High-Level Russian-Kazakh Conference on “Sustainable Development and Security in Eurasia” and MGIMO Alumni Gathering in Astana

1 October 2024

On 30 September, Astana hosted the high-level Russian-Kazakh conference “Sustainable Development and Security in Eurasia”, held as part of the celebrations marking MGIMO’s 80th anniversary, as well as a gathering of the University’s alumni.

The conference was attended by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In his address, the Head of State noted:

“Against the backdrop of profound geopolitical and geoeconomic transformations, global climate and demographic challenges, the threat of new pandemics, an escalating arms race and technological progress, including the introduction of artificial intelligence, strategic stability and sustainable development have become matters of paramount importance to us all. ... The international community needs détente and a new positive agenda to resume constructive dialogue. ... The idea of comprehensive and indivisible security in Eurasia could serve as a conceptual foundation for building a multipolar, just and sustainable world order.”

The President also briefed conference participants on Kazakhstan’s efforts to implement a comprehensive programme of reforms across all areas of public life.

He highlighted the important role of education in strengthening friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries. More than 60,000 students from Kazakhstan are currently studying in Russia. “Branches of leading Russian universities are already operating successfully in our country. The opening of an MGIMO branch in Kazakhstan is also planned,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to the conference participants. “We highly appreciate the initiative to hold this conference, put forward by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, an MGIMO graduate,” the message stated. The Russian President also emphasised the importance of addressing all issues related to the planned opening of an MGIMO branch in Kazakhstan.

Vladimir Putin’s message was read out by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky. Vladimir Rostislavovich wished the participants every success and friendly Kazakhstan prosperity.

MGIMO Rector and Academician Anatoly Torkunov delivered a detailed presentation on the University's current development and outlined its strategic priorities in the context of the forthcoming discussions. “It is no coincidence that we chose a conference theme that brings together traditional issues of multilateral economic and security cooperation with new challenges on the climate agenda, as well as the dynamic development of energy and transport infrastructure across Eurasia,” Anatoly Torkunov emphasised.

He noted that the conference brought together representatives of the foreign policy and economic authorities of Russia and Kazakhstan, heads of expert and analytical institutions, corporate practitioners and owners of multinational companies, leaders in higher education and research in both countries, as well as rectors and vice-rectors of universities in the Russian-Kazakh border regions and heads of Russian university branches in Kazakhstan. The Rector particularly stressed the importance of MGIMO engaging more closely with Kazakhstan’s university community, given the University's plans to establish a branch in Astana.

In conclusion, the Rector noted once again that more than 1,000 MGIMO alumni live and work in Kazakhstan across various sectors of the economy, corporate management, diplomacy and public service, contributing to the country's development and strengthening cooperation across Eurasia.

The plenary session concluded with a group photograph of the participants.

The next conference session focused on multilateral cooperation and the impact of economic processes, including their international implications. These topics were also reflected in a message of greetings from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, read out by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. Mikhail Galuzin provided a brief overview of relations between the two countries. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation Dauren Abayev emphasised that the transformation of the existing international order into a multipolar and pluralistic world highlighted the immense importance of intellectual efforts to identify new development paradigms. Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, stressed the importance of dialogue with potential partners and of ensuring that approaches to security and cooperation in Eurasia take their perspectives into account.

Dmitry Konov, member of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Science Foundation and former head of SIBUR, spoke about prospects for cooperation in achieving carbon neutrality and cross-border carbon regulation, linking these issues to the broader multilateral efforts of the two countries. The session was moderated by Yerkin Tukhumov, Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS), who expressed confidence that the conference themes underscored the need for cooperation across Eurasia. Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, served as co-moderator. He highlighted the interconnected nature of developments across Eurasia and the indivisibility of cross-border processes and trends.

The third session focused on the development of Eurasia’s energy and transport infrastructure. Vladimir Salamatov, Director of MGIMO’s Institute of International Trade and Sustainable Development, explored global trends in the transport and logistics industry through the lens of the University's educational initiatives and projects. Nurlan Zhakupov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund and an MGIMO graduate, spoke about the specific features of Kazakhstan’s energy and transport infrastructure development. A. Zh. Zhamauov, Vice Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that the integration of transport and logistics routes and the development of energy infrastructure were fundamental to Kazakhstan’s sustainable future and bilateral relations. Dmitry Semenov, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Energy, emphasised that one of the key objectives of Russian-Kazakh cooperation in the fuel and energy sector was to make the most of the two countries’ combined energy potential.

A separate session was devoted to environmental challenges and the climate agenda in Eurasia. Zulfiya Suleimenova, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Special Representative for International Environmental Cooperation, expressed confidence that addressing climate challenges would require closer cooperation. Sergey Cheremin, Moscow Government Minister and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, spoke about the city’s longstanding contribution to the global sustainable development agenda and its large-scale projects aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Igor Yurgens, Director of MGIMO’s Centre for Sustainable Development and ESG Transformation, discussed the introduction of green economy principles in the Eurasian Economic Union and the development of economic cooperation among its member states within the framework of the climate agenda. The session was moderated by N.S. Shatalov, Member of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and member of its Committee on Economic Reform and Regional Development, and Marina Petrova, Director of MGIMO Endowment.

The lively final session focused on expanding cooperation in science and education. In his wide-ranging address, Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that the establishment of Russian and Kazakh university branches on an equal footing represented a new stage in higher education cooperation, opening up further opportunities for academic and research collaboration.

Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, recalled the planned opening of an MGIMO branch in Astana: “It is symbolic that we are announcing the opening of an MGIMO branch the day after Kazakhstan’s Labour Day. Training highly qualified professionals is a tremendous undertaking and one of the key missions of science and education.”

Artem Malgin, MGIMO Vice-Rector for Development, explained the reasons behind the decision to establish an MGIMO branch in Kazakhstan, outlining the issues requiring particularly careful consideration and sharing the University's experience in organising branches and network-based educational programmes.

The session brought together nearly 30 heads of educational institutions from Russia and Kazakhstan. The discussion and presentations were notably candid and businesslike. Sergey Miroshnikov, Rector of Orenburg State University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about the experience of universities in the Orenburg Region in conducting joint applied research with their Kazakhstani counterparts, particularly in agriculture and the transportation of agricultural products. He highlighted the efforts of the Orenburg Regional Council of Rectors to systematise relations with Kazakhstan and identify common humanitarian foundations for cooperation. The moderator also drew attention to the presence of Pavel Panov, Rector of the Orenburg Theological Seminary.

Yerlan Sydykov, Rector of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, spoke about the University's unique experience as a leading university in the capital, emphasising that ENU would be pleased to serve as MGIMO’s welcoming guide to Kazakhstan’s academic community.

Irina Karelina, Vice President of HSE University and Executive Director of the Global Universities Association, highlighted the importance of strategic vision in science and education. She spoke about the outstanding universities established towards the end of the Great Patriotic War, among which MGIMO holds a special place. The main focus of her presentation was the Open Doors International Olympiad, a unique mechanism for attracting and selecting talented students for Russian universities. Irina Karelina also discussed the preferences and educational pathways of Kazakhstani applicants participating in the Olympiad.

The session was co-moderated by Ermek Kosherbayev, Akim (Governor) of East Kazakhstan Region and former Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia, whose insightful and witty comments added a distinctive touch to the final discussion.

Working discussions and business meetings were also attended by Alexander Grushko, A.S. Kuantyrov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan; M.A. Travnikov, Head of the Presidential Directorate for the Protection of Citizens’ Constitutional Rights; A.L. Shevtsov, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; and M.E. Kim, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and television presenter.

MGIMO representatives who travelled from Moscow also held working meetings with colleagues from KazISS and Eurasian National University. They included Andrey Baikov, Vice-Rector for Research; Elena Kozlovskaya, Director of MGIMO Odintsovo; Andrey Sushentsov, Dean of the School of International Relations; Elena Pogrebnyak, Dean of the School of Financial Economics and Head of MGIMO’s Digital Department; Vladimir Salamatov, Dean of the Institute of International Trade and Sustainable Development; Tatyana Shashikhina, Director of MGIMO’s Eurasian Studies Institute; Roman Kotov, Adviser to the Rector and Head of MGIMO’s Teacher Training Programmes; Mikhail Suchkov, Director of MGIMO’s Institute for International Studies; and Vladimir Orlov, Professor at the Department of Applied Analysis of International Issues.

Sergey Surovtsev, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Affairs and International Relations, held information and recruitment meetings at schools in Astana.

Following the conference, representatives of the capital's university and academic communities, together with conference participants, attended a concert by leading Kazakhstani performers at Astana Opera. The MGIMO anthem was performed in a special concert arrangement.

Informal consultations between Russian and Kazakhstani officials also took place on the sidelines of the conference. Mikhail Lobov, Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and MGIMO Professor, met with members of the Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan.

On 29 and 30 September, after the day's official programme had concluded, informal gatherings brought together Russian and Kazakhstani alumni from different generations. At one of these gatherings, alumni were shown a preview of a documentary film dedicated to MGIMO’s 80th anniversary, scheduled for release in cinemas in mid-October.

Before and after the conference, MGIMO Vice-Rector for Development Artem Malgin held meetings with colleagues from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and relevant Kazakhstani officials to discuss the University's next steps towards establishing its branch in Astana.

The organisational and communications support for the Astana meetings was provided by the MGIMO Alumni Association in Moscow and MGIMO Endowment. The MGIMO Alumni Association in Kazakhstan hosted the informal programme. Financial support for the event was provided by F.K. Shodiev, a member of the MGIMO Board of Trustees.

The team of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Kazakhstan also made a major contribution to the event, with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Aleksey Borodavkin personally helping ensure its success.

Based on materials from Akorda, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, KazISS and MGIMO's own reporting.