UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Visit Kazakhstan
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to visit Almaty, Kazakhstan, on August 3 as part of his ongoing engagement with Central Asia, the UN Communications Office in Kazakhstan announced.
During the visit, Guterres will hold meetings with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, senior government officials, and representatives of the UN country team. A central event will be the signing of an agreement establishing the UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan, to be located in Almaty. The agreement will be signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu and UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua.
This initiative underscores Kazakhstan’s increasing leadership in fostering regional dialogue and advancing sustainable development policies throughout Central Asia and Afghanistan. The Regional Center is expected to become a key platform for coordinating collaborative efforts on economic, social, and environmental priorities in the region.
In addition, Secretary-General Guterres is anticipated to highlight the imperative of strengthening multilateral cooperation to tackle pressing regional and global challenges, including climate change, digital transformation, and inclusive development.
This visit marks Secretary-General Guterres’s third official trip to Kazakhstan since assuming office.
In 2024, the UN provided over $37 million in development assistance to Kazakhstan through partnerships with national institutions, civil society organizations, and international stakeholders. Key areas of cooperation included inclusive economic growth, healthcare, education, human rights, environmental sustainability, and gender equality.
Photo credit: UN’s communications office in Kazakhstan
