March 5, 2025, the 16th Annual General Meeting of the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) Alumni Association in Kazakhstan was held in Astana.

Mr. Yasumasa IIJIMA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kentaro NISHIYAMA, Deputy Resident Representative of JICA in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Mr. Satoshi TSUJI, Project Formation Advisor of JICA Filed Office in Kazakhstan, delivered welcoming addresses.

As noted by Mr. Yasumasa IIJIMA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Kazakhstan, the Alumni Association has played an important role as a bridge for the development of friendly relations between Japan and Kazakhstan.

In the past two years, wider cooperation has been initiated: the agricultural project “One Village-One Product”, a project in the mining sector in cooperation with Nazarbayev University and the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as a technical cooperation project in the field of energy conservation with the Kazakhstan Institute for Energy Development and Energy Efficiency and support to the Kazakhstan International Development Agency KazAID.

At the conclusion of the speech, Mr. Ambassador emphasized that in recognition of his great contribution to the development of Kazakhstan-Japan relations, Nurlan Sarsenbay, Chairman of the JICA Alumni Association in Kazakhstan, was awarded by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan with the “ORDER OF THE Rising Sun with GOLDEN RINGS ON THE Neck Ribbon”.

In his speech, Mr. Kentaro NISHIYAMA, Deputy Resident Representative of JICA in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, highlighted the joint efforts of JICA alumni associations in Central Asia in expanding business ties of the entire region. One of the areas of such cooperation of Central Asian alumni will be the participation of the associations in the upcoming EXPO-2025 to be held in Osaka.

Mr. Satoshi TSUJI, Project Formation Advisor at JICA Kazakhstan Field Office, emphasized that the participation of Kazakhstani professionals in various JICA training programs, not only strengthened professional skills, but also created a network of passionate people contributing to positive changes in our countries.

Mr. Advisor told about an amazing incident that happened to him in Astana. According to him, in November 2024, he sustained a spinal injury and was taken to the Research Institute of Traumatology, where former JICA member Mrs. Nursaule Mubarak provided invaluable assistance in arranging treatment, highly qualified Kazakhstani doctors performed a successful spinal surgery, and the scanner used to diagnose the injury was donated to Kazakhstan through a grant from the Embassy of Japan.

In his speech, Mr. Nurlan SARSENBAY, President of the JICA Alumni Association in Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Audit Committee of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken”, emphasized that the Association still promotes JICA programs.

According to Nurlan Aldabergenovich, the Association solves a threefold task: -maintaining friendly relations between Kazakhstani graduates of JICA programs; -contribution to the development of Kazakhstan through the knowledge gained in Japan; -strengthening friendship between the two countries.

Within the framework of the meeting, the Chairman of the Board of Kazakhstan Agency for International Development “KazAID” Mr. Arken ARYSTANOV, Deputy Chairman of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken” Mr. Timur NAKHIPBEKOV also spoke about the activities of their organizations in cooperation with Japan.

Mr. Zhasulan KERIMBAEV, Head of Sea Ports Department of the Committee of Railway and Water Transport of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ms. Yeldana AUBAKIROVA, Head of Energy Saving Department of the Committee of Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan, told about their experience of internships and trainings in Japan.

JICA Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan