Your Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
Honourable Heads of State and Government,
Ministers, Distinguished guests,
It is an honour to represent Â鶹APP Secretary-General, Mr. Ant¨®nio Guterres, at the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana today.
I thank the Government of Kazakhstan for convening us at a moment when global unity is more vital than ever.
Kazakhstan has long stood at the crossroads of continents, bridging cultures and ideas, advancing progress, and championing the principles of unity, solidarity and shared purpose.
This Summit reflects our shared commitment to cooperation over division, in pursuit of a resilient future.
Excellencies,
A decade ago, the world leaders made a collective promise: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
While that promise has catalysed real, tangible progress, with only a few years remaining until 2030, we are still far off track.
Globally, over 700 million people remain in extreme poverty. More than two billion people lack access to safe drinking water. Around one million species are threatened with extinction. And a multi-trillion-dollar financing gap continues to stall our progress.
Here in Central Asia, these global challenges are deeply personal. The region is on the frontlines of climate change, experiencing temperature increases above the global average; glaciers are rapidly retreating; and ecosystems face mounting pressure with direct consequences for food security and the livelihoods of millions across the region.
But Central Asia is not merely a region of vulnerability; it is a region of leadership.
Through sustained cooperation, you have proved that long-term commitment can restore ecosystems and rebuild livelihoods.
Looking ahead, to bridge the gap to 2030, we require renewed commitment and intensive investment.
This means unlocking climate financing at scale for low-carbon development, accelerating the renewable energy transition, building circular economies, and preserving the ecosystem, that drive inclusive and resilient growth.
It also demands equitable access to green and frontier technologies through partnerships; and crucially, equipping people with the skills to turn those innovations into lasting impact.
Global solutions must be rooted in regional realities, and supported by strong international cooperation.
In this regard, the upcoming UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty will play a transformative role.
I extend my deepest gratitude to Kazakhstan for its leadership and generosity in hosting this Centre. The Â鶹APP is fully committed to supporting it as a premier hub for regional cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and accelerated SDG implementation.
Excellencies,
Allow me to turn to one issue that flows through all others: water.
As Secretary-General of the 2026 UN Water Conference, I see water not just as a resource, but as the vital thread linking every major challenge we face.
Water defies borders¡ªand our solutions must do the same.
Central Asia¡¯s experience and leadership will be indispensable in shaping the global water agenda leading up to the 2026 Water Conference and beyond.
In this spirit, I welcome President Tokayev¡¯s visionary call for a dedicated international organization on water. This proposal reflects the urgent reality that water must be at the very core of global development. The Â鶹APP looks forward to further deliberations among Member States on this important initiative.
Excellencies,
At a time of global division, this Summit sends a clear, powerful message: sustainable development remains the pathway to peace, resilience and shared prosperity.
I thank President Tokayev and the people of Kazakhstan for your leadership and hospitality.
The Â鶹APP stands shoulder-to-shoulder with you as we translate our shared purpose into lasting action.
Thank you.