On June 28, 2016, Kazakhstan was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two year term beginning in January 2017. Thus, Kazakhstan has become the first Central Asian country to be elected to the world’s most important political body that has the primary responsibility for maintaining global peace and security. Moreover, Kazakhstan is the second only Turkic-language state to become a UNSC member after Turkey that served in this capacity in 1951-1952, 1954- 1955, 1961, and 2009-2010, and Ankara exerted every effort to support Kazakhstan’s candidature. Astana publicly announced its intention to become a UNSC member in June 2010 and held a comprehensive diplomatic campaign to gain support of the UN member states. The UN General Assembly’s approval of the country’s application became an evidence of Kazakhstan’s positive reputation and growing role in international affairs.
Dauren Aben holds a Master’s in International Relations from Kainar University, Almaty, Kazakhstan, and a Master’s in International Policy Studies and certificates in nonproliferation studies, conflict resolution, and commercial diplomacy from the California-based Monterey Institute of International Studies. Dauren previously worked as a senior project manager and researcher at the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education. In 2011-2014, he worked as a senior research fellow at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2008-20