Geneva, December 13, 2023 – First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov took part in a high-level event dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
On the Geneva site, K. Umarov met with the heads of international organizations – the UN OHCHR, WHO, ILO, IOM and WIPO. During the talks, the Kazakh diplomat focused the interlocutors’ attention on the socio-political development of Kazakhstan, spoke about the ongoing reforms. Special attention was paid to high-quality and effective interaction with partners at the Geneva platform on human rights issues, as well as deepening cooperation on the socio-economic and humanitarian track at the country and multilateral levels.
At a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on the sidelines of the high-level meeting, K. Umarov reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to fulfilling its international obligations, strengthening human rights institutions and promoting the development of a national system for the protection of human rights and democracy. He also reported on the landmark Decree signed by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on December 8, 2023, approving an Action Plan providing for a set of measures to strengthen gender equality, protect children’s rights, combat domestic violence and expand human rights in the criminal justice system.
During the conversation with Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the interlocutors exchanged views on the current state of cooperation between Kazakhstan and WHO. Noting the fundamental role of primary health care (PHC) To achieve global health coverage, the parties discussed ways to promote Kazakhstan’s initiative to create an international coalition in support of PHC, announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the visit of the head of WHO to Kazakhstan in October 2023.
At the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Deputy Head of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Kazakhstan met with the Director General of the ILO Gilbert Ungbo. K.Umarov informed the interlocutor about the efforts of our country in the field of protecting the labor rights of workers and employers, as well as integrating international standards into national legislation. Welcoming the openness of the Government of Kazakhstan to dialogue and constructive interaction, J.Ungbo expressed hope for continued cooperation with the Government, trade unions and employers’ associations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During meetings with the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Amy Pope and Ugochi Daniels, Deputy Director General of Operations, discussed joint efforts in the field of protecting the rights of migrants. IOM representatives noted Kazakhstan’s leading role in strengthening regional cooperation within the framework of the Almaty Process, an advisory platform on refugee protection and international migration. The parties confirmed their readiness to develop partnership, including through the implementation of regional projects on the basis of the UN Regional Center in Almaty for the countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan.
First Deputy Minister Kairat Umarov also held a meeting with Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Daren Tang to discuss the development of intellectual property in Kazakhstan. K. Umarov stressed the role of WIPO in creating a Global Innovation Index, proposed a master’s program for Central Asian countries and the possibility of opening a WIPO regional office in Almaty. Gratitude was expressed for the initiative to create the position of the Special Representative for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and cooperation with the Economic Research Institute of Kazakhstan was proposed. The interlocutors also discussed issues of support for patent protection, trademark registration, and a proposal for mentoring for women entrepreneurs was announced. In general, this meeting emphasized the importance of strengthening partnership in the field of intellectual property for sustainable development.
A source: www.gov.kz
