YouSaid · the spoken record

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

lines on the record: 82
first: 2019-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We are giving greater attention and value to young people who work hard and. with the support of the Government, will contribute to the sustainable development of the country and its leading position in international forums. The health, well-being and good education of the younger generation are key priorities of Kazakhstan’s State policy. I place my hope in the younger generation. They will drive our country into future. At home and abroad, we are working for that better future. Let us rekindle the spirit of unity and collective action that underpins the United Nations. Let us remember that our shared commitment to a better world transcends our differences. Kazakhstan stands ready to collaborate with all Member States in the pursuit of a brighter, more just, and sustainable world.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Those reforms are based on principles of justice, equality. fairness, and freedom. It is my personal credo that the rule of law must prevail in all circumstances. We understand that only political reform and investments in human capital can make our economy more resilient and robust. Kazakhstan has made significant progress in achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls. We have introduced a 30 per cent quota for women, youth and persons with disabilities in the electoral party lists. It will allow them to participate more actively and equally in the political life of the country. In my recent State of the Nation address. I presented a new economic policy that is designed first of all to provide all citizens the opportunities necessary for decent life.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Let me also present a brief update on our domestic reform efforts. Despite global, regional and geopolitical challenges, our society and Government are building a just and fair Kazakhstan. In a very short period of time, we have reformed our institutions, amended our Constitution, curtailed the powers of the presidency, reset political and economic systems and battled corruption. Much has been done in only two years. The mindset of our people, particularly of the younger generation, has already changed substantially in that time. The presidential mandate has been limited to one seven-year term. That proposal was supported by the people of Kazakhstan in a public referendum and will remain unchanged in the future. We will firmly adhere to the formula of “a strong President, an influential Parliament and an accountable Government”.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Saving the Caspian Sea must be a matter of common priority that requires long-term international cooperation. Kazakhstan is committed to further enhancing multifaceted cooperation with the countries of Central Asia. Our region can play a more active role as a cohesive and independent part of the international community, while contributing to global development processes. Fortunately, economic activity is growing. Over the past five years, intraregional trade has doubled to $10 billion. Our regional agenda includes Afghanistan, which must become a stable and prosperous State and a reliable trade partner. In that context, the time is right to establish a United Nations regional centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. I call on all Member States to support our initiative.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In our region, we have seen how water scarcity has created serious economic and other challenges in transboundary river basins. That will be replicated across the world — by 2040. global demand for water may outstrip supply by as much as 40 per cent. We must therefore combine political will and economic resources to address that critical global issue, simultaneously with climate action. Next year we will assume the chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. We will continue our efforts to prevent the further degradation of the environment and its impact on livelihoods around what was once the fourth largest lake on the planet. Today it is the world’s largest lake — the Caspian Sea — that also faces ecological challenges, including shallowing, water diversion and the pollution of flora and fauna.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Instead we must focus on positive change, such as the climate-positive actions identified by the United Nations, including investing in green jobs, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and ensuring that all climate actions are fair and inclusive and involve women at all levels. Yet without proper funding, ambitious plans to combat climate change will remain unmet. In that regard, we propose to launch a just energy transition partnership in Kazakhstan. A gradual, sustainable and socially responsible transition away from coal would be a big bonus for global climate change goals. Kazakhstan’s initiative to open a project office for Central Asia on climate change and green energy in Almaty can lead on those issues. We look forward to hosting a regional climate summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 under United Nations auspices.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The urgency of climate action risks become a cliche, but it is a dangerous cliche because immediate, effective and transformational steps are urgently required to prioritize environmental protection. Central Asia is one of its front lines. Even if we successfully limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2030 — which is looking increasingly unlikely — we will experience between 2°C and 2.5°C of temperature rise in Central Asia. Despite the long road of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, we must all remain committed to a carbon-free future. The climate agenda should not be used to introduce measures restricting trade and investment cooperation.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must boost voluntary information exchange on food security, including volumes of production, and the export and import of food products. In concert, we must enable the transparent tracking of funding from the international community in response to food crises. Kazakhstan is ready to act as a regional food supply hub. We have all the required resources, infrastructure and logistics in place for those purposes. Kazakhstan is already a reliable link for nearly 80 per cent of overland transit traffic between Asia and Europe. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route — the so- called Middle Corridor — can significantly strengthen East-West engagement. The route could increase the pace of trade between critical markets, cutting by almost half the amount of time required to transport goods via the maritime route.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Kazakhstan is a peace-loving nation that pursues its own national interest while continuously searching for peaceful solutions to pending international issues. Independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty are core principles that will guide my people now and in the future. We will continue cooperation with our major allies on all strategic issues. We need new assessments that will enable us to tackle pressing global economic problems while ensuring the right to development. To do so. we require an open, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system based on the principles and rules of the World Trade Organization. We also need to think about a better global food security system. Nearly 10 per cent of the world’s population faced hunger last year.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But the search for peace is not just about the banning of weapons or the signing of declarations. Interreligious and interfaith dialogue plays a key role in fostering a culture of peace. We are therefore concerned about recent acts of profound disrespect towards holy books. Such barbaric acts against Islam or any other religions cannot be accepted as expressions of freedom, free speech and democracy. All holy books, including the Holy Quran, deserve legal protection against vandalism. Finally, a culture of peace can be based only on the principles of unity in diversity and mutual respect. I am proud therefore of the outstanding role of the Astana-based Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. In brief.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We support the development of new mechanisms in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation. A strategic plan for the complete renunciation of nuclear weapons by 2045 could well be the most significant contribution to global security of this generation of leaders. At the same time, the coronavirus disease has painfully illustrated our vulnerability to future biological risks and threats. Kazakhstan appeals to the Secretary-General and the President of the Assembly to launch the process of establishing an international agency for biological safety. We welcome the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace. That strategic document must confront the trust vacuum and growing hostility in the world. At the upcoming Summit of the Future next year. Kazakhstan will play a constructive and supportive role in adopting a pact for the future.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Kazakhstan has put forward the initiative of World Unity for a Just Peace and Harmony. The initiative, which we invite Members to join, comprises a new security paradigm, a fair economic environment and a clean planet. Open dialogue between the global South and the global North is its central pillar. Of all the challenges we face, perhaps the most destructive is the threat of use of nuclear weapons. Thirty years ago. Kazakhstan voluntarily renounced the fourth-largest inherited nuclear arsenal. That is why the logic of the nuclear agenda must be reversed. Only mutual trust and cooperation among nuclear Powers on the path to a world free of nuclear weapons can produce global stability. In that context. Kazakhstan declares its continuous commitment to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“That is an urgent need of our time that meets the interests of the vast majority of humankind. I am strongly convinced that the voices of the middle Powers and all developing countries on the Council need to be amplified and clearly heard. Since the Security Council appears unable to move beyond deadlock, it should become more representative so that other countries — including Kazakhstan — can play a greater role in the maintenance of peace and security. In our own region, the growing engagement of Member States has been a positive force in the transformation of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia into a full- fledged international organization that can contribute to continental mediation and peacemaking. Similarly, as the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Dialogue is the only way to create a conducive environment that enables agreement on new principles and norms. Despite our best efforts, conflicts persist in many regions of the world. We urge all parties to seek diplomatic solutions to conflicts based on the United Nations Charter and universally recognized international law. In that regard. Kazakhstan commends all the efforts and plans proposed by different States and groups of countries in support of a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Diplomacy and dialogue should always prevail in seeking the resolution of international disputes. We must therefore together make the greatest efforts to stabilize the only system of global institutions we have. We will not succeed in tackling those challenges without a comprehensive reform of the Security Council.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Some 108 million people have been forcibly displaced, more than 1 billion live in poverty, and 2 billion do not have access to essential medicines. The ultimate result is humankind’s loss of confidence in the future stable development of the world. The younger generations no longer believe that the world they inherit will be a better one. Therefore. Kazakhstan finds it necessary to restate its unwavering commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The leaders gathered here are responsible for the fate and future of humankind, yet as we approach the United Nations eightieth anniversary, we have come almost full circle back to the Organization’s point of departure. The resolution of political issues by force in fact results only in deadlock.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Today humankind faces enormous shifts unseen in a century and has entered yet another period of geopolitical confrontation. The essence of the threat comes from the simultaneous erosion of fundamental principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations. The displacement of those pillars puts an increasingly heavy burden on the existing structure of international relations and creates confrontations. The pattern of non-compliance, suspension and withdrawal from key international legal instruments is extremely concerning, as it could lead to the point of no return. This situation disrupts the trading system, weakens the supply chains that drive economic life, damages food security and accelerates inflation. Current negative trends further exacerbate human suffering.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Kazakhstan will remain at the forefront of advancing a more modern, efficient, transparent and accountable Organization. Never in history have we had such a need for responsible leadership for the next generations. Remembering our past makes us responsible for our future. Together with other Member States, we will spare no effort towards building a safer, more sustainable and prosperous global community.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“A just Kazakhstan depends on our multi-ethnic and multi-confessional solidarity. The “unity in diversity” principle will be preserved at all costs. Last week, the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was successfully held in Kazakhstan. The Congress once again highlighted the importance of religious tolerance, dialogue and mediation. We are ready to build bridges and provide platforms for dialogue wherever needed. This year marks 30 years of Kazakhstan-United Nations partnership. The Organization has contributed strongly to the formation and strengthening of an independent Kazakhstan. Over that period, we have worked for the aims of the Charter in all major United Nations organs, from the Economic and Social Council and the Human Rights Council to the Security Council.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Over the past three years, we have carried out substantial transformations through four packages of political reforms. For example, new laws passed by Parliament have simplified political parties’ registration and reduced the threshold for parties to enter Parliament from 7 per cent to 5 per cent. To promote the wider involvement of citizens in governance, there is now a mandatory 30 per cent quota for women and young people in electoral party lists. To make local administration more accountable, local mayors are now elected directly. To foster a more open culture between society and Government, we have changed the law on peaceful assembly; Government authorization is no longer required. Following its international commitments on the fundamental right to life and human dignity, Kazakhstan abolished the death penalty.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Starting in 2024, 50 per cent of the investment income from the National Welfare Fund will be allocated to special savings accounts for children until their adulthood. These funds could be used for education or housing purposes. A special private charity fund, known as “For the people of Kazakhstan”, also now provides assistance to ordinary citizens for health care, education and social security aims. We aim to further expand the empowerment and participation of women in economic and public life. Comprehensive national transformation is not a simple process, and there will certainly be pitfalls and bumps in the road. But if we are firmly to meet the expectations of Kazakh citizens, we cannot deviate from this strategic path.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“According to my proposal, the presidential mandate has been limited to one seven-year term. This is a real breakthrough in developing democracy in Kazakhstan. At the same time, we will be firmly adhering to my formula of “Strong President, Authoritative Parliament, Accountable Government”. I am convinced this formula excellently serves the national interests of Kazakhstan. We also aim to de-monopolize the economy. We are taking steps to ensure that the wealthiest in our society play their part in our quest for a just Kazakhstan, along with diversifying our economy and increasing investments in human capital. Recently, I initiated the creation of a National Fund for Children.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That is why we consider it important to establish a United Nations regional centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. Kazakhstan sees the future Afghanistan as a truly independent, neutral, united, prosperous State, living in peace with its neighbours. Therefore, we support the difficult process of nation-building in that country, including life-saving humanitarian assistance. As President of Kazakhstan, I am absolutely committed to building a just Kazakhstan, one in which every citizen has the same opportunities, rights and protections. Justice in my country must prevail. Law and order will become pillars of our society. The most important part of this path is transformative political reform. Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Kazakhstan over the coming months.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Speaking about Central Asia, we should bear in mind that it has already become a region of vast opportunities for international cooperation. Together with our Central Asian partners, we are committed to strengthening political interaction and deepening economic ties to move our region forward. We have agreed to coexist as good neighbours and diversify our cooperation. This credo is based on our significant natural and agricultural resources, human capital, and transport and transit potential. We are a buffer market between East and West, South and North. We intend to work together with all stakeholders to address a pressing regional agenda that includes climate change, the Aral Sea, the rational use of water resources, border delimitation, combating extremism and expanding intraregional trade.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The current geopolitical situation also highlights the importance of a reliable and diversified global transit and transport infrastructure. We are seeing this in our own region. Kazakhstan, the largest landlocked developing country, is becoming a vital Asian land corridor to Europe. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor, has received new impetus. We expect cargo volume through Kazakhstan to increase significantly in the years ahead. We must ensure that the Caspian Sea becomes a sea of peace and new opportunities. In the months ahead, Kazakhstan will help mitigate the most immediate impacts of limited access to energy and critical raw materials caused by trade and supply chain disruptions. In the long term, we aim to diversify our sources of energy, with a particular focus on green hydrogen and renewables.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“It also intends to grow its cooperation with the Islamic Organization for Food Security, located in Kazakhstan, as well as with United Nations agencies. It is imperative in that connection to exclude food and fertilizers from any sanctions and restrictions whatsoever. Once again, current economic and social upheavals require a collective effort. Commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains an integral part of our national and global agenda. In addition, fair trade regimes are crucial to global economic recovery. In that context, I would like to commend the constructive decisions coming out of the twelfth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, chaired by Kazakhstan.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“To save our planet, we need investment at greater levels than we have ever seen. However, climate action cannot come at the expense of development or modernization. Therefore, at the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change later this year, Member States, as well as the global business community, must once again scale up their commitment to greater climate finance. That agenda relates directly to the global food security crisis. My country, the world’s seventh- largest grain producer, is the breadbasket of Central Asia. We are committed to utilizing this agricultural potential to fight global food insecurity. Kazakhstan will continue to act as a reliable supplier of grain and other food staples, first of all to the poorest countries.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“It should be of universal concern that we still rely on the Biological Weapons Convention — now 50 years old — without any effort to create an agency or body for international cooperation. In that context, I would like to reiterate my earlier proposal to establish an international agency for biological safety. Along with threats to international security, climate change requires greater international cooperation and solidarity as well. Around the world, people are facing existential threats from weather and environmental change. If we are to turn this tide, we need more action, and we need it fast. Many of us have taken bold steps already. In Kazakhstan, we have pledged the total transformation of the oil- and coal-dependent energy sector into a net zero economy by 2060.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“For that reason, nuclear disarmament has become a key part of Kazakh foreign policy and we will be continuously struggling for a world free of nuclear arsenals. Despite some progress in this area, unfortunately, the whole record is not that positive. We are alarmed by the increased rivalry and rhetoric of nuclear States. We are also concerned at the lack of progress made by the Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Elaborating new mechanisms to ensure disarmament and non-proliferation is a daunting task ahead. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to manage and reduce biological risks and dangers.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We need to get back on track before it is too late. Our top priority must be to build resilience against future turmoil and to ensure a sustainable, equitable and inclusive recovery. To that end, we need a frank dialogue between East and West and a new global security paradigm based on the principles of mutual trust and multifaceted cooperation. Given the current crisis and increased geopolitical tensions, there is an acute need for a process under the auspices of the United Nations that can lead to detente and conflict prevention. Kazakhstan has suffered terribly from past nuclear weapons testing, so we understand very clearly the dangers of escalating tensions among nuclear Powers.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We must move from simply responding to global challenges and crises to preventing and better predicting emerging trends and integrating our assessments into strategic planning and policymaking. For that very purpose, Kazakhstan proposed 30 years ago the idea of convening the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia. In the context of new challenges and threats, we hope to transform the Conference into a full-fledged international organization at the upcoming summit in October, in Astana, to contribute to global mediation and peacemaking. With only eight years until 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals are hampered by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a triple planetary crisis — climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution— and conflicts around the world.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The multiple and often interconnected crises of recent years have exposed significant gaps in global governance. They have highlighted the need to modernize and reform the United Nations. The United Nations must be better prepared for future challenges and opportunities. In that respect, Kazakhstan welcomed the proposals in the report of the Secretary- General on Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). This is an important opportunity to reaffirm the Charter of the United Nations, reinvigorate multilateralism, boost implementation of existing commitments, agree on concrete solutions to new challenges, and restore trust among Member States. We look forward to contributing to the consultations at the ministerial meeting next year and to the holding of the 2024 Summit of the Future.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That system of values, embodied in the United Nations, remains a beacon of hope for millions of people in different parts of our planet. We must staunchly defend these values, the United Nations as its core and the spirit of cooperation that underpins it. In other words, we cannot simply shrug our shoulders and agree to polarization and division. We cannot afford indecision or narrow interests, which are detrimental to that common heritage and our collective good. Too much is at stake. Therefore, Kazakhstan stands ready to cooperate with all relevant actors in a spirit of inclusiveness, multilateralism and goodwill. I am convinced that the challenges of our time can be overcome only by countries acting together. To achieve our shared goals, we must go forward in the following directions.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“There is nothing more important now than to return to the foundational principles that lie at the root of this universal Organization. In particular, we must rethink the linkages between three primordial principles: the sovereign equality of States, the territorial integrity of States and peaceful coexistence among States. These three principles are interdependent. To respect one is to respect the other two. To undermine one is to undermine the other two. When the global disarmament regime — both conventional and nuclear — is weakened, those three principles are threatened. Conversely, as those three principles are respected, they grow in strength. Together, they become the basis for greater inter-State cooperation at every level: subregional, regional and global. This is the global prosperity dividend.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“New fault lines are creating artificial barriers and economic isolation. Economic and political sanctions have become a new norm that erodes the supply chains that ensure food security, threatening millions, especially in vulnerable communities. These problems contribute to the mounting challenges of soaring inflation, job loss and fears of a worldwide recession, especially for developing nations. Finally, these crises severely hamper the urgent action we all agreed to take to combat climate change and enhance sustainable development. Some 77 years ago, the founding Members placed within the Charter of the United Nations the principles and norms of international law that have successfully guided us ever since.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“First of all, I congratulate Mr. Korosi on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. We meet here at United Nations Headquarters at a critical time for humankind. The world of today appears to have entered a new, increasingly bitter period of geopolitical confrontation. The long-standing international system, based on order and responsibility, is giving way to a new, more chaotic and unpredictable one. The global system of checks and balances has failed to maintain peace and stability. The security architecture is eroding. Mutual distrust among global Powers is dangerously deepening. The world is falling prey to a new set of military conflicts. For the first time in two generations, we face the prospect of the use of nuclear weapons, and not even as a last resort.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We need far greater engagement and genuine cooperation from international organizations, financial institutions, civil society, business, local and regional authorities, all in service of the common good. Nothing else will secure our common future. No nation can succeed or prosper alone — there is no vaccine or wall for that. This moment presents a collective opportunity to change the world for the better. Thank you!”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Despite the diverging interests of riparian states, Kazakhstan remains committed to a regional water-and-hydropower consortium to coordinate different policies towards mutual goals. Mr. President, Ladies and gentlemen, Situated at the Eurasian crossroads of civilizations, Kazakhstan remains committed to its well-balanced, constructive foreign policy. We enjoy good relations with all our immediate neighbours, the Western countries, the EU, Asian and Middle Eastern states. This is the spirit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. Next year Kazakhstan, which chairs CICA, will host a summit to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Conference. Our world is both interconnected and fragile. We desperately need a meaningful multilateralism that gives results to people and effective expression to global solidarity.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Three Central Asian informal summits — the latest one held last month — are leading to a more cooperative and resilient region. Our regional policy aims to gradually replace the zero-sum politics and “might makes right” of the “Great Game” with genuine cooperation and a people-centred Great Gain in the Heart of Asia. This creates opportunities for greater global community engagement with Kazakhstan and Central Asia. We place great hope in the regional “C5+” dialogue frameworks with major extraregional actors. In such partnerships, we emphasize Central Asia’s water-related challenges, including water scarcity, degrading quality and inefficient use. Our region’s water security is inextricably linked with energy, food and environment.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In June, the Government approved a Comprehensive Plan for Human Rights Protection, laying down a long-term institutional framework. In close collaboration with our international partners, we are working hard to eliminate human trafficking, which requires extraordinary global cooperation. We are a candidate for membership on the UN Human Rights Council for 2022- 2024. If elected, Kazakhstan will strive to make a real contribution to the Council. We also aim to advance the “democracy-religion-development nexus” during the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions next April in Kazakhstan. Turning to Central Asia, despite challenges to stability and security, we see a gradual strengthening of political and economic cooperation.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In line with the concept of a state that listens and responds to its citizens, since 2019, my Administration has launched four blocks of essential democratic reforms to strengthen human rights, the rule of law, and anti-corruption. For example, I recently proposed applying the recent 30 percent quota for women and youth in electoral party lists to the final parliamentary composition. There is no room for complacency. Our goal is to further improve the efficiency of the state, transparency, and competitiveness of the political process. Political reforms will have a dynamic follow-up. In January of this year, Kazakhstan ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, abolishing the death penalty.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Sustainable development depends not only on economic growth, but also on social and political development. At 30 years old, Kazakhstan is already a mature and accomplished nation. Over the last few years, we have started shifting from top-down nation-building — which proved extremely efficient during early statehood — to more bottom-up democracy- nurturing. We aim to consolidate our democratic commitment and promote wider citizen engagement in governance. For example, we have introduced direct election of rural mayors for the first time. This will place far more power and control in the hands of more than 40 per cent of Kazakh citizens. We will do the same for district mayors in 2024.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“As the Global Chair of the LLDCs, Kazakhstan appeals to all UN agencies to work together to deliver on the 2024 Roadmap for Accelerated Implementation of the Vienna Program of Action. The 2030 Agenda will remain unattainable until all countries have the financial capacity to invest in a sustainable and inclusive future. In this regard, we specifically call on all development partners to jointly address international liquidity and debt vulnerabilities. *** The World Food Programme estimates that 270 million people will face food shortages this year. Kazakhstan is a major grain producer and exporter and a founding member of the Islamic Organization for Food Security, whose fourth General Assembly was held last month in our capital. We invite foreign investors to join us in shaping a better, brighter future for sustainable agriculture.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Kazakhstan again urges the nuclear-weapon States to commit themselves to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045, the Centennial of the United Nations. Similarly, there is more work to be done against existential biological threats. I proposed last year an International Agency for Biological Safety. This is a bold and ambitious idea, but we believe it is timely. Open and transparent dialogue with all stakeholders is ongoing. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs has suffered a considerable setback. Least Developed countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States — some 91 countries in total — are disproportionately affected by the pandemic given their limited means to respond to shocks and vulnerability to a debt crisis.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are ready to provide a logistical platform for humanitarian aid into Afghanistan, as well as to contribute our fair share. The Kazakh initiative to establish a UN Regional hub in Almaty can serve this crucial mission. We are ready to work closely with the UN, regional neighbours and interested states and organizations. The future stability of Afghanistan depends on economic development. Afghanistan is not a threat but an opportunity. If unified and stable, it can contribute to Central Asia’s development. Excellencies, I turn to several other important UN issues, including the need to revitalize disarmament. Last month, on 29 August, we marked the 30th anniversary of the decision to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and relinquish the fourth largest nuclear arsenal in the world.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“A consensus-based system must be put in place where groups of different values, or ethnic, religious and gender background can coexist in the same country. In general, Kazakhstan envisions Afghanistan as a truly independent, sovereign nation living at peace with itself and its neighbours. Afghanistan must continue to adhere to its international obligations and ensure its territory is free of terrorists, drugs, and human traffickers. Whatever our political affiliations or personal feelings, we must not abandon the people of Afghanistan now. The acute humanitarian situation should be our first priority. UN agencies and other humanitarian actors must have immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. Kazakhstan has provided a temporary relocation for UNAMA and other UN offices for Afghanistan.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are launching a national 2050 low carbon development strategy next month to reduce GDP energy intensity by 50 per cent from 2008 levels. Since almost 70 per cent of Kazakhstan’s electricity generation depends on coal, the energy transition present significant challenges. Access to green financing and green technologies will be critical to this transition, and we look to the upcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow for clear commitment on these issues. Without ambitious green financing, ambitious climate action is empty. We also give great importance to the COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming in October 2021. Turning to Afghanistan, we endorse the UN Security Council’s call for the establishment, through negotiations, of a new Government that is inclusive and representative.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Such a scenario would severely constrain those states who want to trade globally and secure tech-related supplies. Eager to avoid taking sides, they could be forced to form a “Technological Non-Alignment Movement” to mitigate risks at the intersection of technologies and geopolitics. Ladies and gentlemen, Carbon dioxide levels are at record highs. Wildfires, cyclones, floods and droughts have become the new normal, devastating populations and causing much preventable human suffering. As a large landlocked country, Kazakhstan’s climate is warming faster than the global average and threatening our population and economy. The median annual temperature has increased 2°C in the last 75 years with serious droughts now striking twice every five years. In response, Kazakhstan intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We stand ready to share them bilaterally or under the COVAX facility. The World Trade Organization is critical to ensuring supply chains for essential medical goods and equitable vaccine access. As the Chair of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference this November, Kazakhstan calls on WTO Members to deliver a meaningful outcome on WTO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also need more focused cooperation between governments and the pharmaceutical industry on licenses, technology transfers and technical support. In the meantime, economic recovery is subject to many other “known unknowns”, including technology tensions. An “economic iron curtain” scenario, in which different technologies and rules split the global economy, is becoming more likely.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In many ways, the pandemic has exposed our vulnerability and underscored the critical importance of multilateralism and international solidarity. We must “build back” a more equitable, sustainable, and humane world. We must begin with universal and fair access to vaccines. This matter must be resolved as a matter of global ethics and solidarity. The unjust “vaccine gap” is a “gap multiplier”. The IMF notes that the global economic recovery is not “global” because of the widening gap between advanced “vaccinated” economies and emerging or developing “unvaccinated” ones. The net effect will be to wipe out $4.5 trillion of cumulative global GDP by 2025. We must exponentially and urgently increase global access to vaccines. Kazakhstan has successfully produced its own QazVac vaccine. Two more vaccines are in development.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Dear Mr. President, Dear Mr. Secretary General, Ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the Presidency of the seventy- sixth session. I will focus today first and foremost on the triple threat we face together: COVID-19 recovery; the Climate crisis; and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. In the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has exploded from 32 million to 225 million confirmed cases. We are deeply grateful to all health workers, scientists and vaccine makers who produced in a remarkably short time safe and effective vaccines. But the economic and social repercussions remain very difficult. Unemployment has risen sharply and hundreds of millions of people are losing their livelihoods. More than 130 million people are now living in extreme poverty. Decades of development progress are being lost.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)