Here’s what you need to know about Astana International Forum this week

The bustling Kazakh capital is set to host the highly anticipated Astana International Forum (AIF) this week, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and prominent figures from various fields to engage in an inspiring dialogue aimed at shaping the future of humanity.

The forum, scheduled to commence on June 8, promises to be a melting pot of innovative ideas, critical discussions, and collaborative initiatives. Delegates from over 100 countries are expected to attend the two-day forum, The Astana Times said.

With a theme centered around Tackling Challenges Through Dialogue: Towards Cooperation, Development, and Progress, the AIF aims to provide a platform to exchange insights, explore emerging technologies, and deliberate on ways to address pressing global issues across four key topics – economy and finance, energy and climate change, international development and sustainability and foreign policy and international security.

Announcing the initiative in February, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said it is meant to “respond to global challenges.”

“In the face of global challenges, we remain committed to global cooperation by championing dialogue, trade, multilateralism, and the exchange of ideas. We will continue to defend international law and to pursue constructive engagement with nations across the world. In this context, we have launched the Astana International Forum, a new international conference that will be a tool for rebuilding a culture of multilateralism on a global level. Most importantly, the Forum will also provide new means to amplify voices that are often minimized,” he wrote in an exclusive OP-ED for The Astana Times on Feb. 7.

Who will be attending

A lineup of speakers includes heads of state, international organizations, leading scholars, and policymakers, including Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov, Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Audrey Azoulay, and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, and Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Ivana Živković.

Some of them are expected to deliver keynote addresses along with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Economy and finance

The sessions on economy and finance will address economic recovery and resilience-building measures, creative economy for promoting sustained and inclusive growth, advancing women’s leadership, strengthening Eurasian connectivity, digitalization and AI.

“By bringing together top CEOs and some of the world’s most successful females, this session will explore how women’s leadership benefits the corporate and political world and our globally interconnected economies. The discussion will focus on how female leadership brings innovation, diversity, and inclusivity to companies, leading to greater competitiveness and sustainability. The panelists will share their experiences and insights on the challenges and opportunities of promoting gender diversity in leadership positions, the strategies for overcoming barriers to women’s leadership, and the impact of gender-inclusive leadership on organizational culture and performance in some of the most competitive markets around the world,” said Charlotte Kan, former Bloomberg journalist, who will moderate the session on promoting women’s leadership.