On October 15-16, 2025, at the
Astana Think Tank Forum 2025 in Astana, PhD Sholpan Saimova, research director
of the project "AP26100031 – International Mediation Hub as an Instrument
for Peaceful Conflict Resolution and Nuclear Disarmament: Experience of
Kazakhstan and Foreign Countries," presented a paper on nuclear
disarmament issues.
This year's forum was held under
the motto "From Polarization to Partnership: Rebuilding Trust in the
International System."
Organized by the Kazakhstan
Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of
Kazakhstan (KISS), the forum brought together leading analysts, experts, and
representatives of international organizations to discuss current challenges to
global security, trust diplomacy, and sustainable development.
As part of the forum, Sholpan
Saimova participated in the panel session "The Nuclear Challenge:
Non-proliferation and Disarmament in an Era of Strategic Rivalry,"
dedicated to strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,
resuming dialogue between leading powers, and finding new forms of trust in the
global security system.
The session was moderated by
Dauren ABEN, Head of the International Security Department at the Kazakh
Institute of Strategic Studies (KISS) under the President of the Republic of
Kazakhstan.
Speakers included:
* Ali Sarwar NAKVI, Executive
Director, Center for International Strategic Studies (Pakistan);
* Daryl KIMBALL, Executive
Director, Arms Control Association (USA);
* Rajiv NAYAN, Senior Fellow,
Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defense Studies (India);
* Tarik RAUF, independent nuclear
governance expert, former head of the IAEA Office of Verification and Security
Policy Coordination (Austria);
* Vladimir ORLOV, founder and
director of the PIR Center, professor at MGIMO (Russia).
The discussion focused on
contemporary challenges to the international security architecture, prospects
for resuming dialogue between leading powers, confidence-building measures, and
Kazakhstan's role as a country consistently advocating for a nuclear-free world
and peaceful conflict resolution.
The experts noted the importance
of Kazakhstan's experience in nuclear disarmament and emphasized the need to
develop new instruments for global cooperation based on trust, transparency,
and mutual responsibility.
The session was held in the
spirit of a constructive exchange of opinions and interdisciplinary scientific
dialogue and will contribute to the implementation of the principles of a fair,
secure, and sustainable international system.
The Astana Think Tank Forum is a
prestigious platform bringing together leading global experts and thinkers. The
participation of AIU scientists in academic discussions of this caliber
demonstrates the university's activity in the international research community.
