Kazakhstan Concludes CICA Chairmanship with Major Achievements

Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will conclude on December 17, 2024, at the Seventh Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (MC), marking the end of a transformative four-year tenure. The Republic of Azerbaijan will assume the Chairmanship for the 2024-2026 term.

Kazakhstan’s leadership has been instrumental in reshaping CICA into a dynamic platform for promoting peace, security and cooperation across Asia. The most significant achievement of CICA under the Kazakh Chairmanship was the adoption of the Astana Statement on CICA Transformation during the Sixth CICA Summit on October 13, 2022. This landmark decision formally launched the process of transforming CICA into a full-fledged regional international organisation. As President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated at the Astana Summit, “We are not creating a new organisation, we are moving to a new stage of institutional development.” This move ensured that CICA evolves into a more robust mechanism capable of addressing Asia’s pressing security and development challenges through structured, inclusive, and consensus-driven negotiations.

Under Kazakhstan’s leadership, CICA made significant progress in institutional development. Key advancements included the establishment of three new institutions:the Think Tank Forum, which became a permanent platform for expert dialogue, the CICA Fund for identification of projects and fundraising, andthe Council of Eminent Persons, for providing recommendations on strategic issues of peace and security. Kazakhstan also led efforts to institutionalize the CICA Finance Summit andconceptualize establishmentof a Council on Sustainable Connectivity to strengthen Asia’s economic integration through improved transport and logistics.

Environmental sustainability emerged as another central theme during Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship tenure. The first-ever CICA Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues was held in Astana in August 2024, resulting in commitments to enhanced regional cooperation in climate action and water management.

Recognising the growing importance of education and scientific cooperation, Kazakhstan facilitated the creation of the Partnership Network of Leading Universities, fostering academic exchanges, joint research, and capacity-building programs. Additionally, Kazakhstan championed youth and volunteer engagement by organizing a Rally of Volunteer Movement Leaders under the auspices of the CICA Youth Council in October 2024. These initiatives underscore CICA’s dedication to fostering human capital development.

Expanding CICA’s geographical reach was another key priority. Kuwait joined as a Member State in 2022, while Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia gained observer status in  2021 and 2023 respectively.

In a reflection of Kazakhstan’s long-term commitment to CICA, President Tokayev announced the construction of a new, state-of-the-art CICA headquarters in Astana. Scheduled for inauguration in 2025, the new facility will provide a modern operational environment for CICA, ensuring the preservation of its institutional legacy while symbolizing CICA’s evolution and Asia’s growing significance on the global stage.

The handover of CICA Chairmanship to Azerbaijan follows a period marked by dynamic initiatives that have strengthened Asia’s collective security framework. Kazakhstan’s chairmanship has reinforced CICA’s role as an effective platform for fostering dialogue, trust and cooperation among its Member States on an equal footing.

About CICA

Established in 1992 at the initiative of Kazakhstan, CICA is a pan-Asian intergovernmental forum aimed at enhancing peace and security in Asia through dialogue and confidence-building measures. Over the years, CICA has played a key role in fostering regional stability, advancing multilateral cooperation and promoting diplomatic solutions to pressing challenges.

With 28 Member States covering 90% of Asia’s territory, CICA addresses a broad range of issues across five dimensions: military-political, new challenges and threats, human, economic and environmental. By fostering mutual understanding and cooperation, CICA plays important role in building a more secure and prosperous Asia.