academic Library. Meetings were also held with Prof. Adil Akhmetov and a patron and traveler Sapar Iskakov. At the Astana Opera theatre, foreign media representatives attended the opening night of the Carmen opera.Tours to the ancient city of Otrar, the mausoleums of Arystanbab and Khoja Ahmed Yassawi and the Azret Sultan State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve were organised jointly with the Akimat (governor's office) of the South Kazakhstan region.The tour to Almaty was made possible with the support of the city Akimat and includes visits to the Abylkhan Kasteyev State Museum of Arts, the Esentai Gallery, Platforma Theatre Centre, the Multimedia Centre for Traditional Music, the Qazaq-Oner Crafts Centre and a meeting with aspiring young Kazakh poets among other events.The Kazakh Foreign Ministry arranges press tours for foreign journalists to cover political and economic events in Kazakhstan on a regular basis. The current press tour within the “Contemporary Kazakh culture in the global world" project, the first of its kind, is also designed to enhance tourism development and Kazakhstan's overall positive image as a dynamically developing nation.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30661?lang=kk

20 November, 2017, London – The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, met today with UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, as part of the Kazakh-British Strategic Dialogue.The two Foreign Ministers confirmed their intention to maintain high-level contacts and mutual interest in developing relations in all areas of bilateral cooperation.During the meeting, Foreign Minister Abdrakhmanov said: "Kazakhstan will continue to strengthen its strategic partnership with the UK in order to modernise its economy and increase investment and trade between the two countries." He added that for the last 25 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, the United Kingdom has played and continues to play an important role in the development of Kazakhstan's economy.Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson noted the great importance of Kazakhstan for the UK and expressed London's intention to strengthen all-round cooperation with Astana. He said: “Kazakhstan will be the first Central Asian nation to chair the UN Security Council. I look forward to further cooperation on global security."The two sides also discussed important issues on the international agenda, including the priorities of the forthcoming chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council, the Astana Process on the settlement of the situation in Syria, the situation in Afghanistan, the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukraine, countering terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and regional cooperation in Central Asia.The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan also held meetings with the management of the British company 'Metalysis', as well as 'TheCityUk', and discussed current and prospective investment projects and opportunities in Kazakhstan.In addition, the Foreign Minister attended the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the international affairs think-tank 'Eurasian Council of Foreign Affairs'.Mr Abdrakhmanov said during his speech: "Kazakhstan is working to further improve its investment climate, and we are interested in expanding investment cooperation with European companies, including British." It was noted that this year Kazakhstan ranked 36th in the World Bank's Doing Business ranking.The participants also discussed ways to further develop relations between Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries with Europe, especially in the field of transport, logistics, energy and financial technologies. Kazakhstan's unique geo-economic position in the centre of Eurasia, as well as the country's efforts to develop its transit potential and contribution to the implementation of the 'One Belt One Road' Programme, were also discussed.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30659?lang=kk

LONDON, November 22, 2017 – Speaking at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov focused on the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the UN Security Council in January 2018.The head of the Ministry elaborated on the implementation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's international initiatives, such as the achievement of a nuclear-weapon- free world and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. He noted that as a member of the UNSC, Kazakhstan also attaches particular importance to issues of security in Central Asia, peace and stability in Africa, countering international terrorism and extremism, resolving the Syrian crisis, settling the situation in Afghanistan, as well as the UN reform. Meeting participants showed interest in the EXPO 2017 legacy and the implementation of such projects as the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and the international centre for the development of green technologies among other things.While in London, Abdrakhmanov also met with the Members of Parliament and the members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Kazakhstan headed by its Chairman Bob Stewart. The Minister briefed the British Parliamentarians on the main provisions of President Nazarbayev's article “Course towards the future: modernisation of Kazakhstan's identity”, the implementation of the 100 Concrete Steps National Plan, the privatisation programme, as well as the project on creating and developing the AIFC. Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Kazakhstan noted the high dynamics of the Kazakh-British relations' development and expressed their readiness to support the implementation of joint projects.The development of trade, economic and investment cooperation was an important priority of the Kazakh Foreign Minister's visit to London. He discussed current and prospective joint projects with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti. According to the head of the EBRD, Kazakhstan is the Bank's model partner. In recent years, the number of joint projects with the state and private sector has significantly risen, Kazakhstan's role in the region and the world has increased. The EBRD intends to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan in implementing public-private partnership projects, the One Belt One Road initiative, as well as to promote the country marketing on foreign markets.Business cooperation was the main topic for discussion at the foreign minister's meeting with influential business executives who are also the members of the British-Kazakh Society. Investments in the Kazakh economy and the launch of new companies were discussed during separate meetings with the leadership of Independent Power Corporation and United Green companies, which show interest in investing in non-oil projects of Kazakhstan.Abdrakhmanov also met with the society of Kazakh students studying in the UK under the Bolashak programme. The foreign minister noted that young Kazakh citizens who received foreign education are an important asset for the country that is facing the strategic tasks of comprehensive modernisation and joining the top 30 developed countries of the world and wished the students success in their academic achievements.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30654?lang=kk

LIMA, 28 November 2017 – Kazakhstan and Peru held the first round of political consultations. The Kazakh delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev, while the Peruvian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nestor Popolizio.In the course of the consultations, the sides expressed mutual desire to intensify the political dialogue further for enhancing bilateral ties and filling them with practical content, as well as the steps aimed at strengthening trade and economic partnership and developing cultural and humanitarian contacts.In addition to the need to deepen bilateral cooperation, the sides exchanged views on international issues. In particular, they discussed topical issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, and confirmed the similarity of approaches in solving key issues in international politics, readiness to expand cooperation in combating new challenges and threats, as well as interaction in maintaining international peace and security.The Kazakh diplomat handed over a personal invitation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov to the Head of the Peruvian Foreign Office to participate in the UN Security Council Ministerial Debate on Central Asia and Afghanistan in January next year within the framework of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the UN Security Council.Ashikbayev noted that Kazakhstan counts on close cooperation with Peru on all items of the UN Security Council agenda, as well as on common priorities within the Council during the period of joint membership in the Organization. The Peruvian diplomat, after welcoming the first official visit of the Kazakh delegation to Lima, agreed that expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two states is very important, especially in the light of Peru membership in the UN Security Council from January 2018.Following the talks, the representatives of foreign ministries of the two countries signed a Memorandum for the Establishment of a Mechanism for Political Consultations, thus broadening the Kazakh-Peruvian legal framework.At the end of the visit to Peru Ashikbayev held a meeting with the Director of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Agency – PROMPERU, whom he handed the list of the most high-priority export goods of Kazakhstan in order to expand business contacts between the countries and to diversify bilateral trade.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30575?lang=kk

November 29, 2017, New York – The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in response to North Korea's launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at which all Council members strongly condemned, in no uncertain terms, the third launch of an ICBM within the span of just the last six months.The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr Jeffrey Feltman, informed the Council that the North Korean missile “Hwasong-15” was a considerably improved and updated model of ICBMs with a range of up to 13,000 kilometers, with the ability to reach the territory of the United States. He also stressed that over the past two years, nuclear tests and rocket launches conducted by Pyongyang led to serious tension on the Korean peninsula and beyond. “Given the grave risks associated with any military confrontation, in exercise of its primary responsibility, the Security Council needs to do all it can to prevent an escalation. Unity in the Security Council is critical,” warned USG Feltman.Ambassador Kairat Umarov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations and representing the country as an elected member of the Council, expressed extreme concern about this latest provocative missile launch by Pyongyang. According to the Kazakh delegation, this launch runs counter to the demands of the international community and gravely violates all relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Such further provocations would only generate even greater confrontation and spur a new wave of escalations with untold consequences. At the same time, according to Kazakhstan, he indicated that there is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the North Korean crisis, and the stalemate can only be overcome through negotiations, dialogue and goodwill by all parties."We must avoid sliding down the military path. We need to focus on finding possible political and diplomatic measures to resolve the issue. Therefore, Astana stands for the tireless search for a comprehensive and collective solution of the issue through new decisive political and diplomatic actions. It is only through meaningful communication and collective deliberations, accompanied by confidence-building measures, that we will be able to find a way out of this very complex situation," Ambassador Umarov said.The meeting concluded with Security Council reaffirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, and also its commitment to search for political and diplomatic paths, accompanied by the effective implementation of all previous sanctions measures against Pyongyang.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30551?lang=kk

Distinguished Representatives of the Media,The 8th high-level meeting of the Astana Process on Syria will take place on December 21-22, 2017.Journalists are invited to provide media-coverage of the plenary session which will be held on December 22 at the «Rixos President Astana» Hotel (time of the beginning of the session will be announced additionally).In order to get accredited it is necessary to fill out an accreditation form (https://goo.gl/forms/rVhgFK2BIJ8PF7gx1) and to send scanned copy of a passport and an official letter of the Chief/Editor in Chief under the “Syrian Talks 8" email subject, to the accreditation@mfa.kz email address, by 12 p.m. (time of Astana) December 15.Time and place of a press conference (if any) following the meeting will be announced additionally.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/29601?lang=kk

ASTANA, January 1, 2018. - From January 1st to 31st, Kazakhstan, for the first time in its history, assumes the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.As part of its role, the Presidency coordinates the Council's activities and, with the assistance of the UN Secretariat, ensures continuity within the Council's daily work. The Presidency also makes statements on behalf of the Council, in consultation with the Security Council members, as well as releasing press statements following discussions within informal consultations and whenever the Security Council reaches agreement on the text of a document.It is expected that on January 2, the permanent representatives of the UN Security Council will review the programme of the Presidency for the month ahead. It is also planning to hold briefings on the Council's programme of work for UN member states that are not members of the Security Council, as well as for the media and NGOs. Following a proposal by Kazakhstan , the Security Council, will for the first time, hold an official ceremony where the flags of Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Poland will be flown to honour their election as new non-permanent members of the Council for the next two years.The UN Security Council Thematic Debates entitled “WMD Non-proliferation: Confidence-building Measures", chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, are also planned to take place on 18th of January. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as the Chair of the Governing Board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Ambassador Jan Eliasson, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, have been invited to address the debates.On January 19th, the UN Security Council will hold a Ministerial-level debate on the threats to international peace and security focusing on the topic: “Building a Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development.” It is expected that Foreign Ministers of Central Asian nations and Afghanistan, as well as heads of foreign-policy establishments of the UNSC member states, will attend.On January 25th, the UNSC will hold its quarterly open debate on the topic “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” which will focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It will be attended by permanent representatives of UN member states.In addition, open and closed discussions of the Council, on the situation in Syria, Libya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Darfur, West Africa and Sahel, South Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Cyprus and Colombia will be held under the Presidency of Kazakhstan in January.Several resolutions and Presidential statements are scheduled to be adopted.The priorities of Kazakhstan as a member of the UN Security Council in 2017-2018 are indicated in President Nursultan Nazarbayev's policy address to the UNSC “Kazakhstan's Concept and Vision for Sustaining Global Partnerships for a Secure, Just and Prosperous World.” These include: 1) achieving a world free of nuclear weapons; 2) eliminating the threat of a global war and reaching the settlement of local conflicts; 3) promoting the interests of Central Asia while strengthening regional security and cooperation; 4) countering terrorism; 5) peace and security in Africa; 6) ensuring an inextricable link between security and sustainable development; 7) adapting the Security Council and the entire UN system to the threats and challenges of the 21st century.Presidency of the UNSC has a significant international status because the Security Council can make decisions regarding coercive measures, economic sanctions and collective military action. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and international security, and all UN member states are obliged to help in implementing its decisions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/29443?lang=kk

On January 1, 2018 we celebrate 25thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic.The quarter of the century has passed under the sign of a strong and steady growth of bilateral interaction in all areas of cooperation. We have established a trustful political dialogue, significantly increased the volume of bilateral trade, expanded the base of bilateral agreements, built up cultural, humanitarian and educational exchanges.The key events which have greatly contributed to the development of bilateral relations include the official visit of the President of the Czech Republic His Excellency Vaclav Klaus to Kazakhstan in 2004, official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev to the Czech Republic in 2012, official visit of the President of the Czech Republic His Excellency Milos Zeman to Kazakhstan in 2014, and the working visit by the Czech leader Milos Zeman to Kazakhstan in 2017 to participate in the opening ceremony of the International Exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana.The history of diplomatic relations has witnessed the establishment of an active cooperation between the legislative bodies of two countries where the Inter-Parliamentary Kazakhstan-Czech Friendship Group have been playing a major role. The Parliament of the Czech Republic became the one of the first legislative bodies in the European Union to ratify on September 15, 2016 the Agreement between Kazakhstan and EU on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation. Two countries have defined and have been developing the priority areas of economic cooperation, including energy, machine building industry, agriculture, logistics, education and tourism. To a large extent, the progress in economic dimension have been achieved due to the activities of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which was established in 2005. The inclusion of Kazakhstan in 2009 into the list of 12 priority trade and economic partners of the Czech Republic contributed to further expansion of ties in the area of trade and investment. A growing inflow of tourists from Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic has served as a live bridge between two countries. The higher educational institutions of the Czech Republic became the centre of attraction for Kazakh students. Since January 1, 2017 all Czech citizens have been granted non-visa regime for 30 days visit to Kazakhstan. The Republic of Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic enjoy constructive cooperation in the international arena and contribute to peace and global security through the mechanisms of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations. Kazakhstan is determined to further promote comprehensive and strong relations of friendship and trust with the Czech Republic.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28404?lang=kk

On January1, 2018 the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Slovak Republic celebrate 25thAnniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.During the quarter of a century of friendship and partnership two countries established a trustful political dialogue, created favorable conditions for the development of trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, broadened the base of bilateral agreements. The first official visit of the President of the Slovak RepublicHis Excellency Rudolf Schuster to Kazakhstan in November 2001, which resulted in signing of the Declaration on Fundamentals of Relations, has served as an important stage in the process of the development of bilateral cooperation. Further significant impetus to the strengthening of cooperation was given by the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev to Slovakia inNovember 2007 and the official visit of the President of the Slovak Republic His Excellency Ivan Gasparovic to Kazakhstan in March 2010, and theworking visit of the Slovak leader Ivan Gasparovic to Kazakhstan in December 2010 to participate in the OSCE summit.The parliamentary diplomacy has always greatly contributed to the strengthening of the Kazakh-Slovak relations. The highest legislative bodies of two countries have established Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Groups. There is a regular exchange of visits between the members of two parliaments. The Parliament of Slovakia was one of the first legislative bodies in the European Union to ratify the Agreement between Kazakhstan and EU on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation. The official visit of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic His ExcellencyMiroslav Lajčák to Kazakhstan in November 2016 has contributed a lot to further strengthening of the political dialogue. Regular meetings of the Foreign Ministers within various international events as well as Ministerial consultations of two countries serve as an effective mechanism to secure steady cooperation.Trade and economic relations have been developing consistently and progressively. Two sides have defined energy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agriculture, pharmacy, transport infrastructure development, education and tourism as priority spheres of economic cooperation. Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which already held 6 meetings, have been playing an important role in promoting interaction between business circles of two countries. Kazakhstan and Slovakia share close positions on key international issues,enjoy constructive cooperation in the international arenato contribute to peace and global security in the UN, OSCE and other international organizations. Slovakia supports Kazakhstan on EU visa regime liberalization for citizens of Kazakhstan. Since January 1, 2017 all Slovak citizens have been granted non-visa regime for 30 days visit to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan and Slovakia are determined to further pursue foreign policy aimed at comprehensive strengthening of bilateral relations for the sake of the peoples of two countries.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28403?lang=kk

ASTANA, 4 January 2017 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev discussed the program of Kazakhstan's activity as the chairman of the UN Security Council during the press conference at the Central Communications Service.Ashikbayev noted that during the presidency in the UN Security Council, the Kazakh delegation will continue to implement the seven priorities set by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in his political address to the UN Security Council titled “Kazakhstan's conceptual vision of strengthening global partnership for building a safe, just and prosperous world.”On the first working day, the members of the UN Security Council considered and adopted the Council's Work Program for January, expressed their full support and underlined its eventfulness, content, relevance and balance. The Deputy Minister emphasized that Kazakhstan established the ceremony of raising the flags of new non-permanent members of the Security Council as the practice for the UN Security Council.During the press conference, Ashikbayev drew attention to the forthcoming high-level thematic briefing on the theme “Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: confidence-building measures” chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to be held on January 18. It is expected that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as high-level representatives of the UN Security Council member countries will speak at the event. “The theme of the briefing clearly correlates with the traditional priorities of the Kazakh diplomacy and with the foreign policy initiatives of the Head of State,” the deputy minister said.Another important event during the presidency in the UN Security Council will be the ministerial debate titled “Building a regional partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a model for the interdependence of security and development” with the participation of Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.As for the situation in Afghanistan, Ashikbayev mentioned three main aspects in the solution of the Afghanistan problem, which could serve as a further model for application in other conflict areas: the close relationship between security and development, regional approach to solving various problems and a comprehensive development strategy between the UN structures. He also noted that the solution of the Afghanistan problem is of particular importance for ensuring long-term stability and security for the countries of the region.In January, on a traditional basis, the Council will hold open and closed discussions of the situations in Syria, Libya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Darfur, West Africa and the Sahel, South Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Cyprus and Colombia under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. On January 25 there will be quarterly open debates of the UN Security Council at the level of the permanent representatives of the UN member states on the theme “The situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine.” It is scheduled to adopt a number of resolutions and presidential statements.The Deputy Minister also spoke about the results of the first year of Kazakhstan's membership in the UN Security Council. The Kazakh delegation contributed to the adoption of 61 resolutions, including 11 co-authorships and 27 statements by the chairman of the Security Council. There were voiced the issues that are in priority for Kazakhstan, including preventive diplomacy and the strengthening of confidence-building measures, non-proliferation, conflict resolution, countering international terrorism, and others. Thus, Kazakhstan acts in the common interests of the whole world as a fair mediator.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28401?lang=kk

On January 15, 2018 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia – Permanent Representative to the African Union H.E. Mr. Yerlik Ali and African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security H.E. Mr. Smail Chergui signed the Agreement on providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia.Within the context of the Agreement, Kazakhstan allocated 215 thousand dollars US to the Commission of the African Union for providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia. The objectives of the Agreement relate to allocating finances for the implementation of two clean water projects in the Southwest of the country – in regions controlled by the African Union AMISOM peacekeepers.In accordance with the Agreement, the Kazakh side will undertake the inspection visit to Somalia during the second half of 2018 – in order to verify the implementation of the mentioned projects.The decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia through the relevant African Union structures is based on the assumption that social and economic situation in the country are extremely difficult - due to the civil war and the destructive activity of the Al-Shabab terrorist group.The agreement was signed in the framework of policy on providing voluntary contributions by Kazakhstan to international organizations.In addition, the decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia corresponds with the Kazakhstani priorities as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which were formulated in the Address of the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, and submitted on January 10, 2017 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs K.Abdrakhmanov at the debate The UN Security Council (to promote the peaceful and stable development of Africa).In addition, the situation in Somalia is part of the responsibility of the Republic of Kazakhstan in its capacity of the chairman of the Security Council's sanctions committee for Somalia and Eritrea (Committee 751/1907).Besides, these projects on providing water to the affected population correspond to the four priorities of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council: nuclear, water, food and energy security.Kazakhstan since November 2014 is an observer of the African Union, which unites 55 states of the continent with a population of over 1 billion people.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28285?lang=kk