ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s decision earlier this month to declare Shymkent a city of national significance is of historical international value. It will facilitate the practical implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Kazakhstan, including through viable urban management, providing housing to people and improving urban environmental planning of one of the largest Kazakh cities, the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The creation of the Turkestan region with Turkestan as the administrative center also plays a critical role in enhancing all-round regional cooperation in Central Asia, since the region is situated in the middle of this vast region. It is a meeting point of major railway lines and the Western Europe-Western China international highway corridor.
Cities in southern Kazakhstan are well-known destinations of inbound tourism that house the ancient architectural monuments and sacral sites of the Muslim and Turkic world. Ancient Turkestan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will now have more opportunities to enhance its tourism infrastructure. Turkestan’s important role in history and in modern times will be discussed during the international Cities Mayors Forum Global Silk Road to be held in Astana on July 2-3, 2018.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan around the world, will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to the administrations of the regions and cities of Kazakhstan in strengthening international relations, attracting technologies and investment, promoting trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation of the regions.
