ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 12. Kazakhstan and the United Nations (UN) have signed a new agreement on funding a peacekeeping mission, Trend reports.
Kazakhstan's Mazhilis (The lower house of the Parliament of Kazakhstan) deputies have adopted laws ratifying international agreements between the Government of Kazakhstan and the UN. These agreements foresee the participation of a peacekeeping contingent of the Kazakh Armed Forces in the Golan Heights mission.
According to Deputy Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan,
Shaikh-Hasan Zhazykbayev, the international agreements were signed
as part of implementing the Parliament's resolution of January 19,
2024, “On the Proposal of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Send a
Peacekeeping Contingent of the Armed Forces of the Republic of
Kazakhstan to Participate in UN missions.”
“The main memorandum, which establishes the administrative,
logistical, and financial conditions for providing Kazakh personnel
and equipment for the mission, was signed on February 14, 2024.
This document is standard for all countries contributing forces to
peacekeeping operations,” said the deputy minister.
He emphasized that the national peacekeeping contingent - comprising 139 military personnel and 26 units of military equipment - has been deployed to the Golan Heights mission since March 2024.
Zhazykbayev noted that, under the Law on Peacekeeping Activities
of Kazakhstan, the funds allocated by the UN to reimburse the state
for the costs of the peacekeeping operation are deposited in the
national budget.
“To address financial matters with the UN, an additional agreement
was signed to the memorandum. Coordination of the project with the
UN Secretariat took nine months, and it was only at the end of 2024
that the agreement was finalized. The agreement stipulates the
division of UN payments into two bank accounts. Thus, the funds for
personnel will be received directly by the servicemen, while the
funds for equipment will be credited to the state budget. Given
that the international agreements in question relate to ensuring
international peace and security and establishing rules differing
from those provided for by Kazakh laws, they are subject to
ratification,” the deputy minister explained.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan’s contribution to strengthening international and regional security through participation in UN peacekeeping missions will enhance the country’s prestige.
To note, a batch of Kazakhstani peacekeepers was deployed to the Golan Heights in March last year as part of the UN mission.