On August 3 in Almaty, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres took part in the signing ceremony of the Host Country Agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations concerning the establishment of the UN Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Kazakhstan.
In his remarks, President Tokayev noted that today’s event holds great significance both for Kazakhstan and the United Nations. It serves as a meaningful and powerful signal to the entire international community about the importance of Central Asia, which is emerging as a highly significant actor on the global map.
“Amid growing geopolitical turbulence, conflicts, climate and food insecurity – the role of the United Nations must be regarded as a pivotal one in making the world safer and more stable. For Kazakhstan the United Nations remains an indispensable and irreplaceable pillar of the international order,” Tokayev said.
Tokayev believes that the UN Regional Centre in Almaty will serve as a catalyst for coordinated action in making the region’s economies resilient and vibrant, enhancing regional innovation, and fostering deeper cooperation.
“There will be no overlapping functions and duties between this Centre and other institutions in the region or beyond. Instead, it will complement the existing efforts, adding value through its regional focus on the needs of the people across the broader region. Central Asia, unfortunately, is known to be affected by the environmental degradation of the Aral Sea and the shrinking of the Caspian Sea. To address these challenges, we all should strengthen regional coordinated actions and strong engagement from the United Nations. Therefore, Kazakhstan will host a Regional Environment Summit in Astana in April 2026, in partnership with the UN agencies,” noted Tokayev.
As Tokayev further noted, long-term peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan are crucial for ensuring regional security.
“Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the Afghan people through humanitarian assistance, educational projects, trade and food security initiatives. The trade volume of our country with Afghanistan is steadily growing. We believe that peace and development in Afghanistan must go hand in hand,” he added.
Guterres noted that the opening of the Centre represents the start of a new chapter for the region in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Establishing the Regional Center symbolizes a new era of cooperation in Central Asia, grounded in shared priorities and solutions. It holds great potential for showing how the strong bonds among the region’s leaders can translate into deeper economic integration. For the benefit of all people, this is more essential than ever, and I commend President Tokayev for his vision and leadership in helping to shape this new Central Asia, which will increasingly become a fundamental force in our world order,” the Secretary-General emphasized.
Photo: akorda.kz
