Kazakhstan Hands Over Chairmanship of the CICA to Azerbaijan
During the event, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu, summarized the outcomes of Kazakhstan’s four-year chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), highlighting the organization’s key achievements during this period.
Particular emphasis was placed on the transformation process initiated at the 6th CICA Summit held in October 2022 in Astana. Following the adoption of the Transformation Roadmap in September 2023, Kazakhstan’s chairmanship developed and launched the process of drafting the CICA Charter. Additionally, Kazakhstan proposed the establishment of three new bodies within CICA: the Forum of Think Tanks, the Council of Eminent Persons, and the CICA Fund.
In his speech, Nurtleu outlined Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities, focusing on regional transit and transport connectivity, the development of information and communication technologies, and addressing climate change.
The minister reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to the further development of CICA and expressed confidence in the organization’s bright future, citing its unique format and geographical coverage.
During the meeting, ministers adopted several documents, including a statement marking the 25th anniversary of the Declaration of Principles governing relations among member states, a decision on the modalities for implementing confidence-building measures, and an updated Catalogue of Confidence-Building Measures. Additionally, they launched a Partnership Network of Leading Universities from CICA Member States.
Member states commended Kazakhstan’s chairmanship for its significant contributions to institutionalizing CICA and the progress achieved during the period.
The event was attended by foreign ministers and senior representatives from member and observer states, including Azerbaijan, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as delegates from nine international organizations such as the UN, the International Organization for Migration, the League of Arab States, TurkPA, the Organization of Economic Cooperation, the SCO, the EEC, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
