Cooperation of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the United Nations Organization
Since the first day of its independence Kazakhstan has been actively participating in the work of the UN and its specialized agencies. This cooperation is one of the priorities of the state foreign policy. The main objective in this area is to ensure strategic interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the international arena in the sphere of global and regional security, development of an equitable world order both from political and economic perspective, sustainable development frameworks and harmonization of relations among world community members.
The United Nations Organization was found after the World War II on October 24, 1945 by 51 countries with a purpose of preserving world peace by means of international cooperation and ensuring collective security. Since its establishment 63 years ago 192 states have joined the organization.
According to the Charter, the UN pursues:
to maintain international peace and security,
to develop friendly relations among nations,
to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems and in encouraging respect for human rights,
to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
The UN with its multifaceted functions covers practically all aspects of activities of the world community. Its role is particularly significant in solving contemporary crises which display an increasing global interdependence and demand consolidation of efforts of Member States in maintaining international peace and security.
Involvement of the organization in such key spheres as maintenance of peace and security, disarmament and non-proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction is crucially important for the UN Member States. The organization has initiated international efforts to fight against terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and organized crime.
The organization has become a unique center for addressing all urgent challenges that the world community faces at this stage, e.g. UN conducts a work on a system level that encourages to observe human rights, preserve environment, fight against epidemics and eradicate poverty, render assistance to refugees, carry out mine-clearance programmes and it plays a major role in fighting against HIV/AIDS.
One of the main tasks of the UN is to maintain peace in the world. For many years UN has played an important role in international crisis prevention and resolving protracted conflicts. It accomplished a number of complex operations on peacekeeping and peacebuilding as well as rendering humanitarian assistance. It also had to prevent breaking out of conflicts. In post-conflict situations it has increasingly undertaken coordinated efforts to address the root causes of violence and lay the foundation for a durable peace.
March 2, 1992 went down in the history of the independent Kazakhstan as a significant date. On this day the UN General Assembly at its 46th session unanimously adopted the resolution 46/224 that recognized Kazakhstan as a new member of the UN.
The first UN Forum that the Kazakh delegation took part in as a full-member of the organization was the 47th session of the General Assembly that started its work in September 1992 where Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, delivered an informative statement on Kazakhstan’s international policy.
Since 1992 Kazakhstan has succeed to integrate into the world community as well as to take there visible position.
Participation in the work of the UN system is one of the main dimensions of Kazakhstan’s multilateral diplomacy. It enhances sovereignty and independence of our country, creates favourable international conditions for further advancement of political, economic, social and other spheres of public life.
Supporting activities of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on overall strengthening of the UN role in important fields of international cooperation, leadership of Kazakhstan promotes by all possible means the cooperation between Kazakhstan and this respectful international organization, its specialized agencies, funds and programmes.
Official visit of the UN Secretary General to Kazakhstan in October 2002 was an important milestone in the history of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN. This visit reinforced the outcomes of ten-year-cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN as well as outlined new perspectives of collaboration.
Participation of Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan in the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly (24-26 September 2007, New York) reaffirmed the importance attached by our country to dynamic and constructive development of cooperation with this universal international organization.
During the visit Head of State delivered his statement at the general debates of UNGA which firmly voiced position of Kazakhstan regarding acute issues in international security, development and the role of the UN in their solution. Matters of cooperation in different areas joint activities were discussed at the meeting of the President with the Secretary-General. One of the most important outcomes of the visit was singing of optional protocols to the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights and Convention on Torture and Human Degrading Treatment by the President of Kazakhstan.
Official visit of Mr. Serjan Kerim, Chairman of the 62nd session of UNGA (23-27 April 2008) to Kazakhstan reaffirmed that cooperation between Kazakhstan and UN has comprehensive character and huge potential for cooperation in the future. Serjan Kerim particularly emphasized the role of Kazakhstan in the process of nuclear disarmament, initiatives of the country in promotion interreligious dialogue.
Since its accession to the United Nations Kazakhstan actively participated in its major foras. Such as Millennium Summit 2000, where Millennium Declaration with Millennium Development Goals were adopted, 2005 High-Level meeting, as a result main course of the reform of the organization was adopted, as well as it took part in Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development, Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development, Special Session of UNGA on Children, Special Session of UNGA on HIV/AIDS.
Constructive role of our country in solution of actual problems of modern development was expressed in the initiatives of the Government of Kazakhstan on conducting such high-level events as First Global Conference for Landlocked Countries (August 2003, Almaty), 63rd session of UNESCAP (May 2007, August). These foras adopted Almaty Programme of Action “Addressing the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries within a New Global Framework for Transit Transport Cooperation for Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries” and UNESCAP Almaty Declaration.
Kazakhstan significantly contributed to the promotion of healthcare in global agenda through hosting International Conference devoted to the 30th Anniversary of Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Healthcare (15-16 October 2008, Almaty). Mrs. Margaret Chan, Director-General of World Health Organization and Ms. Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF took part in the Conference.
Recognizing the UN leading role in addressing vital issues of the modern world, Kazakhstan can not stand on the sidelines of the ongoing processes in the UN. Kazakhstan has contributed much to maintenance of international peace and security during its 16 years of independence. Denouncing nuclear weapons, building confidence measures in Asia, enhancing integration processes on the Eurasian continent, convening civilizations and confessions dialogue – all of these are the incomplete list of efforts undertaken by our state in accordance with the goals and principles of the UN Charter. Kazakhstan has obtained wide public recognition in the UN as a state with a balanced and constructive approach to solution of global problems.
With full observance of the UN Charter, Kazakhstan is determined to make utmost efforts directed towards strengthening of the Organization and creation of a comprehensive security system with the central role played there by the UN.
Kazakhstan supports UN peacemaking activity and efforts on enhancing its peacemaking potential and appreciates measures on further expansion of UN reserve agreements system’s mandate. Creation of Kazakh peacekeeping battalion (Kazbat) which was then transformed into Kazakh Peacekeeping Battalion (Kazbrig) clearly demonstrates Kazakhstan’s active participation in this activity. It is intended to utilize “Kazbrig” in peacekeeping operations under the UN auspices. This cooperation resulted in effective performance of Kazakh contingency in Iraq which defused 4 million units of ammunition. Our doctors together with foreign colleagues saved 500 lives of Iraqi people. Currently Kazakh mission in Iraq is over and all military men returned home.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding with the UN on contributions to the UN system preparatory measures signed in 2003, Kazakhstan at present is ready to allocate personnel, armed units and transport of “Kazbat” battalion for peacekeeping operations and is interested in a more active participation in the system of supplies for peacekeeping operations.
Kazakhstan stands for expanding cooperation between the UN and regional organizations as well as enhancing partnership between regional organizations themselves in fight against organized crime, drug threat, illegal migration, religious extremism, poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemics.
Kazakhstan is determined to exploit capacities of the UN and its specialized agencies to adopt certain measures directed towards reinforcing socio-economic development of the country.
Since February 1992 a number of specialized agencies, funds and programmes have opened their offices and now operate in Kazakhstan. Their activity is directed towards rendering wide-ranged technical, consultative and financial assistance to Kazakhstan.
Current cooperation between the Government of Kazakhstan and UN Office in the country is conducted on the basis of UN Assistance for Development Framework (UNDAF) for 2005-2009. This document is a road map which identifies projects and their amounts as well as spheres of cooperation where those projects would be implemented together with relevant governmental agencies.
A new round of cooperation with the UN would be reflected in newly elaborated UNDAF for 2010-2015. Its priorities will be focused on poverty eradication and decrease of unemployment rate, infant and maternal mortality, sustainable development, improvement of environment, HIV/AIDS prophylaxes and gender equality.
Issues of rendering assistance to the regions of former Semipalatinsk test site and Aral sea, effective use of water resources and combating desertification would also be in the focus of our collaboration.
Regarding the issue of Millennium Development Goals, adopted by head of states at the World Summit in 2000, Kazakhstan has already achieved a number of tasks of MDGs including decrease the level of poverty, access to education. At this stage, realization of agenda “MGDs plus” has been initiated which is adapted to the conditions in Kazakhstan and provides higher indicators and benchmarks.
A huge potential has been build in cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UNEP and other agencies in engaging UN expertise, technical and financial assistance to Kazakhstan during transit period of our country.
At present the UN system in Kazakhstan is represented by the following 16 organizations: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), UNV (United Nations Volunteers), UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), ILO (International Labour Organization), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), WHO (World Health Organization), UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), World Bank, IMF (International Monetary Fund), UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and DPI (Department of Public Information).
