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The European information TV channel Euronews today, May 28, 2024, published an article by the head of state Kasym-Jomart Tokayev. In it, the president of Kazakhstan spoke about the role of middle powers, reports Zakon.kz.

The full translation was distributed by Akorda.

“Countries like Kazakhstan should come forward with new strength and declare their role not only as participants, but also as responsible players in the global arena.

In today’s world, marked by extreme geopolitical turbulence and constant conflicts, the need for multilateral solutions is more urgent than ever.

Wars in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, while climate change is leaving millions hungry, vulnerable and homeless. These conflicts seem intractable, with no hope for improvement. Against this backdrop of global discord, traditional powers – the world’s economic and political giants – are increasingly less able to work together.

The conflict in Ukraine has created a diplomatic stalemate, the ongoing situation in Gaza is a huge humanitarian disaster, and tensions in the Indo-Pacific region are pushing risky actions at the expense of more constructive engagement. Meanwhile, structures established to promote international consensus, such as the United Nations, face paralysis and stalemate.
Middle powers, flexible key players

The veto power held by the permanent members of the UN Security Council often leads to stalemates, preventing decisive action on the global crisis and leading to recurring scenarios where unilateralism (unilateral action) is favored over collective action. This further undermines the spirit of multilateralism (multilateralism) and reduces confidence in international institutions. Against this backdrop, middle powers such as Kazakhstan emerge as key players with growing opportunities to bring about greater stability, peace and development in their regions and beyond.

Unencumbered by the complexities of superpower politics, we have the flexibility to successfully navigate complex diplomatic landscapes and pave the way for compromise and reconciliation. Even without as much global influence as the world’s superpowers, countries like ours have the economic power, military capabilities and, perhaps more importantly, the political will and diplomatic skill necessary to make a significant impact on the global stage on issues of food and energy security, green transition and IT, and supply chain sustainability.

Moreover, middle powers are deeply committed to multilateralism. Unlike superpowers, which may feel constrained by these institutions, charting their own course, our countries depend on these critical global mechanisms to resolve disputes, protect territorial integrity, and address common challenges such as climate change and pandemics.
Agenda: peacemaking and sustainable development

Kazakhstan has always been deeply committed to multilateralism, constantly seeking new venues for international dialog and joint action.

In addition to our ongoing work on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, we are actively promoting the establishment of a new multilateral agency focused on biosecurity to prevent the devastating effects of man-made pandemics and bioterrorism on a global scale.

We are also proud to co-chair this year, along with France, the first One Water Summit, which aims to bring together countries and communities around the world facing the challenges of water scarcity and desertification. In addition, we have offered to host the new UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan to coordinate regional efforts to combat the effects of climate change.

We are also not afraid to offer our assistance in finding solutions to protracted conflicts. This is evidenced by our recent commitment to peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia – an effort that underscores our belief in the power of middle powers to advance dialogue and promote peace.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, a valuable opportunity to reflect on the return and resurgence of divisions among the world’s great powers in the post-Cold War era.

More importantly, however, the road to global unity is not off the beaten track – it has been traveled successfully before. The world has overcome differences before and can do so again through diplomacy and dialog.
We must all work together to breathe new life into our world

With the multilateral system under severe strain, it takes countries of all sizes – large, medium and small – to breathe new life into it. However, with the big powers less and less willing to trust the process and the small countries lacking influence, it is the duty of the middle powers to lead the way.

Countries like Kazakhstan must step up and assert their role not only as participants but also as responsible players on the global stage.

At this critical moment, we call on all our international partners to join us in strengthening multilateralism – to revitalize and invest in a global system in which we have achieved much.

Let our collective action reflect our commitment not only to a more peaceful present, but also to a prosperous and harmonious future. The task is difficult, but with determination, leadership and a strong commitment to dialogue, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s successes. Let us lead the way to an era of multilateral renewal.”
Note that this is not the first article of the leader of Kazakhstan. For example, on September 20, 2023, the American print and online political publication The Hill published an article by Kasym-Jomart Tokayev about the UN.