Kazakhstan scales up coop with key international organizations in Vienna
During the meeting with Yuri Fedotov, Director-General of UNOV and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) at the rank of Under-Secretary-General, the sides discussed a wide range of issues in the fight against drug trafficking, crime, money laundering, human trafficking, extremism and terrorism, in particular, in terms of the implementation of UNODC project on de-radicalization in Kazakhstani penitentiary institutions.
Yuri Fedotov underlined that Kazakhstan is UNODC's key partner in the region. In this regard, UNODC in a every possible way supports Kazakhstan's foreign-policy initiatives to maintain regional security, including the activities of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC) in Almaty, which is a unique model of interaction between the countries of the region in the fight against trafficking of drugs from Afghanistan along the Northern Route.
The sides discussed specific steps of joint work, primarily, in developing the potential of national laboratories for scientific and forensic research in the field of drugs and their precursors, and enhancing the qualifications of the respective experts to prevent criminals from using fake Kazakhstani identification documents.
At the end of the meeting, the head of UNODC was presented with the Kazakh Foreign Ministry's highest departmental decoration "For Contribution to Foreign Policy and Strengthening Bilateral Ties" named after Nazir Torekulov.
During the meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Director General, Yukiya Amano highlighted effective cooperation in the nuclear field, including the opening of a unique IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan.
The head of the Agency highly appreciated the role and contribution of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Yelbasy (Leader of the Nation) to the cause of global disarmament and non-proliferation.
The interlocutors discussed practical issues of Kazakhstan-IAEA cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy, including such areas of application of nuclear technologies as medicine, agriculture, water management, and the Agency's assistance in overcoming the effects of nuclear tests at the former Semipalatinsk Test Site.
During the talks, Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), emphasized that the historic decision made by Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Yelbasy, to close the Semipalatinsk Test Site on August 29, 1991, initiated the process of closing nuclear test sites around the world and paved the way for the adoption of the CTBT in 1996. He expressed gratitude to the Kazakh leader for the initiative to declare 29 August, within the framework of the UN, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The interlocutors discussed specific plans for cooperation for the early entry into force of the CTBT.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov, also met with Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Li Yong.
It was noted that Kazakhstan is interested in strengthening cooperation with UNIDO due to its extensive experience and high level of consulting services being provided as evidenced by a large number of projects around the world.
The Minister emphasized the importance of standardization of Kazakhstan-made goods for export to countries, primarily, China, which is the largest market for Kazakhstan's products, and expressed interest in UNIDO's assistance in this process.
In turn, Li Yong stressed that the Astana EXPO 2017 is a vivid example of Kazakhstan's contribution to sustainable development and promotion of green technologies.
The sides noted the global importance of China's Belt and Road Initiative implementation, Kazakhstan's contribution to the interconnectedness of the infrastructures of Asia and Europe by providing transport and logistics corridors between the continents. They also raised the issue of opening a UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) in the city of Nur-Sultan.
The head of UNIDO also dwelt on the technological aspects of development, improving the efficiency and quality of products, the importance of standardizing and digitizing the industrial development of the Member States. In this context, the Organization expressed interest in providing expert support in terms of modernization of Kazakhstan's economy of and the industrial development of the country initiated by Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President - Yelbasy.
