From June 2nd to 4th, as part of the implementation of the scientific project AP23484373 “Modern Challenges of Public Policy: Integrating the Green Economy into Resolving the Problem of Food Security in the Regions of Kazakhstan,” Professor Gulmira Kabidenovna Kabdullina, together with project participants, including project researcher Kabdolla Asylkhan, held a series of important expert meetings in New York.

One of the key meetings was a visit to the UN office and a meeting with Jamil Ahmad, Director of the UN Environment Programme Office in New York. During the conversation, issues of sustainable development, promoting a green economy, food security, and the role of international organizations in shaping long-term approaches to addressing global and regional challenges were discussed. Particular attention was paid to the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the need to adapt international experience to the conditions of Kazakhstan and the countries of Central Asia.

Professor G.K. Kabdullina and the project participants also visited Columbia University, one of the world’s leading research and educational centers in the United States and around the world. The university has a history spanning over 270 years and is renowned as a major center for scientific research and education. Columbia University has 88 Nobel laureates—alumni, faculty, researchers, and administrators—and three US presidents have studied at Columbia University.

The meeting was held at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment at Columbia Climate School, Columbia University. Representatives of the center’s research team participated in the discussion: Lara Fornabaio, Lead Researcher/Associate Research Scholar; Hansika Agrawal, Legal Researcher; and Esther Akwii, Senior Legal Researcher.

The meeting explored the intersections between sustainable investment, the green economy, land use, agriculture, food systems, and responsible natural resource management. Of particular interest was the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment’s expertise in research, analytical support, and the development of practical approaches for governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.

The meetings held are of great importance for the further development of the scientific project, the expansion of international expert networks, and the enhancement of the practical significance of research in the field of green economy and food security.

The recommendations and expert comments received will be used in the preparation of analytical materials, scientific publications, and proposals for improving approaches to ensuring the sustainability of Kazakhstan’s agri-food systems.