On November 30, 2021, within the framework of the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan, and the Day of the First President of Kazakhstan, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the N.Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue and the Center of Information and Arabian-Russian Studies (CIARS), organized in a hybrid format a Round Table entitled “30 years of Independence of Kazakhstan and the historical role of Nursultan Nazarbayev in the establishment of the modern state”, Delovoy Kazakhstan reports.
The Round Table was attended by Saudi Arabia’s representatives, namely by Dr. Mona Al Mushait, the member of Consultative Council of Saudi Arabia and the Kazakh-Saudi parliamentary friendship group, Dr. Majed Al-Turki, the Chairman of CIARS, Amb. Dahier Alenazi, the former Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Kazakhstan, scientists and leading experts of the Center for Research and Intercommunication Knowledge (CRIK), Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, CIARS, and other Saudi research centers, heads of OIC UNA and Al Ahram regional news agencies, as well as local and regional media representatives.
The Kazakh side was attended by H.E. Mr. Berik Aryn, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mr. Bulat Sarsenbayev, Chairman of the N.Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue, Mr. Timur Shaimergenov, the Deputy Director of the Library of the First President of Kazakhstan, professors of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and media representatives.
Ambassador Berik Aryn, in his welcoming remarks, has informed on the main achievements of Kazakhstan over the years of independence, impressive successes in the international arena stressing that the recent history of Kazakhstan and its current progress linked to the name of the First President of Kazakhstan – Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Kazakh diplomat also briefed on the ongoing economic and political reforms implemented under the leadership of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, aimed at ensuring sustainable economic growth and the well-being of citizens.
The Chairman of CIARS Dr. Majed Al-Turki, in his turn, congratulated the Government and people of Kazakhstan on the anniversary date and the Day of the First President and presented to the participants the book entitled “Kazakhstan - 30 Years of Development”, which was published jointly by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Riyadh, CIARS and the N. Nazarbayev Center, and tells about the main historical events during the period of independence of Kazakhstan.
At the same time, Dr. Majed Al-Turki, in his speech, mentioned the symbolism of holding the Round Table in the Library named after the First Kazakh Ambassador to the Kingdom Nazir Turekulov, who laid the foundations of friendship between the Kazakh and Saudi peoples at the beginning of last century.
Member of the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia Dr. Mona Al Mushait noted the importance of strengthening the inter-parliamentary dialogue along with the development of trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. In her opinion, friendship groups between countries established in the Parliament of Kazakhstan and the Consultative Council of the Kingdom play an important role. Dr. Mona Al Mushait briefed on the results of the recent visit of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of the Consultative Council of Saudi Arabia, to Nur-Sultan. She has shared her positive impressions of the Kazakh capital, stating that the city of Nur-Sultan is full of miracles of architecture.
She drew attention to the hospitality of the Kazakh people, tourism potential and cultural diversity of the country, expressing confidence in its future prosperity.
Ambassador Dahier Alenazi was talking about the years of his activity in Kazakhstan, where he witnessed the great achievements of Kazakhstan in the socio-economic sphere. He also emphasized the successful international initiatives of the Kazakh side, such as the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology, and others. He also stressed the leading role of Kazakhstan in Central Asia that distinguished by the course of implementing balanced diplomacy, the development of good-neighborly relations, and openness to the entire world.
Concerning the Kazakh-Saudi relations, Amb. Dahier Alenazi underlined that the foundations of mutually beneficial cooperation were laid during the visits of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Saudi Arabia and his meetings with the leadership of the Kingdom, and the political will of the leaders has led friendly ties to the current high level of partnership.
The Saudi diplomat highlighted the historical role of the Leader of the Nation, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in establishing a modern state and praised the activities of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who lays a new vector of state development by ensuring the continuity of successions of power.
Besides, the Kazakh Embassy demonstrated a short documentary film and organized a photo exhibition on the achievements of Kazakhstan during the years of independence. Throughout the event, Embassy distributed a new book “Kazakhstan – 30 Years of Development”, books written by Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and other information highlighting Kazakhstan and its political, social, and economic development.
In general, the participants of the Round Table highly appreciated the historical role of the First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who in the watershed years for Kazakhstan was able to convince Kazakhstan citizens to show courage and patience, and most importantly – to mobilize them in support of the course of the reforms. These efforts helped to preserve stability and avoid the socio-political upheavals that took place in other post-Soviet states.
The participants agreed to continue cooperation and joint efforts to develop and strengthen friendly relations between Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia.
