CICA chief praises Azerbaijan's efforts to enhance confidence-building measures in Asia

Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) for 2024–2026 is focused on improving confidence-building measures across all areas, CICA Secretary-General Kairat Sarybay said on September 9.

“The Azerbaijani chairmanship is focused on enhancing confidence-building measures across political, economic, and humanitarian domains. In this context, the current forum is not only timely but also aligns with the overall strategic objectives of CICA,” Sarybay stated during the 13th meeting of the Think Tank Forum of CICA member states in Baku, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

He emphasised that holding the forum in Baku is symbolic at a time when Asia is playing an increasingly important role in shaping global processes.

“The region’s growing influence in science, economy, technology, governance, and diplomacy opens new opportunities, but also requires joint efforts and a responsible approach,” he added.

Sarybay also noted that CICA is becoming a unique platform for discussing conflicts and challenges in Asia, bringing together states with differing positions around a single table.

The CICA Think Tank Forum, initiated by China in 2014 and coordinated by SIIS until 2024, serves as a platform for think tanks and research institutions from CICA’s 28 member states to provide analytical support, promote joint research, and address regional security and cooperation challenges. The TTF became a permanent advisory body in 2021, following its ninth meeting, which was chaired by SIIS via videoconference. The forum has since facilitated discussions on critical issues such as post-pandemic security, digital-era cooperation, and CICA’s transformation into a full-fledged international organization, a process initiated at the Sixth CICA Summit in October 2022 and advanced by a 2023 Road Map endorsed by foreign ministers.

Azerbaijan, which assumed the CICA chairmanship from Kazakhstan in December 2024, hosts this 13th TTF meeting as part of its leadership role in promoting the organization’s priorities, including regional stability and economic connectivity. The CAIR, a leading Azerbaijani think tank, has been instrumental in shaping policy discussions, particularly on South Caucasus issues, while SIIS, a key Chinese research institute, has driven the TTF’s agenda since its inception, hosting 12 meetings over the past decade.

By Khagan Isayev