Marking a significant milestone, the Republic of Kazakhstan officially announced its inaugural independent commitment of a military contingent to United Nations Peacekeeping on 14 February.
At a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, Lieutenant General Sultan Kamaletdinov, First Deputy Minister of Defence and Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, and Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support (DOS), signed a memorandum of understanding that will govern the deployment of a Force Reserve Company from Kazakhstan to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Middle East.
His Excellency Akan Rakhmetullin, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, was also present at the event.
One hundred and thirty-nine peacekeepers, including seven women, together with their equipment, will begin to deploy to UNDOF in March 2024.
“For the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, this is a historic milestone. Previously our units erected co-deployed within the contingents of our partners, and now we are to send a unit under our national flag. Participation in peacekeeping missions is not only the contribution of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the efforts of the international community to maintain peace and security, but also an important component of training that helps improve the combat skills of military personnel,” said Lt. Gen. Sultan Kamaletdinov.
“The Department of Operational Support congratulates the Republic of Kazakhstan for the upcoming deployment and commends the government of Kazakhstan for this significant contribution. I am very grateful for their support to peacekeeping operations and their contribution towards the maintenance of international peace and security," said Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Operational Support, Atul Khare.
Mr. Khare and Lt. Gen. Kamaletdinov also emphasized the significance of implementing responsible environmental management practices by the peacekeepers, as part of UNDOF, aligning with the United Nations’ Environment Strategy in Peace Operations.
“The Way Forward: Environment Strategy for Peace Operations 2023 – 2030” aims to achieve a vision in which “UN peace operations routinely plan—and successfully implement— measures to achieve ambitious targets that demonstrate high standards in environmental management: minimizing risk and consumption, drawing from renewable resources and contributing to a positive legacy in host countries as part of wider UN efforts.”
Additionally, Kazakhstan’s decision to join the Voluntary Compact with the Secretary-General to prevent and eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse underscores its commitment to upholding the highest standards of conduct within peacekeeping missions.
About the Department of Operational Support:
The Department of Operational Support (DOS) provides operational support to all UN Secretariat entities, including advisory, operational and transactional support services and, where needed, exercises delegated authority on behalf of clients. DOS supports the entire UN Secretariat, consisting of almost 100 entities located around the globe.