OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Astana, 23 April 2026ASTANA, 24 April 2026 – A high-level delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly participated in the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026), held 22 -24 April in Astana, at the invitation from the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Nyssanbayev. The Summit brought together over 1,500 participants, including representatives of governments, international organizations, development institutions, civil society, business and experts to advance a shared vision on climate change, water security and green transition.
Assembly President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro (Spain), Chair of the economic and environmental committee Azay Guliyev (Azerbaijan), Special Representative on Central Asia Angelos Syrigos (Greece), Special Representative on Climate Change Ainur Argynbekova (Kazakhstan), and Secretary General Roberto Montella participated in the Summit, met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and held other high-level political meetings, underscoring the Assembly’s commitment to strengthening co-operation with Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region.
Opening the Regional Ecological Summit 2026, President Tokayev highlighted Central Asia’s key challenges, including water scarcity and inefficient management, desertification, glacier melt, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. He stressed that these challenges require joint efforts to address through regional co-operation, fair green transitions, and practical decisions.
Ainur Argynbekova addresses OSCE PA roundtable on "Parliamentary Diplomacy for Climate Action and Sustainable Development: The Central Asian Perspective," Astana, 22 April 2026On the margins of the Summit, a parliamentary roundtable entitled “Parliamentary Diplomacy for Climate Action and Sustainable Development: The Central Asian Perspective” was held on 22 April in Astana. Hosted by Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev at the initiative of Special Representative Argynbekova, the event provided an opportunity to exchange views on inter-parliamentary co-operation in addressing pressing climate challenges and to discuss concrete solutions to advance climate action and sustainable development.
“Climate change and environmental degradation in Central Asia require sustained parliamentary engagement and co-ordinated action,” Special Representative Argynbekova said.
Noting in his welcoming remarks at the roundtable that climate change is already reshaping lives across Central Asia, President Pons emphasized that parliamentarians must act as legislators, budget authorities, and accountability drivers.
“Central Asia is facing a climate and water crisis transforming economies and daily life,” Pons said. “This is a present responsibility. Kazakhstan has shown leadership in regional co-operation, and this region has shown it can deliver when it works together. What matters now is implementation — because credibility in climate action will be measured not by what we declare, but by what we actually deliver for future generations.”
Chair of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment Guliyev underscored the strong commitment and active support of the Committee in addressing shared regional challenges, including impacts of climate change on security, stability, and economic resilience, emphasizing its cross-cutting nature.
“Climate change is not a sectoral issue but a cross-cutting challenge and a growing threat multiplier for security, stability, and economic resilience,” Guliyev said. “Within the OSCE PA and its Second Committee, we address it in an integrated way: linking climate to security, connectivity, and technology. This is particularly visible in Central Asia, where key transport and energy corridors must become climate-resilient, supported by regional co-operation and innovation.”
The roundtable was closed by Senate Chairman Ashimbayev, who noted that Central Asia faces complex climate challenges requiring co-ordinated action. He stressed the need for climate-informed legislation, stronger monitoring and oversight of implementation, the exchange of best legislative practices, enhanced interparliamentary co-operation, and a collective regional response to environmental challenges. The outcomes of the roundtable, he said, will help shape and advance concrete initiatives for future co-operation.
Meeting with the Ministers of Energy and Water Resources, Astana, 23 April 2026During the visit, the delegation engaged in a series of high-level bilateral meetings with President Tokayev, Chairman Ashimbayev, and Chairman of the Mazhilis Yerlan Koshanov, focusing on strengthening inter-parliamentary co-operation, supporting ongoing political and economic reforms, and addressing shared regional challenges.
Discussions were also held with Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov, and Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Bakhtiyar Mukhametkaliyev on climate policy, water security, energy transition and regional co-operation.
OSCE PA Special Representative on Central Asia Syrigos highlighted the strategic importance of the region, noting: “Central Asia plays a growing strategic role within the OSCE area, with Kazakhstan acting as a key driver of regional co-operation. Our exchanges confirmed the need to further strengthen parliamentary ties on shared challenges such as water, energy, and environmental security. In my capacity as Special Representative, I am committed to supporting this dialogue and ensuring that the region’s priorities are reflected in our work. We must build on this momentum — strengthening co-operation and continue translating shared priorities into concrete action.”
Reflecting on the visit and the Assembly’s practical engagement, OSCE PA Secretary General Montella underlined the importance of translating political commitments into concrete action: “What we have built within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is not only a strong political message, but a structured framework to deliver results. Our co-operation with Kazakhstan, supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, shows how parliamentary dialogue can be effectively linked to implementation on the ground. The challenge is no longer to define priorities, but ensuring follow-up and delivery.”
On Friday, the OSCE PA President is visiting the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and is delivering a lecture at Maqsut Narikbayev University, further reinforcing the Assembly’s engagement with both OSCE institutions and the next generation of leaders.
Photos of the visit to Kazakhstan are available for public use on Flickr.
