Kazakhstan enhances cooperation with the UN regarding rehabilitation of returnees from conflict zones

Nur-Sultan, November 26, 2020 - Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev spoke at the high-level Global Conference on Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asia, organized by the United Nations Development Program. The online event was attended by the heads of foreign ministries of all Central Asian countries, the heads of UN regional offices and international experts in the field of countering terrorism and extremism.

The Kazakh diplomat thanked the UN and the Government of Japan, which funded this initiative, for the successful implementation of the Strengthening Community Resilience and Regional Cooperation to Prevent Violent Extremism in Central Asia project, which supported the socio-economic involvement and civic engagement of young people in the country's regions during 2018-2020.

The Deputy Minister also stressed Kazakhstan's commitment to implementing Central Asia's Joint Plan of Action to counter terrorism and noted the importance of further promoting the Code of Conduct towards Achieving a World Free of Terrorism proposed by the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev in his political address to the UN Security Council in January 2017.

In addition, taking into account the high interest of the international community in the unique experience of Kazakhstan in the field of repatriation of citizens from conflict zones and their rehabilitation, the Deputy Foreign Minister delivered a comprehensive presentation on the work carried out in Kazakhstan and called for further strengthening of cooperation with UN agencies and other international partners in this area.