IDN-INPS Editor-in-Chief and Director-General Ramesh Jaura had a stimulating meeting with Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dr. Kairat Umarov, on February 8, 2017 at the Central Asian country’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
Before moving to New York, he was in Washington serving as Ambassador to the U.S. since January 2013 – after serving as Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister since 2009. Prior to the Deputy Foreign Minister’s post, Dr. Umarov was Ambassador to India and Sri Lanka for five years.
His appointment as PR to the UN coincides with the beginning of Kazakhstan’s two-year (2017-2018) tenure as non-permanent member of the Security Council.
Another highlight of 2017 is President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s announcement “to build a more efficient, sustainable, modern system of governance” (Kazakhstan Moves Toward Democratic Development). The Kazakh Mission hosted on February 17 a special event entitled “Political and Economic Reforms: Steps in Implementing SDG 16”.
Yet another 2017 highlight is Expo 2017 (between June 10 and September 10, 2017) in Astana, which would not only demonstrate the future energy, but also the problematic issues of developing countries. Expo’s theme is “Future Energy”, and aim is to create a global debate between countries, nongovernmental organizations, companies and the general public on the crucial question: “how do we ensure safe and sustainable access to energy for all while reducing CO2 emissions?”