UN Pays Kazakhstan $2.6 Million Annually for Military Equipment in Golan Heights
The United Nations pays Kazakhstan $2.6 million per year for the lease of military equipment and weapons used in its peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights, Kazakhstan's Deputy Defense Minister Shaykh-Khasan Zhazykbayev announced at a Mazhilis meeting. On February 12, Mazhilis deputies ratified a memorandum with the UN outlining the terms of Kazakhstan’s contribution to the mission. Since March 2024, 139 Kazakhstani servicemen have been deployed to the region, supported by 26 units of military equipment. Under the agreement, UN payments are divided into two categories: approximately $2.4 million per year is allocated for personnel maintenance, while $2.6 million covers the lease of military equipment, weapons, and other resources. Each Kazakhstani peacekeeper receives a monthly salary of $1,448, along with additional payments for leave and out-of-pocket expenses. A separate agreement between Kazakhstan and the UN regulates financial transactions. Under this arrangement, payments for military personnel go directly to the soldiers, while funds for leased equipment and property are transferred to the state budget. During 11 months of operations in the Golan Heights, Kazakhstani peacekeepers have neutralized approximately 200 unexploded ordnance and conducted the evacuation of a UN employee. The Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan reported that in December 2024, the contingent demonstrated a high level of professionalism, efficiency, and coordination. Meanwhile, tensions in the conflict zone remain high. The Kazakh contingent operates in a region where hostilities between Israel and Syria persist. Israel continues to expand military infrastructure in the Golan Heights, which it has controlled since 1967. However, many countries recognize the area as Syrian territory and consider it occupied. Previously, the UN discussed the possibility of evacuating Kazakhstani peacekeepers if the security situation deteriorates.