President addressed the Consultative Assembly of the State of Qatar

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the members of the Consultative Assembly (Shura Council) of the State of Qatar and shared Kazakhstan's vision on the current global and regional agenda. He thanked Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the hospitality extended to him during his first state visit to Qatar, Presidential press service reports.

The President of Kazakhstan became the first foreign leader to address the Shura Council. Addressing the audience, the Head of State noted the important role of Qatar's wise decision to hold its first legislative elections in 2021. According to him, this initiative will strengthen Qatar's prosperity and its international reputation.

- Today, Qatar is known for its pioneering and rapidly growing economy and for its active and peace-loving foreign policy. Under the stewardship of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, your nation has made great strides. Qatar can rightly be proud of its robust economy and prosperous society. We admire your national program "Qatar - 2030" which uniquely combines modernization and national values. I wish our Qatari friends success in accomplishing this noble mission. In this regard, the Shura Council provides critical legislative support to ambitious reforms and oversight of major domestic processes, - said the Kazakh President.

He spoke about building a "Just and Fair Kazakhstan" on the principles of justice, rule of law, equality and responsibility. In 2022, a large-scale modernization of the country's political system has begun.

- As Kazakhstan becomes a more inclusive political system and economy, we are following principles of accountability and change. We are honest about our past, proud of our progress, and look to the future with determination. We are fully committed to the protection of human rights and implementing a range of initiatives, from gender equality to labor safety, - noted Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

According to him, Kazakhstan and Qatar have strong partnership relations based on strong bonds of friendship, common values and mutual support.

- So far we have accomplished many joint projects in various sectors of the economy including energy, mining, agriculture, construction, and tourism. We see plenty of opportunities for Qatar to be one of the top 10 largest investors in Kazakhstan in the nearest future. During our meeting with the Amir we set a new target - to increase our trade. There are wide-ranging prospects in oil and gas exploration. We are working to adopt the best global practices to facilitate significant geological discoveries, - stressed the Head of State.

At the same time, he believes that international transport and transit routes offer another opportunity. In this context, there are high hopes for the development of the Trans-Caspian international transportation route and a significant increase in cargo traffic along this corridor.

- We are very pleased to see increased interaction between our nations recently. Businessmen and citizens of both countries enjoy a visa-free regime and almost 20 flights weekly. However, there is much room for growth, and therefore there is much work ahead of us. I am confident that my visit and today’s exchange with the leadership of Qatar will further strengthen our relations, - noted the Kazakh leader.

Special attention in the speech was paid to international topics. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated the need to recognize that geopolitical conflicts and disagreements, terrorism, climate emergency dominate the international agenda and undermine the global security architecture. According to him, the essence of the threat comes from the simultaneous erosion of the fundamental principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations.

- Dialogue is the only way to create a conducive environment for agreement on new principles and norms. Therefore, it is my firm belief that all conflicts should be solved based on the UN Charter and universally recognized international law. We will not succeed in tackling these challenges without a comprehensive reform of the Security Council. Since the Security Council appears unable to move beyond deadlock, it should become more representative. In this context Kazakhstan is a staunch advocate for the voices of Middle Powers and developing countries in the Council. Among them, both Kazakhstan and Qatar can play a greater role in global peace and security, - the President said.

He praised Qatar's peacekeeping role and its mediation efforts in numerous conflicts around the world, including in Palestine.

- Violence only leads to violence and inevitably causes tragic consequences for the Middle East and the rest of the world. Therefore, high-level diplomacy is imperative to prevent further escalation. We need a concentrated effort by all concerned parties, including regional partners and global leaders, to put the situation on a path toward peace and a "Two-state solution". I once again applaud Qatar’s tireless efforts and assertive diplomacy aimed at resolving this crisis and advancing a meaningful peace process that will put an end to hatred, violence, loss and grief, - Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed.

He believes that the sustainable development of a multifaceted partnership with Qatar directly depends on security and stability in the region, including Afghanistan.

- Kazakhstan provides assistance to Afghanistan including through the United Nations’ and other international organizations’ channels. As part of our efforts to boost economic cooperation with this country, Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban movement from the list of terrorist organizations. We believe that this step, together with our exertions on the establishment of the UN Regional Centre on SDGs for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, will contribute to Afghanistan’s further integration into global community. We hope it will also open up new opportunities for humanitarian support to the Afghan people, - the Head of State noted.

In his opinion, Central Asia is experiencing a turning point in its history. Political and economic contacts have noticeably intensified.

- We are shaping a new image of Central Asia: a region that has played an important role in the development of civilizations since ancient times, but also a region of unique present and future opportunities. In this context, we place great priority on a full-scale partnership with Qatar. Kazakhstan is ready to make every effort in this direction. The First Central Asia + GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Summit in Jeddah last year demonstrated the aspiration of our countries to develop intraregional cooperation. I am confident that the results of this high level meeting will further strengthen political, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties, contribute to regional security and stability, promote people-to-people relations, and support sustainable development efforts on a global scale, - said the President.

Addressing members of the Shura Council, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan as chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization plans to intensify cooperation with observers and dialogue partners, including Qatar.

At the same time, the speech touched upon the issues of climate change, fulfillment of commitments to achieve carbon neutrality.

- In June we are holding the 2nd Astana International Forum under the overarching theme "Building a Better World Together". I do hope this platform will be instrumental in uniting efforts to address acute challenges, including climate change, food shortages, and energy security. Besides that, this year Kazakhstan and France will join hands to co-chair the first thematic One Water Summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Last, but not least, Astana also intends to host a Regional Climate Summit under UN auspices in 2026. Only through collective action and cooperation can we solve the climate emergency, - concluded the Kazakh leader.

The Chairman of the Shura Council of the State of Qatar - Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim also spoke during the event.

- Your first state visit is a very important step to bring our relations to the level of strategic partnership. Your visit to the Shura Council within the framework of your visit will give impetus to bilateral relations and parliamentary diplomacy. We are ready to work comprehensively in this direction. The Shura Council plays an important role in deepening mutual co-operation. I hope that the friendship groups in the parliaments of the two countries will start active joint work. Your Excellency, Mr. President, last year Qatar and Kazakhstan celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations. Regular exchanges of visits by the heads of state testify to the high level of relations between our countries, - he said.