Understanding China’s Belt and Road Initiative and SDG 7 from an International Relations Perspective: The Case of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the specifics of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, Kazakhstan’s place and role in it through the prism of compliance with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kazakhstan is one of the most important partners and elements of this initiative in many areas, in particular, in the formation of clean and affordable energy sources – thanks to its resource endowment and natural potential. It is also possible for Kazakhstan to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation with other states by following the UN SDGs, for example, through Goal 7 “Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”. In the process of analysing international contacts in recent years, it was emphasized that the Chinese initiative and the UN SDGs have many common points of convergence, which allows us to speak about their prospects from the point of view of a tool for developing strong foreign policy cooperation in many areas. The results of the work can be used in research on this topic, as well as in the context of forming strategies and plans for the development of an independent energy efficiency system in the country.