Kazakhstan and OSCE ODIHR Confirm Readiness to Continue Dialogue on Democratic Reforms

On April 27, 2026, at the Headquarters of the United Nations, the Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) commenced its work. The NPT is the cornerstone treaty in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and its Review Conference is taking place in an exceptionally complex international environment characterized by rising tensions, regional conflicts, and the weakening of the arms control architecture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Speaking in his national capacity during the General Debate, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev emphasized that Kazakhstan consistently advocates for strengthening the NPT regime and advancing practical and realistic measures to reduce nuclear risks. Kazakhstan’s approach is grounded in its historical experience, including the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and the voluntary renunciation of its nuclear arsenal - steps that remain a significant contribution to strengthening international security and trust. In this context, the Head of the Kazakh delegation highlighted the relevance of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to resume dialogue among nuclear-weapon States.

In a separate statement delivered by Kazakhstan in its capacity as Chair of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia (Semipalatinsk Treaty), the contribution of the States Parties to the Zone to strengthening the global nuclear disarmament regime was underscored. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty in Semipalatinsk, the States Parties called for enhanced inter-zonal cooperation and the establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones.

On the margins of the Conference, the Head of the Kazakh delegation also held a meeting with the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, as well as with a number of heads of foreign delegations, to discuss current issues on the international security agenda.

In parallel, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Kairat Umarov, is serving as Chair of the Second Main Committee of the Conference, whose mandate covers non-proliferation, regional issues, and safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The NPT Review Conference is a key event in the field of international security, during which States Parties will review the implementation of their obligations under the Treaty and continue discussions on ways to strengthen the regime in current conditions.

 

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev met with Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore Kevin Cheok, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the parties reviews the current state and prospects of Kazakhstan-Singapore cooperation. They noted the high level of political dialogue and mutual interest in expanding partnership in trade, economic, and investment spheres.

The Kazakh Foreign Minister emphasized the significant potential for cooperation in digitalization, innovation, and sustainable development, expressing readiness to intensify bilateral contacts.

For his part, Deputy Secretary Cheok confirmed Singapore’s interest in further deepening cooperation, including the through the implementation of joint projects in the green economy, logistics, and human capital development.

Particular attention was also given to strengthening business ties and enhancing interaction between the business communities of the two countries.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Greece Timur Sultangozhin, together with a delegation of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan headed by Vice Minister Timur Muratov, held a meeting with Minister of Health of Greece Adonis Georgiadis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the talks, the parties discussed a broad range of issues on the bilateral agenda, with particular attention given to the practical implementation of agreements in the field of healthcare.

The visit of the Kazakh delegation to Greece took place with the support of the World Health Organization under the programme "Strengthening the Quality of Healthcare Services and Patient Safety in the Republic of Kazakhstan." The main purpose of the visit was to familiarize with best practices of the Greek healthcare system, mechanisms for improving the quality of medical services, as well as modern approaches to ensuring patient safety.

Minister of Health of Greece Adonis Georgiadis noted Kazakhstan’s contribution to the development of the international healthcare system, particularly emphasizing the historic significance of the Alma-Ata Declaration as one of the key documents in the field of primary healthcare. He also highly praised Kazakhstan’s dynamic development and ongoing reforms, expressing interest in further strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, including expert exchanges, development of institutional ties, implementation of joint initiatives, as well as studying Kazakhstan’s experience in healthcare digitalization.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan emphasized that public health protection is among the priorities of the state policy of the Head of State and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, while international partnership plays an important role in the modernization of the national healthcare system. He expressed appreciation to the Greek side for its openness to cooperation and readiness to share its accumulated experience.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their mutual commitment to further developing Kazakh-Greek cooperation in the medical sphere, including expanding contacts between institutions, expert communities, and sectoral organizations of the two countries.

 

Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union Roman Vassilenko participated as an invited speaker in the 18th annual World Policy Conference, organized by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) under the theme "Between Fragmentation and Interdependence: Rethinking the Global Governance", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Speaking at the session "The European Union as a Strategic Partner: Perspectives from Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia", the Kazakh diplomat highlighted the EU’s attractiveness as Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner, noting the EU’s growing commitment to expanding engagement with Central Asia as a whole. In this context, he recalled the successful holding of the first-ever Central Asia - EU Summit in Samarkand (3-4 April 2025), which resulted in an agreement to elevate cooperation between the two regions to the level of a strategic partnership.

Noting the complementarity, from Kazakhstan’s perspective, between the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and China’s Belt and Road project, the Ambassador pointed to the dynamic development and significant prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in the areas of transport and logistics (primarily, the expansion of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor), critical raw materials, conventional and green energy, as well as research and innovation.

It was emphasized that Kazakhstan, while pursuing a balanced and pragmatic foreign policy that takes into account its national interests, intends to continue developing its strategic partnership with the EU as one of its priority partners.

In this context, Vassilenko stressed that the adoption of a new Constitution by the people of Kazakhstan sends a clear message to the international community, including the EU, of the country’s commitment to constructive engagement as a stable, self-confident, and predictable partner in responding to the regional and global challenges and in shaping the agenda of the future.

The session also featured Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Georgia Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan, and Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center Dmytro Kuleba (former Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine).

The participants in the discussion examined the current transformation of the European Union amid geopolitical upheavals, the evolution of transatlantic relations, and Europe’s changing role in the world. The importance of maintaining the EU’s commitment to the principles of international law and the UN Charter was emphasized.

Overall, alongside heads of leading think tanks and private companies from Europe, Asia, and North America, the Conference was attended by President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, President of the French Senate Gérard Larcher, as well as representatives of the governments of Romania, Poland, the UAE, Côte d’Ivoire, and other countries.

During the Conference, considerable emphasis was placed on the role of middle powers across different continents in reforming and strengthening the UN system and in creating a new architecture of international relations. It was noted that the active engagement and interaction of such states, including Kazakhstan, could make a substantial contribution to resolving global contradictions and achieving global progress.

 

The 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board was held in Paris, with the active participation from the Kazakh delegation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Speaking at the plenary session, the Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, Askar Abdrakhmanov, welcomed the UNESCO 80 reform process initiated by the Organization’s new Director-General, Professor Khaled El-Enany, as well as his active engagement with Member States, their National Commissions, and other entities within the UNESCO system, which form the backbone of the Organization’s outreach and ensure its impact locally. The diplomat also expressed gratitude to UNESCO for its support of the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana and for its patronage of the upcoming international symposium "The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture, Identity."

On the margins of the session, a traditional meeting of National Commissions for UNESCO took place. In her remarks, the Secretary-General of the National Commission of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ICESCO, Zhanar Shaimenova, expressed support for the Organization’s renewed momentum and highlighted the importance of the efficient cooperation between the UNESCO Secretariat, National Commissions, and other affiliated institutions in advancing international cooperation in education, science, culture, communication, and information.

In this context, one of the key outcomes of the session was the adoption of a decision initiated by Kazakhstan entitled "Strengthening contribution of the Associations and Clubs for UNESCO to UNESCO’s programmes and global priorities". The decision was co-sponsored by 41 UNESCO Member States from all continents.

The adopted document aims to strengthen coordination efforts to systematically engage the global movement of Associations and Clubs for UNESCO in advancing the Organization’s strategic priorities. It also underlines the particular relevance of such efforts in light of the United Nations’ proclamation of 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.

The Executive Board decision also welcomed the outcomes of the Global Youth Forum of Associations and Clubs for UNESCO in Almaty, as well as the Movement’s Roadmap for actions until 2030. It should be noted that Kazakhstan holds the presidency of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs for the period 2023-2027.

 

The investment project for the construction and operation of the "Energy Astana" eco-park has been launched in the capital of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The contract was signed by Gabidulla Ospankulov, Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Quanyuan Peng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chinese company "EAST HOPE".

The project is expected to be launched in the second half of 2029. In the first phase, the eco-park will process approximately 1,500 tons of waste per day and generate 50 MW of electricity. Its implementation will create 250 temporary and 125 permanent jobs.

G. Ospankulov emphasized the importance of implementing projects of this scale that meet modern technological and environmental requirements.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a next round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Latvia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The Kazakh delegation was led by Arman Issetov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the Latvian delegation was headed by Ivars Lasis, Deputy State Secretary - Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia.

The parties discussed prospects for the development of Kazakh-Latvian cooperation in the political, trade and economic, as well as cultural and humanitarian spheres. They also exchanged views on cooperation within multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the OSCE, and others.

Particular attention was paid to the expansion of transport and logistics connectivity. Arman Issetov noted that Latvia is a key transport and logistics hub in the Baltic region, and Kazakhstan intends to further develop new transport routes in cooperation with the Latvian side. In this context, the parties expressed satisfaction with the established cooperation between the transport authorities of the two countries.

Ivars Lasis emphasized the importance of the upcoming visit of the Minister of Agriculture of Latvia, Armands Krauze to Astana in May this year. According to him, Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, while Latvia is ready to share its experience in areas such as veterinary services, livestock breeding, forestry, and others.

Following the consultations, both sides reaffirmed their mutual interest in further strengthening bilateral cooperation in a spirit of mutual respect, openness, and pragmatism.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted the regular meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club under the theme "Jointly Achieving Sustainable Development: Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan and Germany for a Green Future." The event was held within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit with the participation of representatives of government agencies, business circles, and international organizations of both countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

In his remarks, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev stressed that since 2012 the Berlin Eurasian Club has established itself as an effective platform facilitating the transition from dialogue to the implementation of concrete joint projects. He noted that Kazakh-German relations have reached the level of a mature strategic partnership based on mutual trust, pragmatism, and the alignment of long-term interests. Germany remains Kazakhstan’s key partner in the European Union, while Kazakhstan serves as an important regional hub for cooperation in Central Asia.

First Deputy Minister Ashikbayev pointed out that in the context of climate change, water is becoming a strategic resource directly affecting economic development, food security, and regional stability, particularly in Central Asia. Kazakhstan considers water security a priority of state policy and is implementing systemic measures, including the establishment of a relevant ministry, infrastructure modernization, and the introduction of digital and water-saving technologies.

Kazakhstan is currently promoting the initiative to establish an International Water Organization under the auspices of the United Nations and counts on the support of international partners. In this context, the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, including within the framework of the "Central Asia - Germany" format and the "Green Central Asia" initiative, was emphasised.

Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy Katrin Klaas-Mühlhäuser highly praised the pace of reforms in Kazakhstan and outlined prospects for cooperation in the water sector. As an example, the creation of the Kazakh-German Water Hub as a platform for innovation, digitalisation, and professional training was highlighted.

During the meeting, it was noted that the sides possess considerable potential for deepening practical cooperation, including the joint implementation of infrastructure and environmental projects, the development of research initiatives, and the strengthening of the regional climate agenda.

Within the framework of two panel sessions, participants discussed food security, water resource management, climate resilience, as well as the implementation of the Green Central Asia initiative as a tool for enhancing regional security and environmental cooperation. Particular attention was paid to the exchange of advanced technologies and the development of cross-sectoral cooperation.

In conclusion, the sides reaffirmed their readiness for the active implementation of joint initiatives, including projects in water conservation, digitalization of water resource management, and the development of green energy, including hydrogen technologies. The practical substance of the partnership and the launch of concrete projects in the near future will determine its effectiveness and contribution to the sustainable development of the Central Asian region.

Following the meeting, Memoranda of Cooperation were signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues of Germany; the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues of Germany; the Information and Analytical Centre for Water Resources and the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues of Germany; as well as between Kazakhstan Centre for Modernization and Development of Housing and Communal Services JSC, "German Water Partnership" the German Water Association and the German company System S&P GmbH.