WORKING TOGETHER FOR A SECURE FUTURE The 2nd Ka zakhstan- US Co nven tion 10 December 2 014 l Washington DC e t a t S f o t n e m t r a p e D S U : o t o h P H.E. Erlan Idrissov, Foreign Minister, meets with Hon. John Kerry, Secretary of State, in New York, September 2014 PRODUCED AND SPONSORED BY WORKING TOGETHER FOR A SECURE FUTURE The 2nd Ka zakhstan- US Co nven tion 10 December 2 014 l Washington DC Organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the United States with the support of the Council of Turkic American Associations Foreword A STRONG AND RELIABLE PARTNERSHIP His Excellency Erlan Idrissov Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan ’m very pleased that the Embassy of situated close to the epicenter of geopolitical Kazakhstan is hosting, to coincide with the tensions, is affected by these forces.” I celebrations of our country’s Independence To make the nation’s economy more Day, the second Kazakhstan-US Convention sustainable and diversified, he appealed on the theme of “Working Together for a to the people of Kazakhstan to “work hard Secure Future.” and unite our efforts on the way to a better This is a particularly good moment future” just as he outlined a major package to discuss the importance of the strategic of infrastructure investment over the next partnership between Kazakhstan and the four years, which, to some extent, can be United States. It is a partnership based compared with Roosevelt’s New Deal in on the regular political dialogue between scope and significance for our economy. President Nursultan Nazarbayev and While Kazakhstan’s economy has been President Barack Obama and which growing at a solid rate of 4 per cent this Secretary Kerry and I reaffirmed when we year, the President’s vision is meant to met in New York in September. Kazakhstan’s ensure its continued sustainable growth growing role in regional and global affairs even in the face of external challenges. and its commitment to a secure world makes the country a strong and reliable partner A good platform for the United States. The world today is undergoing difficult It is within this context that I view the times which are having an impact on every Convention, which provides a good platform country. As President Nazarbayev said in to discuss immediate global challenges his landmark State of the Nation address such as ISIS, Ebola, the Middle East crisis, in November 2014, “Kazakhstan, as part Afghanistan, Iraq and the conflict in Ukraine. of the global economy and a country We have to find quick and lasting solutions WORKING TOGETHER FOR A SECURE FUTURE to these current problems while simultaneously partnership on nuclear nonproliferation, creating the long-term strategies needed to global and regional security, energy and keep the world peaceful and stable. environment provides the backbone for The wider Central Asian region also our growing and successful relationship. faces development challenges which we I am sure that the frank discussions which need to address including through greater the Convention will encourage will help international economic engagement. generate both an intellectual framework The US can play a key role in supporting and practical recommendations for the two economic growth through increased direct Governments to implement, while we chart investment and co-operation in science a roadmap of comprehensive partnership and technology. The “Working Together for a secure future. for A Secure Future” theme of the Convention I thank you again for your participation strongly resonates with Kazakhstan as we in this year’s Convention which I am sure believe that development and economic will be a success. / growth are vital to long-term stability for the region and wider world. We hope policymakers, distinguished academics and business leaders will have substantial and productive discussions on this important issue. Kazakhstan remains determined to contribute to peace and security, prosperity and sustainability through cooperation with neighboring countries and global actors including, of course, the US. Our successful THE 2 ND KAZAKHSTAN US CONVENTION Message SHARED GOALS His Excellency Kairat Umarov Ambassador of Kazakhstan am honored to welcome you to the Kazakhstan will be celebrating its 23rd Even though, like all countries, including second Kazakhstan-US Convention on anniversary as an independent, sovereign such great economic power houses as China I the theme “Working Together for a Secure state. It is a remarkable achievement for and India, it has faced difficult times during Future”. This event speaks of the ever closer a country which some initially thought may the recent recession, it continues to grow at ties between two countries linked together never survive its tumultuous early years, approaching five per cent a year. in a strategic partnership to assist progress borne, as it was, amidst the confusion With good fortune, comes enormous on a range of bilateral, regional and global and collapse of the former Soviet Union. responsibility. But my country does not see issues from boosting US-Kazakh trade But it has done far more than survive. It has this as a burden, more an opportunity – to and investment opportunities to promoting grown and evolved as a proud, forward- further engage in all regions and countries nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation thinking country with a vibrant, diversifying of the world; with countries great and small; worldwide. domestic economy increasingly and with international organizations, particularly I am pleased to note that the Strategic beneficially integrated into global markets the United Nations where we are seeking Partnership Dialogue is chaired by Foreign in line with a multi-vector foreign policy, to become a non-permanent member of the Minister Erlan Idrissov, who is a dear friend which, at its heart, rests on two all-important Security Council in 2017-18. This quest is of the United States, and Secretary of State dimensions: security and prosperity. based on Kazakhstan’s commitment to four John Kerry, whose strong personal support The hand of fate has been kind to different, but inter-dependent, areas of for the close friendship between our two Kazakhstan. It has gifted the country with security – water, food, energy and nuclear countries is much valued by the Government vast energy and non-energy minerals and security. of Kazakhstan. They last met a little over resources. These, of course, have been two months ago in New York and agreed the building block of the country’s rapid Project Sapphire to further enhance the Strategic Partnership. industrial development and diversification Moreover, the Secretary of State was invited – along with internal political stability and My country’s commitment to nuclear security to visit Kazakhstan and we hope he is able strategic global partnerships. Kazakhstan’s began at the dawn of independence when to do so in the near future. GDP grew on average by 8 per cent per it was decided to dismantle and abolish In just a few days, on December 16, annum in the first decade of the new century. Kazakhstan’s nuclear weapons capability. WORKING TOGETHER FOR A SECURE FUTURE States. Project Sapphire, in addition Energy.” The EXPO in Kazakhstan’s capital to the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat city of Astana is expected to attract some Reduction Program, were essential to five million visitors from over 100 countries. eliminating the post Soviet legacy of US firms are already actively involved. radioactive materials, military nuclear Indeed, Chicago-based Adrian Smith + infrastructure and nuclear weapons on Gordon Gill Architecture Company secured the territory of Kazakhstan. the contract to design the 173.4 hectare My country remains a staunch EXPO grounds. However, while the EXPO supporter of nuclear disarmament and non- is, of course, an excellent opportunity for proliferation. Kazakhstan and the United international firms, large and small, to States confirmed their shared commitment showcase the most recent developments in to non-proliferation and strengthening the field of renewable energy and “green” nuclear security in a joint statement following technology, more fundamentally, Kazakhstan a bilateral meeting between President seeks to use the EXPO as a catalyst for Nazarbayev and President Obama at the incorporating alternative energy sources Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague in into its national infrastructure. March. Energy diversification is key to Kazakhstan’s sustainable development. Indeed, 2014 is the 20th anniversary EXPO 2017 By 2050, Kazakhstan aims to generate half of the completion of Project Sapphire, at of its energy needs through wind, solar and the time a top-secret bilateral operation that Meanwhile, nothing speaks more clearly of hydroelectric power. Already a land bridge removed 600 kilograms of weapon grade Kazakhstan’s commitment to addressing the between Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan is highly enriched uranium (HEU) from Ust- future security of global energy supplies than working towards becoming a “green bridge”, Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, to Oak Ridge its successful campaign to host the World a crucible of green energy industries from National Laboratory here in the United Fair EXPO 2017, featuring the theme “Future which the region, indeed, the world will benefit. THE 2 ND KAZAKHSTAN US CONVENTION Our “green” efforts are not limited to fish production by three times and reduced example, by recently donating to the Multi preparing for the EXPO 2017. Kazakhs’ the salinity of the water by half. The second, Partner Trust Fund to combat the Ebola strong historical culture of pastoral-nomadism five-year phase of SYNAS will begin soon, tragedy in West Africa. have given them an intimate appreciation focusing on the rehabilitation of infrastructure In addition to providing humanitarian of the natural world – in particular and the surrounding the water. assistance to Ukraine, Kazakhstan is fully continuing need to ensure secure supplies engaged in the efforts to promote an ongoing of food and water.