Factsheet on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s participation at the Astana International Forum
Overview
President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addresses the plenary session of the Astana International Forum (AIF) on June 8.
The flagship event of AIF was also attended by the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva, OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, and Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
Key points from President Tokayev’s address
On the Astana International Forum
• The Astana International Forum is a dialogue platform, which has the following objectives:
- First, openly discuss the situation in the world.
- Secondly, to identify the main challenges and crises that the world faces.
- Thirdly, to face these challenges through dialogue in the spirit of mutual cooperation.
- Fourth, renew and restore the overall culture of multilateralism.
- And fifth, strengthen voices for peace, progress and solidarity.
• Multilateralism, centred in the UN’s principles and values, is not merely the most effective way to address this challenge – it is the only path. These are the principles, the intellectual roots of the Astana International Forum, a space for dialogue to tackle common challenges and move towards cooperation, development and progress.
On the global system and current challenges
• The global system must work for all, bringing peace and prosperity to the many, not to the few.
• The UN remains the only universal global organization that unites all of humanity. At the same time, we will not succeed in meeting the current challenges without a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council. It is necessary that the voices of the representatives of the “middle powers” are amplified in the UN Security Council and are heard.
• While geopolitical pressures push us apart, we face a clear, strong imperative to come together, to engage, to collaborate, and to align with one another. At a time like this, the Astana International Forum presents another opportunity to facilitate this.
• It is necessary to further increase comprehensive assistance to the Afghan people under UN auspices. In this context, it is important to establish in Almaty a UN Regional Center for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.
On Kazakhstan’s contribution to regional and global prosperity and stability
• Kazakhstan has long been a crossroads between East and West, North and South. This forum corresponds to the culture and history of the great Eurasian steppe.
• Despite geopolitical upheavals Kazakhstan keeps serving as an economic engine in and for Central Asia. We continue to attract significant foreign investment and provide an exceptional environment for doing business in Kazakhstan.
• Last year, Kazakhstan's exports increased by almost 40%. While a significant portion of our GDP still comes from the energy sector, the country’s drive to diversify is growing stronger.
• The Middle Corridor (the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route), linking China to the European Union, opens up new opportunities for trade and investment. This route will reduce the time of transportation of goods across the Indian Ocean by almost half.
• Today we can say that Kazakhstan is a truly global, and reliable trade and economic partner.
• Kazakhstan is a strong proponent of nuclear disarmament. The country initiated the Astana peace process to address the Syrian crisis and hosts the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
• The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, headquartered in Astana, has become a visible mechanism to address regional and global challenges.
On Kazakhstan’s reforms
• “Within Kazakhstan, we are making renewed reform efforts to embed principles of justice, rule of law, equality, and fairness. My credo is clearly strong: law and order. This is a solid basis for building Just and Fair Kazakhstan.”
• “In the very short period of time, we have reformed our institutions, curtailed the powers of the presidency, amended our constitution, reset political and economic systems, fought the corruption. So contemporary Kazakhstan is different from what it was, say, two years ago.”
• “Our path to overhaul the existing system is far from over. We understand that political reforms and investments in human capital can save us from the middle-income trap and make our economy more resilient.”
On the challenge of climate change
• More resources must be allocated to support the International Fund to Save the Aral Sea.
• Central Asia is a region where water security can be achieved only through close cooperation and efficiently tailored joint measures.
• To discuss these and other climate related issues in the region, President Tokayev proposed to establish a project office of the Central Asian countries in Almaty and to hold a Regional Climate Summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 under the auspices of the UN and other international organizations.
• Kazakhstan offers tremendous green economy opportunities and emerges as a renewable energy hub.
About the Astana International Forum
Kazakhstan launched the Astana International Forum to unite efforts to address key global challenges.
The two-day event on June 8-9 in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana is envisioned as a global platform for dialogue that gives a voice to middle powers and prominent officials and experts whose ideas and opinions will be important to resolve the tasks facing the world today. Its theme this year is “Tackling challenges through dialogue: Towards cooperation, development and progress”.
A key objective of the forum is to advance multilateralism, international cooperation and dialogue.
The forum serves as a platform for high-level delegates from foreign government, international organizations, businesses and academic circles to engage in dialogue and seek solutions to problems, such as climate change, food shortages, and energy security.
This year, the AIF welcomes over 1,000 participants and more than 100 speakers for more than 40 panels, side events and sessions.