Kazakhstan Advances Environmental, Expo 2030 and ICESCO Initiatives

Kazakhstan is advancing initiatives on environmental protection and water security, preparing to participate in Expo 2030 Riyadh and seeking to expand cooperation with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). Kazakh diplomats discussed these issues at several international forums.

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Barlybay Sadykov, attended the 13th annual meeting of the Subcommittee of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

He presented Kazakhstan’s initiatives to establish an International Water Organization under UN auspices and designate 22 April as the International Day for Greening the Planet.

Kazakhstan also supports strengthening UNEP’s Subregional Office for Central Asia in Almaty and transforming it into a fully fledged regional environmental hub.

Sadykov highlighted the outcomes of the Regional Environmental Summit held in Astana in April 2026, which resulted in the adoption of the Declaration on Environmental Solidarity in Central Asia.

Preparations for Expo 2030 Riyadh were another focus of Kazakhstan’s international engagement. Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, met Talal Al-Marri, chief executive of the Expo 2030 Riyadh Company.

The two sides discussed organisational matters relating to Kazakhstan’s participation in the exhibition and agreed to continue their preparations. Kazakhstan expressed its interest in taking an active role in Expo 2030 and using the event to promote innovative solutions and technologies.

In Morocco, Kazakhstan attended the fourth extraordinary session of the General Conference of ICESCO, which brought together representatives of 40 countries.

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Morocco and Permanent Representative to ICESCO, Saulekul Sailaukyzy, called on member states to fulfil their financial obligations to the organisation on time. She noted that Kazakhstan pays its membership contributions in full and also provides voluntary support to ICESCO.

Participants approved temporary measures to ensure the organisation’s financial sustainability, including steps to address arrears owed by member states. Kazakhstan supported the draft resolutions and reaffirmed its readiness to expand joint projects in education, science and culture.