On 12 June 2013, Kazakhstan took part in the 153rd session of the General Assembly of the Bureau of International Exhibitions BIE, held in Paris, France.
It was Astana’s first presentation as the winning city.

The Kazakhstani delegation, which included the commissioner of the EXPO-2017 Trade Exposition, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev and Chairman of the Board of Astana EXPO-2017 NC JSC Talgat Yermegiyaev, presented a report on the work completed since the moment the city was selected as the host city of EXPO-2017 and on the progress in preparation of the Registration dossier.

The presentation included information on the organization and functions of the State Committee and the National Company; project financing; work planned with international participant countries; the selected location for the exposition; the proposed use of the EXPO facilities after the event is over.

During his speech, Rapil Zhoshybayev stated: “Kazakhstan will make all efforts to ensure the successful realisation of EXPO 2017 and we will create all necessary conditions for the participant-countries and visitors that will attend. We want to do it at such a level that Kazakhstan will have inserted its page in the history of the international exposition movement.”

The Astana EXPO-2017 National Company was created in January 2013 and is gathering primary data, a contest for design sketches for the exposition complex has been announced, the experiences of countries that have hosted EXPOs in the past are being studied. We plan to submit the Registration Dossier for EXPO-2017 for review by the Bureau of International Exhibitions in October 2013. In June 2014, Astana will officially receive the BIE flag at the 155th session of the General Assembly.

In 2014 construction will begin at the complex and active work will start on promotion in participant countries.

In the words of Talgat Yermegiyaev, Kazakhstan is now at the threshold of a new historical event of a global scale. “The Astana EXPO-2017 National Company has been entrusted with a huge responsibility in preparing for and hosting EXPO and we’ve done everything in our power to ensure that it is engaging and effective both for Kazakhstanis and for international visitors and participants.”

On 30 May 2013, the President signed an order implementing the Concept of Transitioning to a Green Economy in Kazakhstan. This is one of the most important instruments for ensuring the country’s sustainable development, and EXPO will serve as an added stimulus for that transition.

At the 153rd session of the General Assembly, in addition to the Kazakhstani report, presentations were given by candidates for EXPO 2020: Turkey (Izmir), Thailand (Ayutthaya), Russia (Yekaterinburg), UAE (Dubai), Brazil (São Paolo). By the end of 2013, a secret vote by the BIE members will decide which country will host EXPO-2020.