Almaty, 3 August 2025 - President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres took part in the signing ceremony of the Host Country Agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations concerning the establishment of the UN Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In his remarks, President Tokayev began by expressing his gratitude to UN Secretary-General António Guterres for attending this landmark event.

The President noted that today’s event holds great significance both for Kazakhstan and the United Nations. It serves as a meaningful and powerful signal to the entire international community about the importance of Central Asia, which is emerging as a highly significant actor on the global map.

He added that the signed Host Country Agreement formalizes the establishment of the Regional Centre for the SDGs and marks an important milestone in the longstanding and fruitful cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Nations.

– Amid growing geopolitical turbulence, conflicts, climate and food insecurity – the role of the United Nations must be regarded as a pivotal one in making the world safer and more stable. For Kazakhstan the United Nations remains an indispensable and irreplaceable pillar of the international order. Since joining the UN family 33 years back, Kazakhstan has consistently acted as a responsible, proactive, peace-loving member of the international community, – noted the President.

According to the President Tokayev, the opening of the UN Centre in Almaty reflects the growing strategic importance of the region.

– Today, Central Asia is demonstrating unprecedented unity and strong commitment to the principles of good-neighborhood and shared progress. Countries of the region pursue political and social reforms, take bold measures to diversify economies, invest in human capital, and build more inclusive institutions. We want to foster potential of Central Asia as an active broker in tackling major international issues, and therefore consistently promote a constructive and forward-looking agenda on the global stage. In this context, the establishment of the UN Regional Centre in Almaty is both timely and strategic, – stated the President.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that the Centre will serve as a catalyst for coordinated action in making our economies resilient and vibrant, enhancing regional innovation, and fostering deeper cooperation.  

– There will be no overlapping functions and duties between this Centre and other institutions in the region or beyond. Instead, it will complement the existing efforts, adding value through its regional focus on the needs of the people across the broader region. Central Asia, unfortunately, is known to be affected by the environmental degradation of the Aral Sea and the shrinking of the Caspian Sea. To address these challenges, we all should strengthen regional coordinated actions and strong engagement from the United Nations. Therefore, Kazakhstan will host a Regional Environment Summit in Astana in April 2026, in partnership with the UN agencies, – noted President Tokayev.

As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev further noted, long-term peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan are crucial for ensuring regional security.

– Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through humanitarian assistance, educational projects, trade and food security initiatives. The trade volume of our country with Afghanistan is steadily growing. We believe that peace and development in Afghanistan must go hand in hand. Human dignity and international law are inseparable and part of all efforts toward a lasting stability, – he added.

The Head of State emphasized that Kazakhstan regards the Sustainable Development Goals as a priority of its national strategy.

– Here many achievements have already been done, but under no circumstances should we be complacent in implementing plans to boost the economic development and meeting up the legal needs of our people. Our goal is to safeguard the leading role of Kazakhstan in our part of the world in carrying out bold economic reforms and modernizing our society on the basis of the Rule of Law and Order. Our ultimate goal is to build a really Just and Fair State where basic human rights and high ecological standards will be duly upheld. We will also be placing priority on further digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, as well as building diversified transport infrastructure to make Kazakhstan a truly Eurasian hub of international cargo trade, – he stated.

The President called on governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector to embrace and work together to achieve shared progress.  Only through joint efforts can Central Asia truly develop as a region of stability, opportunity, and sustainable growth.

In conclusion, the President expressed his sincere appreciation to UN Secretary-General António Guterres for his exemplary diplomacy and leadership during these challenging times. He reaffirmed that Kazakhstan will continue to support the Secretary-General’s efforts at the helm of the global Organization.

António Guterres, in his remarks, thanked all those in attendance and noted that the opening of the Centre represents the start of a new chapter for the region in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

– Establishing the Regional Center symbolizes a new era of cooperation in Central Asia, grounded in shared priorities and solutions. It holds great potential for showing how the strong bonds among the region's leaders can translate into deeper economic integration. For the benefit of all people, this is more essential than ever, and I commend President Tokayev for his vision and leadership in helping to shape this new Central Asia, which will increasingly become a fundamental force in our world order, – Secretary-General emphasized.

He also noted that he was pleased to be in Almaty for the opening of the Regional Centre on the eve of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, which will be held in Turkmenistan.

– The Center can become a vital pioneer in implementing the Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries. Today, we must say, Kazakhstan is no longer a landlocked country. Kazakhstan is a center in the global trade system, a center in global logistics, transportation, and telecommunications systems, with its corridors on roads, on railways, on fiber optics, and the transforming. This country is really a bridge. A bridge from East and West, the North and South, – said António Guterres.

In closing, the Secretary-General commended Kazakhstan’s internal reforms and its constructive role in international affairs.

– I am a great admirer of Kazakhstan. For me, Kazakhstan is a symbol of wisdom, a bridge builder, and a messenger of peace – a place where people of different ethnic and religious groups can come together and find a common destiny.
I will never forget that Kazakhstan renounced its nuclear weapons and, through that decision, became a symbol of peace and disarmament – something that is more necessary today than ever. Kazakhstan has always been a voice of reason in a world where, unfortunately, reason itself is struggling to be heard, –the Secretary-General concluded.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-kazakhstanun/press/news/details/1044857?lang=kk