Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan, it is a pleasure to welcome you today to discuss a matter of great significance: sustainable finance and its role in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

First and foremost, I would like to extend our deep appreciation to our funding donor, the European Union, for entrusting their resources to UNDP, enabling us to drive impactful initiatives like the Sustainability Management and Disclosure Hub (SDMH) Programme.

I am also grateful to our core donors, whose support has allowed us to unlock additional investments, ensuring that financial resources are directed towards initiatives that deliver tangible results for both people and the planet.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a clear and urgent roadmap to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and governance. Yet, despite our efforts, we are not on track to achieve the SDGs. Some progress has been made, but many indicators show stagnation—or even regression. This reality underscores the need for a transformational shift in how we approach decision-making and resource allocation.

At UNDP, we recognize that finance is not currently working for people or the planet. While global wealth exceeds $430 trillion, sustainable finance efforts remain fragmented and lack the scale necessary to drive real impact. The challenge before us is not one of resources but of mobilization, alignment, and strategic deployment.

To address this, UNDP established the Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH)—a dedicated platform leveraging our extensive network and a team of 150 experts worldwide. Through the SFH, UNDP offer a comprehensive suite of services, including public financing for the SDGs, SDG Impact management, integrated national financing frameworks, capacity building and unlocking capital and aligning business operations for the SDGs.

Under the SFH, UNDP runs a multitude of networks and one of the most unique and powerful initiatives is the Financial Centers for Sustainability or FC4S. With 45 financial centers managing 82% of the global equity market—equivalent to $76.4 trillion in market capitalization—this network plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable finance forward.

Kazakhstan has a crucial role to play in this transformation. We as UNDP has been actively working with the Kazakh government to create a favorable environment for the “green” financial market for more over than a decade. Energy efficiency and renewable projects concessional funding, loan guarantee schemes and the first issuance of the “green” bonds have successfully enabled the mobilization of additional financing, leveraging every dollar of donor funding to attract between $3 and $10 in private investments.

As one of Central Asia’s key financial and economic hubs, the country is actively shaping its sustainable finance ecosystem. Through our collaboration with the government, financial institutions, and regulators, we are working to integrate sustainability into financial frameworks, ensuring that capital flows align with long-term development goals.

A concrete example of this approach is the Sustainability Management and Disclosure Hub (SDMH) Programme, a global initiative led by UNDP under the EU’s Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub. This programme supports national efforts to strengthen sustainability management and reporting practices, ensuring alignment with international standards while addressing country-specific needs.

The SDMH Programme fosters collaboration across government agencies, regulators, financial institutions, and international standard-setters. More than a conceptual initiative, it is a pragmatic approach that brings tangible cost benefits. By embedding sustainability into business strategies, governance, and management practices, we move beyond ad hoc efforts to a structured, strategic, and impactful model.

As we advance these efforts, we must recognize that sustainable finance is not just a regulatory requirement—it is an investment in our collective future. Governments, businesses, and financial institutions must work together to prioritize long-term value over short-term gains, align investment flows with sustainability imperatives, and drive systemic change.

The work we are undertaking here in Kazakhstan, in partnership with our national and international stakeholders, will contribute significantly to this global movement. Together, we have the potential to leverage sustainable finance as a powerful tool to accelerate progress toward the SDGs, build resilient economies, and create a more equitable and sustainable world.

I would like to extend gratitude to our esteemed partners, the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market who is serving as a National Champion in this initiative, as well as many other local and international partners including IFRS, GRI, ISO, GSG Impact and many others, for their support in driving this important initiative forward.  

I strongly believe that together we can make a collective contribution to enhancing Kazakhstan’s sustainable development.

I wish us a productive training today!

Kop rakhmet!