Visually-Impaired Version 
The first Central Asian branch of the International Law Association (ILA) has officially opened in Astana. The launch ceremony was held at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU), which will host the branch’s secretariat.
Founded in Brussels in 1873, the International Law Association is dedicated to the study, clarification and development of public and private international law, as well as to promoting international understanding and respect for international law. Its membership brings together legal practitioners, academics, government officials, judges and experts from the commercial, industrial and financial sectors. The ILA holds consultative status with the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization and UNESCO and has more than 5,000 members worldwide.
The official launch was attended by ILA Executive Director Nicholas May, who formally announced the start of the Kazakhstan Branch’s activities. MNU Chairman of the Board Talgat Narikbayev congratulated the new branch on its opening.
“We want representatives of different schools and generations, academics and practitioners, judges and public officials, diplomats, lecturers and young researchers to meet here. I see this as one of the key values of the Kazakhstan Branch, as it can serve as a bridge between the expertise already developed in Kazakhstan and the international professional community. I also believe we should pursue a broader goal: to gradually establish Kazakhstan as one of the leading centres of international legal expertise in Central Asia,” said Talgat Narikbayev.
He also noted that international law has long been an important part of MNU’s academic environment. This year, MNU students achieved Kazakhstan’s best-ever result at the prestigious Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The team placed 12th overall and took first place in the written memorial category among 806 teams from more than 100 countries.
The event also featured remarks by Miras Daulenov, President of the Kazakhstan Branch of the ILA; Marat Sarsembayev, Kazakhstan’s first Doctor of Law and Professor specialising in international law; and representatives of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice. The participants discussed the mission, goals and priorities of the Kazakhstan Branch, its key areas of activity and prospects for future cooperation.
“The opening of the Kazakhstan Branch is a symbol that Kazakhstan’s voice will be heard in shaping the international agenda. The ILA plays an important role in the development of many international legal instruments and conventions. This will give members of the Kazakhstan Branch an opportunity to contribute to the work of committees addressing a wide range of issues. It took us more than 20 years to reach this point, and during that time a strong community of international law scholars and practitioners was established. MNU has played a special role in this process, as its academic school of international law has created an environment that contributed to the establishment and development of the branch in Kazakhstan,” said Miras Daulenov.
The establishment of the Kazakhstan Branch was unanimously approved by ILA member countries at the Association’s 82nd Biennial Conference in Vienna. The branch’s Vice Presidents are Abai Ablaiuly, Assistant Professor at the MNU Law School; Roza Aqshalova, Head of the Department of International Law at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University; and Sergey Sayapin, Assistant Professor at KIMEP University School of Law. Sauryk Abirbek, Senior Lecturer at MNU, has been appointed Secretary of the branch.
With the launch of the new branch, Kazakhstan has become the 69th country represented in the International Law Association.
