Baku, 13-14 April 2026 – The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay conducted a working visit to Azerbaijan focused on strengthening coordination with the Azerbaijani Chairmanship and advancing organization's institutional transformation.
Central to these efforts was the inaugural session of the CICA Women Council that marked an official launch of this recently established advisory body – an initiative driven by the Azerbaijani Chairmanship to advance cooperation on women's empowerment and gender equality across the region.
During the meeting, Member States presented national reports on women’s rights and empowerment, sharing diverse approaches and best practices from across the region. The session resulted in the adoption of Recommendations that establish a framework for the Council’s future activities. Secretary General Sarybay underscored the Council’s role as a vital link between national and global agendas, designed to support CICA’s broader social and economic objectives.
Prior to Women Council’s first meeting, Secretary General Sarybay participated in the conference "Amplifying Women’s Voices across CICA for Sustainable Growth", hosted by the Azerbaijani Chairmanship and the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Ms. Leyla Aliyeva headlined the event and highlighted women’s vital role as driving force behind the progress of society. In a brief exchange on the sidelines
of the conference, Secretary General Sarybay thanked Ms. Aliyeva for contribution and echoed her vision towards the essential influence of women in fostering peaceful and compassionate global society.
At a press briefing following the conference, Secretary General Kairat Sarybay and State Committee Chairperson Bahar Muradova both underlined that elevating women’s leadership is vital for regional resilience. Secretary General Sarybay reaffirmed CICA’s commitment to mainstreaming gender and ensuring women’s meaningful participation in decision-making across all sectors.
While in Baku, Secretary General Sarybay held a series of meetings with representatives of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship aimed at synchronizing further steps to implement their priorities.
Consultations with Mr. Hikmet Hajiyev, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs at the Presidential Administration, highlighted the dynamic calendar of events scheduled for 2026 that form a substantive political pathway toward the successful 7th CICA Summit in Baku this October. The officials also reviewed the upcoming CICA Media Forum, which will serve as vital platform for enhancing the organization's visibility in the lead-up to the Summit.
During conversation with Mr. Khalaf Khalafov, Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Special Assignments, the sides focused on practical aspects of advancing the draft CICA Charter.
They emphasized the importance of sustained consultations with Member States to reach the consensus on the final political document for the upcoming Summit.
The discussion on advancing the draft Charter and identifying areas for further convergence continued at the meeting with Mr. Azer Mussayev, the Director of the Regional Security Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. The sides reviewed preparations for the upcoming Summit in Baku and CBM implementation, as well as highlighted close coordination between Secretariat and Azerbaijani Chairmanship in steering the activities within CICA framework.
In talks with Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov, agreement was reached to host the 9th CICA Youth Council meeting in Baku at the end of June. The Secretary General Sarybay and Minister Gayibov discussed organizational arrangements and preparations for a joint side event on volunteering, to be held on the sidelines of the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York.
In a productive exchange with Mr. Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of Azerbaijan (KOBIA), the sides explored avenues for strengthening cooperation to support small and medium-sized enterprises across the CICA region. The Azerbaijani side confirmed its readiness to host the CICA Business Council and Business Forum in Baku in the lead-up
to the Summit.
The Secretary General Sarybay reiterated Secretariat’s full support for the Chairmanship’s initiatives to further enhance CICA’s governance and institutional framework.
