Why Kazakhstan Should be an Elected Member of the

United Nations Security Council for 2017-2018

Kazakhstan 3D: Dynamic, Dependable, Diverse!

The country is a first-time candidate, running a campaign in accordance with the principles of fair and equitable geographical rotation and adequate representation in the Council of all Member States. 

The Government of Kazakhstan announced its candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (SC) for 2017-2018. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr.Nursultan Nazarbayev determined election to the UN Security Council as one of the priority goals for the foreign policy of Kazakhstan for the next three years.

Kazakhstan has been a committed, responsible and supportive Member State, contributing to international peace and security; human rights and rule of law; and sustainable development.

Kazakhstan: the “added value”

·         a stable, progressive and peaceful middle-income country with one of the world’s fastest growing economies, achieving Millenium Development Goals and international standards;

·         a recognized leader in nuclear security and non-proliferation;

·         an honest broker known for its impartiality and independence from any centers of global policy or power, as well as for its balanced approach and neutrality to all international actors, states or entities, and thus with greater effectiveness in multilateral diplomacy;

·         a significant contributor to food and energy security;

·         one of the key players in the Euro-Atlantic and Euroasian security community with its pro-active stance in mediation and confidence-building;

·         represents Central Asia and stands ready to address regional concerns within the Security Council;

·         committed to cooperation with other international and regional organizations in different parts of the world in order to bring viable solutions for common security issues;

·         as the world’s largest land-locked developing country, Kazakhstan fully understands the serious threats faced by other similar geographically disadvantaged states including countries without access to the sea or those with vast coastlines as well as small island developing states that are threatened by rising sea levels;

·         gaining increasing visibility on the world stage with its engagement in, and support to multilateral diplomacy with rich experience and approaches to solving security issues addressed by the UNSC to which it will bring vigorous and fresh perspectives.

Kazakhstan’s Position on Key Issues:

Security Council

Kazakhstan will be actively involved into consideration of the entire agenda of the Security Council, including Non-proliferation, conflict prevention and post-conflict rehabilitation.

We support the increasingly diverse mandates of peacekeeping missions with a strong focus on peace-building in war-torn countries and their reintegration into regional and international structures.

We support the process of reforming the Council and improving its working methods in order to transform it into a more representative, accountable and transparent body that can effectively address the full range of challenges and threats facing the world today.

The country attaches great importance to the effective use of UN Security Council sanctions, which are one of the most important tools for prevention. It supports measures to improve the efficiency of the Council's sanctions while reducing their negative humanitarian consequences.

Kazakhstan adheres to the position that the use of force and coercion to promote peace must remain a last resort, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter.

Peacekeeping,

Kazakhstan is a strong supporter of UN peacekeeping operations. The country maintains a clear position that peacekeeping operations should be carried out only in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and in strict compliance with international law. Kazakhstan intends to significantly enhance its contribution to the efforts of Department of Peacekeeping Operation and Department of Political Affairs. Kazakhstan's peacekeeping battalion "Kazbat" participated in demining operations in Iraq. Kazakh officers participate as Military observers in a number of UN peacekeeping missions.

Kazakhstan would like to play a more active role in developing robust international mechanisms for bringing together the relevant actors and marshalling the necessary resources to assist war-torn countries by strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peace Building Support Office (PBSO), and help the Secretary-General make optimal use of inputs from all UN entities.

Nuclear Disarmament

Kazakhstan has been at the vanguard of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. One of  the first decrees of President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan was a historic decision to close the second largest nuclear test site in the world in Semipalatinsk and voluntarily gave up the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal.

Kazakhstan has been a model of transforming the benefits or renouncing nuclear weapons into human development. Along with others in the region, Kazakhstan established Central Asia as a nuclear weapon-free zone, which entered into force in March 2009. Kazakhstan has initiated the development of a Central Asian action plan to strengthen nuclear security, the prevention of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.

At the initiative of Kazakhstan, the General Assembly adopted resolution 64/35, on 2 December 2009, declaring 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Active ongoing engagement with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), intergovernmental group of experts and committees demonstrates the country’s outstanding leadership and strong commitment to non-proliferation.

Combating transnational threats

Kazakhstan takes seriously its international obligations in the fight against transnational threats. As part of its commitment to implementing UN resolutions, Kazakhstan works closely with the 1540 and Anti-Terrorism Committees of the Security Council, and joined the multilateral combat against terrorism and transnational crime, illegal trafficking of drugs, arms and human beings.

Human Rights and the Rule of Law

Kazakhstan is strongly committed to strengthening the rule of law and good governance as seen in its close work with the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe in order to undertake further democratic reforms. The 2013 election to the UN Human Rights Council for three years is a reflection of the country’s determination to make human rights and democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms the cornerstone of progressive development at home and internationally.  Kazakhstan is committed to the protection of civilians from all forms of violence and aggression and the rights of women and children in  armed conflicts.  Kazakhstan makes efforts on improving implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 to increase the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution.

 Kazakhstan sets an example of tolerance and non-discrimination. As one of the most multi-ethnic countries in the world with 140 nationalities and 17 religious groups, it has achieved durable peace and stability.  Kazakhstan also initiated an ongoing international inter-religious platform, organized every three years, through the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held for the fourth time in Astana in May 2012. The country pays great attention to guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of all ethnic groups within the country, including attention to the details of the law, education, and culture.  On the initiative of  Kazakhstan the UN took decision on proclamation of an International decade for the rapprochement of cultures from 2013 to 2022.

Human-centered Sustainable Development

Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the global issues of energy, food and water security, which have a growing impact on development and stability.

Like the energy crises, diminishing access to food and water will present serious threats to sustainable development and stability, deserving global attention. Hence Food, Water and Energy Security will be among the key focus areas for Kazakhstan’s Security Council campaign. As a country which has achieved MDG 1 we remain committed to fight poverty.

We attach great importance to the South-South cooperation which has a great potential to address issues of eradication of poverty and economic inequality in least-developed countries, especially in Africa. 

With the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters and their global impact with visible potential security dimensions, Kazakhstan shares the view that greater attention should be devoted to the enhanced early-warning, preparedness and response to disasters. It therefore proposes to transform Almaty, its former capital, into a UN Regional Hub (for humanitarian action).

Since development, environmental protection and security are interconnected, Kazakhstan has been promoting the “Green Bridge” Partnership Programme initiated by Kazakhstan at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Realizing that energy will have an increasing impact on our collective future security, Kazakhstan has chosen the theme “Future Energy” for Expo 2017 to be hosted in Astana.

Kazakhstan: Committed to Multilateral Diplomacy

Kazakhstan, in a mere two decades of its independence, has proven its diplomatic capabilities to address and solve some of the most difficult issues on the global security agenda. It successfully chaired a number of key multilateral bodies: the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010 with hosting the Astana Summit in December 2010, the first in 11 years; Ministerial Conference of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2011, resulting in creation of the OIC Institute for Food Security and the OIC Commission on Human Rights; and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building in Asia (CICA, which was initiated by the President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev during the 47^th session of GA); the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2010-2011; Kazakhstan is also active in the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan and other regional structures.

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