Baku, 9-10 September 2025 – The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, participated in the Thirteenth Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum (TTF) under the theme “Resonance of Development and Security: Regional Cooperation and Governance in the Institutional Transformation of CICA”.
The Forum was jointly organized by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) and the Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This annual gathering brought together leading scholars and policymakers from 20 Member States across the CICA region to address pressing issues such as regional security, governance, Asia’s evolving global role, and the Conference’s advancing institutional transformation as a multilateral dialogue platform.
The opening ceremony was distinguished by a historic message from the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev – the first-ever message at the highest political level in the Forum’s history. The message articulated Azerbaijan’s vision on CICA’s role in shaping regional cooperation and inclusive dialogue, while charting the key priorities of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship, such as institutional strengthening, new councils on finance, women and climate, as well as sustainable connectivity. President Aliyev emphasized the growing role of the Global South in shaping a just world order, Azerbaijan’s commitment to advancing climate diplomacy through the “Baku Breakthrough” at COP29. Stressing Azerbaijan’s emergence as a key Eurasian hub, he expressed confidence that the Forum would make a valuable contribution to CICA’s transformation and to Asia’s sustainable future.
In his remarks, Ambassador Sarybay emphasized that CICA is entering a decisive stage in its transformation into a full-fledged international organization, pointing to new institutional initiatives such as the Finance Summit and the Women Council, as well as practical projects like the SME Landscape in Asia: Interactive Guidebook. The Secretary General stressed Asia’s growing global role and CICA’s unique value as a platform for dialogue, while encouraging think tanks to provide research and innovative policy ideas, including through the CICA Fund.
The meeting was enriched by lively discussions on CICA’s ongoing transformation, with experts underscoring the growing relevance of multilateral organizations in addressing today’s geopolitical realities and noting that CICA is uniquely positioned to broaden its role as a platform for dialogue and cooperation. Another central theme was regional connectivity, where participants highlighted Asia’s comparative advantage in building sustainable supply chains and stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation along key transport corridors. They emphasized that connectivity must serve as a driver of mutual benefit through enhanced trade, renewable energy partnerships and greener economic development across the region.
Participants stressed that the Think Tank Forum must remain actively engaged in this evolution, not only by contributing policy expertise but also by fostering deeper research cooperation and academic exchange among Asian institutions. The debate reflected a shared aspiration for regional security and stability, while also pointing to the value of drawing on best practices and norms from other regional organizations, consistent with the UN Charter.
The Forum also marked a milestone as the first ever to be held outside of China, signaling a shift toward more geographically diverse venues for future CICA events. Since its inception in 2014, the Think Tank Forum had been capably led by the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), which convened 12 annual meetings across different regions of the People’s Republic of China. Ambassador Sarybay expressed deep appreciation to SIIS for its decade-long stewardship, which laid a solid foundation for the Forum’s evolution.
Against this backdrop, participants welcomed the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) as the incoming Chair for 2026–2027. The Secretary General conveyed his best wishes to ICWA, expressing confidence in its capacity to build on this strong legacy and to develop an ambitious Plan for the Forum’s next year.
A side event themed “The Shaping of a New Asian Order” was held on 10 September, focusing on the critical role of women in national development, the contribution of youth-led initiatives to addressing global challenges, and the importance of institutional partnerships in strengthening CICA’s capacity-building efforts.
On the sidelines of the Forum, the Secretary General also shared his perspectives in interviews with The Paper (China), AnewZ TV (Azerbaijan) and TRT Avaz (Türkiye), highlighting CICA’s transformation agenda and its role in shaping Asia’s collective future.
Read the full text of the address by H.E. President Ilham Aliyev to the 13th CICA Think Tank Forum: https://president.az/en/articles/view/70055
Read the full text of the remarks of CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay at the 13th CICA Think Tank Forum: https://www.s-cica.org/index.php?view=page&t=speeches&id=357
