Azerbaijan assumes CICA leadership, pushing for sustainable growth in Asia

At the seventh Ministerial Council, Azerbaijan officially assumed the Chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) for the 2024-2026 period.

At the opening, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov highlighted the country's vision for leadership, stressing unity, cooperation, and sustainable growth for Asia's future, Caliber.Az reports, citing Foreign Ministry.

“It is a great honor to welcome you all to the seventh CICA Ministerial Council, where Azerbaijan assumes the Chairmanship for the 2024-2026 period,” Bayramov said in his opening remarks, expressing gratitude for the trust placed in Azerbaijan by CICA Member States.

Bayramov stressed that Azerbaijan’s CICA Chairmanship would be guided by the principles of peace, stability, and sustainable development. Drawing on the country’s experience as a bridge-builder in global diplomacy, he outlined the key priorities for Azerbaijan’s leadership, which include strengthening CICA’s institutional framework, enhancing sectoral cooperation, and promoting synergy with other international and regional organizations.

“Azerbaijan will build its CICA Chairmanship on its experience as a bridge-builder in global diplomacy, our leadership in multilateral platforms, and our firm commitment to peace, stability, and sustainable development,” Bayramov stated.

In line with the theme of the Chairmanship, “Stronger CICA, Connectivity, Digitalization, and Sustainable Growth in Asia,” Bayramov highlighted several focal areas for the next two years. These include enhancing the effectiveness of existing confidence-building measures (CBMs), promoting economic cooperation, and addressing new challenges such as cybersecurity, data protection, and environmental sustainability.

Confidence-building, he remarked, is central to the CICA process. “Building on the positive legacy, Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship will prioritize the enhancement of the effectiveness and impact of existing confidence-building measures (CBMs), while also exploring new, innovative ways to deepen cooperation,” Bayramov said. He emphasized that over 20 events are planned for 2025 across all five dimensions of CICA cooperation.

Bayramov’s statement highlighted the importance of transport connectivity and the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as key drivers of economic development. Azerbaijan, he noted, would focus on enhancing transport corridors, ensuring the security and efficiency of infrastructure, and improving SMEs’ access to markets through innovative solutions such as e-commerce.

“We will work to enhance transport corridors and promote more secure, sustainable, and efficient infrastructure across Asia,” Bayramov explained, also adding that support for green economies would be a priority.

The Azerbaijani Chairmanship will also focus on new and emerging threats. Bayramov identified cybersecurity and data protection as areas of critical importance, stressing the need for regional cooperation on capacity-building and best practices in these fields. The environmental dimension will emphasize green transitions, with Azerbaijan aiming to foster synergy between its various initiatives to promote sustainable development.

“We will focus on promoting green transition and sustainable development through concrete projects in various areas,” Bayramov said, referring to a cross-cutting agenda that will be explored throughout Azerbaijan's Chairmanship.

Humanitarian de-mining also featured prominently in the address. Bayramov underscored the importance of addressing the challenges posed by land-mines and explosive remnants of war, which continue to affect several CICA Member States. “Given this, the Chairmanship will explore the promotion of humanitarian de-mining as an area of interaction within CICA,” he said.

Education and science, too, will play an important role during Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship, with an emphasis on fostering cooperation through the Partnership Network of Leading Universities. Bayramov indicated that this platform would facilitate collaboration in these vital sectors.

Finally, Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship aims to increase CICA’s international visibility and build stronger partnerships with global organizations such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). “Our engagement with international organizations will not only enhance CICA’s visibility but also increase its ability to act as a driving force for positive change across Asia,” Bayramov concluded.

Azerbaijan’s leadership of CICA marks a crucial moment for both the organization and the region. Through innovation, cooperation, and shared commitment to sustainable development, the Chairmanship hopes to contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous, and interconnected Asia.

By Aghakazim Guliyev