Kazakhstan hosts 5th Course for Sustainability

The Course for Sustainability: Strategies, Methodologies, Policies and Actions for Kazakhstan officially kicked off in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on April 14. Forty senior officials from Kazakhstan's government participated in the weeklong training. A launch, press conference and welcome dinner were held to commemorate the opening of the course.

Photo: flickr.com

Speaking at the course launch were BG Group Executive Vice President of Policy & Corporate Affairs Charles Bland, Italian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Bruno Antonio Pasquino, and REC Executive Director Marta Szigeti Bonifert. Stefania Romano of the Italian Trust Fund spoke on behalf of Corrado Clini, Director General of the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea; and a ministry official spoke on behalf of Kazakh Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov. Talaybek Makeev of project partner Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia led the proceedings.

Course participants represented nine different governmental ministries and agencies, in keeping with the Course for Sustainability's commitment to involving different actors involved in sustainable development — i.e. not just environmental officials. In addition to a general overview of global trends, topics covered ranged from decision-making tools to good governance principles.

BG Group and IMELS are co-funding the Kazakh Course for Sustainability, the fifth of its kind. The first four modules, funded exclusively by IMELS, were for governmental officials from Central and Eastern Europe.