Kazakhstan, Astana, Oct. 23 /Trend D.Mukhtarov/
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Cihan Sultanoglu is on a visit to Kazakhstan. The visit will last from October 22 to October 25.
Sultanoglu's visit comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the UNDP's activity in Kazakhstan.
UNDP has been active in Kazakhstan since 1993. Over 20 years of partnership, UNDP and the government of Kazakhstan have implemented more than 170 projects totalling over $ 70 million.
As a result of this work, the issues of democratic governance and regional development, renewable energy, energy efficiency have been brought to the level of the national priorities of the country. With UNDP's support, Kazakhstan has signed and ratified more than 20 international conventions and agreements.
Kazakhstan is an integral part of the UNDP global network, allowing the use of a unique experience of the country's development as an aid to other states.
"Kazakhstan has always served as a good example. From the time of its independence, the country has embarked on a path of intensive development, showing a steady economic and social progress, as well as significant growth in GDP. Working in Kazakhstan for 20 years, we have obtained a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities enjoyed by Kazakhstan. Today, as a country with above-average incomes, Kazakhstan is becoming a regional leader in the development, offering its own experience to other countries. UNDP has supported a number of initiatives in this direction: the 'Green Bridge' partnership program, the Regional Hub of Civil Service and others," Cihan Sultanoglu said at a briefing on Wednesday.
The head of the UNDP Regional Bureau also noted that Kazakhstan has a farseeing approach to development. The recent initiative of the President of Kazakhstan to join the 30 most developed countries by 2050 is one of the most significant examples. UNDP, as an organization that supports sustainable development, is ready to support Kazakhstan in the implementation of the 2050 strategy.
During the visit, Cihan Sultanoglu will meet with representatives of the Kazakh government, including the Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexei Volkov. Sultanoglu will also visit the High School #9 in Astana, where the energy-efficient upgrade was carried out as part of the UNDP project. This upgrade allowed reducing costs for heat up to 25 per cent.