OREANDA-NEWS. May 17, 2011. On 18-19 May 2011 UNDP Administrator Ms.Helen Clark will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan as a part of the planned tour to the Central Asia on the issues of development.

On 18 May Ms. Helen Clark will visit Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve to observe the results of several, inter-linked UNDP projects on biodiversity and poverty reduction. UNDP has promoted wetlands- and steppe-conservation in Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve for the past 7 years, and involved the local community in income-generation projects around environmental protection. Korgalzhyn is a unique wetlands ecosystem, included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list in 2010, and Ramsar List of wetlands of international importance. During the trip the Administrator will meet women from the local communities to hear the difficulties in sustaining a livelihood in rural areas, and to learn of the business opportunities they have exploited with UNDP project support.

On the second day of her official visit to Kazakhstan UNDP Administrator will meet with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazabayev, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov, and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Kairat Kelimbetov to discuss the on-going partnerships and further opportunities for cooperation between the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Helen Clark will also participate at a panel discussions “Women Leaders in today’s World and in Kazakhstan” to discuss the current state of gender equality in the country and leadership among women. The event will take place at the Academy of Public Administration, led by the Chairperson of the National Commission on Women Affairs Gulshara Abdykalykova, Minister of Labour and Social Protection.