The Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) hosted a reception in Astana on the occasion of the CICA Day of 5 October, marking the 32nd anniversary of CICA. The event, which has become a tradition, brought together ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Astana, government officials, including the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, as well as members of the public and business community.
In his opening remarks, CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay expressed profound gratitude to Member States for their comprehensive support and contributions for the CICA process. He praised the Kazakh Chairmanship under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for its significant progress over the past four years and emphasized the goal of transforming CICA into a full-fledged international organization, a process initiated at the Sixth CICA Summit in 2022. He highlighted ongoing efforts to amend the Host Country Agreement, enhancing the international status of the CICA Secretariat. The Secretary General also noted that the alignment of the Youth Council meeting and the Rally of volunteer movements with the CICA Day celebration symbolizes CICA’s commitment to connectivity across generations.
First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Akan Rakhmetullin highlighted Kazakhstan’s achievements as the founding state and current Chair of CICA. He discussed the ongoing transformation process initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and highlighted the institutional development of the organization by establishing three new permanent bodies. Rakhmetullin also mentioned the successful CICA Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues, which adopted a high-level statement. In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of the new CICA headquarters in Astana, to be constructed by July 2025, for the organization’s future as a full-fledged international organization.
During the reception, the Secretariat demonstrated a video highlighting the history of the organization's development and achievements under Kazakhstan's Chairmanship since 2020, which will be transferred to Azerbaijan in December 2024, at the Seventh CICA Ministerial Council Meeting in Baku.
The 32nd anniversary of CICA is marked by the continued institutional development of the organization and reflects the commitment of CICA Member States to strengthen regional cooperation in Asia.
Please see the attached full text of Mr. Akan Rakhmetullin's statement:
