Kazakhstan takes active part in addressing issues on international agenda

LONDON, 1 July 2022 – Kazakhstan continues to take an active part in addressing important issues on the international agenda both on bilateral and multilateral platforms. On 2-6 July, a delegation of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan will take part in the 29th Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA) in Birmingham.

The 2022 meeting is the first in-person Annual Session since 2019. Parliamentarians from across the OSCE area – which is 57 states of Europe, Asia and North America – will debate topics related to political affairs and security, economic and environmental issues, science and technology, and democracy, human rights and humanitarian questions.

The Kazakh delegation will be led by Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Askar Shakirov, who is also the OSCE PA Vice-President.

The Kazakh delegation is expected to deliver speeches at plenary sessions and meetings of general committees, hold bilateral talks with the delegation of British parliamentarians and other delegations, as well as the present a draft resolution “Implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the OSCE area.”

The Kazakh delegation will also hold a side event themed “Creating a New Kazakhstan in a Changing World and Modern Challenges.”

The OSCE PA will culminate in the adoption on 6 July of the Birmingham Declaration, which will contain recommendations for national governments, parliaments, and the international community.

On 5 and 6 July, London will host an International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The Kazakh delegation attending the conference is to be led by the Minister of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan Askar Umarov.

The conference, hosted by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, will bring together high-level representatives of governments and religious leaders. The event is designed to drive collective action in promoting mutual understanding between various religious communities around the world. The participation of the Kazakh delegation is intended to emphasise the country’s important role in the global inter-civilisational, inter-religious and interfaith dialogue, especially in light of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is set to be hosted in Kazakhstan’s capital on 14 and 15 September 2022.

Last but not least, on 8 July, a regional business forum marking the 30th anniversary of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) working with Central Asia will take place at the EBRD headquarters. Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan Yerulan Zhamaubayev is expected to lead the delegation from Kazakhstan.

The forum will discuss new business opportunities in each of the countries of the region, as well as the transition to sustainable mining in Central Asia. Mr Zhamaubayev is also to hold bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations of Central Asian states, as well as with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso in order to consolidate agreements following her recent visit to Kazakhstan to participate in the meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.