Foreign Minister Meets Representatives of UNDP and UNICEF in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN, August 28, 2019 — The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Beibut Atamkulov, received the new Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yakup Beris.

During the meeting, Mr.  Atamkulov and Mr. Beris discussed issues related to cooperation within the current five-year cycle of cooperation in 2016-2020, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the development of the national system of Official Development Assistance.

The Foreign Minister said that the Government of Kazakhstan was carrying out systematic and focused activities aimed at implementing the SDGs. This July, our country submitted its first voluntary national review of the implementation of the SDGs as part of the High-level Political Forum in New York.

Mr. Beris was pleased to note the steadily increasing level of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UNDP and informed the Minister about the UNDP activities, actions and projects in Kazakhstan. In addition, he expressed gratitude to the Government of Kazakhstan for the new building in Almaty hosting different UN agencies.

On the same day, the Foreign Minister held a meeting with the newly appointed Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Kazakhstan, Arthur van Diesen.

UNICEF was thanked for the support provided to the Government of Kazakhstan on child protection issues. In 2019, UNICEF continued its active cooperation with the Government through implementing programs and projects in Kazakhstan aimed to develop juvenile justice and to create a child-friendly justice system.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the largest UN agency operating in Kazakhstan. In 1993, the UNDP launched its Assistance Program in Kazakhstan. In October 1994, an agreement was signed between the Government of Kazakhstan and the UNDP, covering the priorities of the Program in Kazakhstan.

In 1992, UNICEF launched its work in Kazakhstan. In 1999, a regional office for Central Asia and Kazakhstan was opened in Almaty, and in 2001, a country office was opened in Nur-Sultan.