Celebrating 30 Years of Partnership: The UN's Impact on Sustainable Development in Kazakhstan

Today the event entitled "30 Years of the United Nations in Kazakhstan and the Steering Committee of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025" was held in Astana, organized by the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mr. Kairat Umarov, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey, heads of UN agencies, representatives of diplomatic corps, civil society and media discussed and exchanged ideas on how to strengthen cooperation in achieving sustainable development goals in Kazakhstan.

Participants have shared experiences, best practices, and challenges in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2021-2025. Result group chairs presented key results achieved since the start of UNSDCF implementation in the country and outlined the goals for 2023.

"We are delighted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the United Nations in Kazakhstan. The UN in Kazakhstan activities have come a long way in the past three decades and we are proud of the progress we have made in supporting the country's development. In the coming years, we will focus on several key areas, including strengthening governance and the rule of law, promoting sustainable economic growth, investing in human capital, advancing gender equality and women's empowerment, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. We believe that by working together, we can build a better future for the people of Kazakhstan", said Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan.

The UNSDCF is the main tool for achieving the 2030 Agenda through consolidation of key resources of strategic partners – UN Country Team, government entities, civil society and private sector representatives. Within three thematic areas – Empowered People, Good Governance, Inclusive Economy and Protected Planet, joint interventions of strategic partners are implemented under six outcomes that focus on social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

Over the past 30 years, the UN has implemented over 400 projects in Kazakhstan at the national, regional and local levels in many areas, such as reducing inequality, modernizing institutions, diversifying the economy, and supporting the most vulnerable groups – children, women, the elderly, migrants and refugees.