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Located at 157 Zhamakayeva Street, the office will serve as a platform for engagement with companies across the region on sustainable development and responsible business conduct.The regional office will support the promotion of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, as well as broader private sector engagement in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.The opening ceremony brought together representatives of government agencies, the United Nations system, the business and financial sectors, international organizations and partners.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva noted:“Opening the office of the UN Global Compact is an important event for the entire region and another step towards strengthening partnership with the United Nations in promoting the principles of sustainable development, inclusivity and social responsibility. Today, partnership between business, government and civil society is key to addressing global challenges. I am confident that the new office will become an effective platform for dialogue and joint efforts towards a sustainable and just future for Central Asia.” Madina Abylkassymova, Chair of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, highlighted the importance of sustainable finance for the region’s development:“ESG principles are becoming a fundamental condition for long-term business growth. The opening of the Global Compact office in Central Asia demonstrates the region’s growing role in the global sustainable development agenda and creates new opportunities for further cooperation.” UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa said the opening of the office reflects the growing engagement of companies in the region in advancing sustainable development:“The new office creates additional opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation and engage the private sector as a key partner in advancing sustainable development. In the context of challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, demographic shifts and technological transformation, strong partnerships between governments, the United Nations, business and civil society are essential.”Umut Shayakhmetova, Chair of the Board of the UN Global Compact Network in Central Asia, acknowledged the contribution of partners and the Network’s team to the establishment of the regional office, noting that the work towards its opening had taken several years. Dinara Seidzhaparova, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network in Central Asia, said that over the past three years the number of UN Global Compact participants from Central Asian countries had increased approximately fivefold:“This growing interest was one of the factors that contributed to the establishment of the regional office. The new office will support companies in the region in implementing sustainability principles, developing partnerships and exchanging experience.”The regional office will facilitate cooperation between business, government institutions and international partners, and provide companies in the region with access to international tools and practices in corporate sustainability and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.