Photo: astanainternationalforum.org
Eurasia
26/03/2024 22:01
Building on the success of the inaugural Forum in 2023, this year’s event will provide a critical opportunity for the international community to unite in the face of mounting challenges to global security, stability, and prosperity, according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s statement.
The Astana International Forum 2024 will gather government and business leaders from around the world to exchange perspectives on the most pressing issues of the day and identify new avenues for cooperation.
Expanding on the record-breaking attendance numbers of 2023, which included over 5,000 participants from more than 50 countries, including heads of state, world’s foremost policymakers, business leaders, and public intellectuals, the Forum’s programme will once more be split into four pillars: Foreign Policy and International Security, International Development and Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change, and Economy and Finance.
The pillars will serve as the principal topics for two days of engaging panel sessions, armchair discussions and dedicated networking opportunities, with the ultimate aim of delivering actionable results for the revival of multilateralism and new opportunities for bilateral partnerships.
Commenting on the launch of the second Astana International Forum, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said:
“In an era marked by polarisation and fragmentation, continued economic and geopolitical disruptions threaten to erode the essential principles of cooperation and mutual respect. I am deeply proud that, through the Astana International Forum, Kazakhstan is helping protect and enhance the international system at this key juncture.
Kazakhstan has long served as a vital bridge between East and West. This strategic vantage point on the world – geographically, culturally, and politically – positions us to drive crucial discussions and foster meaningful conversation among the world’s foremost policymakers, business leaders, and public intellectuals.”
The Astana International Forum 2024 is an important milestone for Kazakhstan on the world stage, as the country is set to chair several leading international organisations this year, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Organisation of Turkic States, the Islamic Food Security Organisation, and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea.
