Under the chairmanship of Serik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister / Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the meeting of the Coordinating Council for Sustainable Development was held to discuss the draft of the third Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting was attended by representatives of the Government and United Nations agencies.
Serik
Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of National Economy
of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that the implementation of the
SDG principles is primarily aimed at improving the life quality of
the people and the introduction of the best international standards,
which generally contributes to the formation of sustainable global
responsibility of the country.
Speaking
at the meeting, Stephen O'Malley, interim UN Resident Coordinator in
Kazakhstan, noted the country's consistent commitment to the 2030
Agenda. He stressed that the opening of the UN Regional SDG Center in
Almaty, as well as active participation in the preparation of the
review, demonstrate the leadership of Kazakhstan in advancing global
goals. According to him, Kazakhstan has already reached 42.6% of the
SDG targets, which is significantly higher than the global average
(16%). He assured of continued support from the UN system.
Katarzyna
Wawiernia, the Resident Representative of United Nations Development
Programme in Kazakhstan, expressed appreciation for the contribution
of all participants to the preparation of the document. She invited
to participate in the SDG session within the framework of the Astana
International Forum, and also called for participation in the
Regional Climate Summit in 2026. This initiative will become an
important platform for strengthening regional cooperation and
mobilizing international expertise.
Assan
Darbayev, Vice Minister of National Economy, presented the main
results of the work on the preparation of the Review. Special
attention is paid to the localization of the SDGs at the regional
level, strengthening interagency coordination, as well as the
participation of representatives of civil society and the expert
community. Among the key achievements, he noted the creation of a
Parliamentary Commission for monitoring the SDGs, the adoption of a
Strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and the updating of
national indicators, the number of which has been reduced to 200.
Assel
Sarsenbayeva, the Chairman of the Management Board of Economic
Research Institute JSC, pointed out that the Review has been prepared
based on the principle "Leaving No One Behind, and it reflects
the perspectives of both governmental institutions and general
public. The document covers eight priority goals, identified on the
basis of UN recommendations and survey results, for which key
achievements were presented.
In
the framework of SDG 1 "No poverty", digital targeted
support mechanisms have been implemented, the National Fund for
Children program has been introduced, and the Social Code has been
adopted.
In
the framework of SDG 3 "Good health and well-being", a
steady decrease in maternal mortality and an expansion of the
compulsory social health insurance system have been recorded.
In
the framework of SDG 5 "Gender equality", measures to
protect against domestic violence have been strengthened and women's
participation in the economy and management is increasing.
In
the framework of SDG 8 "Decent work and economic growth",
GDP grew by 4.8% in 2024, the share of SMEs in the economy increased
to 39.3% and the unemployment rate decreased to 4.7%.
SDG
12 "Responsible consumption and production" reflects
progress in the regulatory framework – a new Environmental Code has
been adopted and the law on public procurement has been updated.
In
the framework of SDG 14 "Life below water", Kazakhstan has
adopted the WTO international agreement aimed at sustainable
management of fisheries resources.
SDG
16 "Peace, justice and strong institutions" demonstrates
achievements in the digitalization of the judicial system and the
improvement of anti-corruption mechanisms.
In
the framework of SDG 17 "Partnership for the Goals", active
international cooperation continues, digital monitoring tools are
being introduced and green technologies are being promoted.
The
draft of the third Voluntary National Review was unanimously approved
by the meeting participants. Its official presentation will take
place in July 2025 at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable
Development in New York.
