TORONTO | NEW YORK (IDN) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has commended Kazakhstan for signing the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The signing comes as Kazakhstan prepares to host EXPO 2017, which will focus on sustainable energy for the future.
In a meeting with Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erlan Idrissov, Ban congratulated the Central Asian country on its June 28 election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
According to a readout issued August 2 by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, the UN chief and the Minister also exchanged views on projects in the field of sustainable development related to the cooperation between the UN and Kazakhstan, and the initiatives the country is spearheading in the UN.
Kazakhstan, along with Sweden, Bolivia and Ethiopia, were elected to serve on Security Council for a two year term, starting from January 1, 2017. The remaining seat will be shared by Italy and the Netherlands, each with a one-year term.
The Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent. The five permanent members, each with the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other current non-permanent members are Japan, Egypt, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay.
According to the UN; with Kazakhstan’s signing and as of August 3, the Paris Agreement now has 180 signatories. Also, of the 180 signatory countries, 22 have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval.
The agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the Secretary-General.
The agreement deals with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020. The language of the treaty was negotiated by representatives of 195 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Paris and adopted by consensus on December 12, 2015.
It was opened for signature on April 22, 2016, the Earth Day in a ceremony in New York City. 174 countries and the European Union signed the accord.
“Much depends on its smooth ratification by the states,” Foreign Minister Idrissov noted. “I hope that with the support of the government and the Parliament, Kazakhstan will be a model of prompt ratification of the agreement and will encourage the key signatory states to ensure its early entry into force.” [IDN-InDepthNews – 05 August 2016]
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Erlan Idrissov, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
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