Guterres Signs Agreement to Establish Sustainable Development Center for Central Asia and Afghanistan

DID Press: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres signed an agreement today, Sunday, 3 August, during his visit to Kazakhstan, to establish a Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The purpose of this center is to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and strengthen regional cooperation to address challenges such as poverty, displacement, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan.

Guterres described the initiative as a significant step toward supporting Afghanistan’s economic development and self-sufficiency. He also emphasized the need to pay special attention to human rights—particularly the rights of women and girls—in the center’s activities.

According to the UN Secretary-General, Afghanistan is in greater need of international cooperation than ever before, and this center can serve as a platform for synergy in sustainable development and combating climate change throughout Central Asia.

The establishment of the center is part of the UN’s commitment to support countries in the region in achieving sustainable development goals and mitigating multidimensional crises