Bishkek, 1 September 2026 – Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Ambassador Kairat Sarybay paid a working visit to Bishkek to take part in the "SCO Plus" meeting held within the framework of the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, chaired by President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov.
The event, held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, was attended by the leaders of the SCO Member States, the Observer State Mongolia, the Dialogue Partners Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Laos and Türkiye, the guests of the Chairing State Vietnam and Togo, as well as the heads of the executive bodies of the United Nations, the CIS, the CSTO and the EAEU.
The central focus of the discussions, held under the main theme of the event – The United Nations as a Key Element of a Just World Order: The Contribution of States and Regional Associations to Shaping a Multipolar World – was the constructive role of the United Nations. The approaches of the meeting's participants to strengthening multilateralism and the primacy of the UN Charter fully reflect the vision of CICA, which has consistently advocated for the development of inclusive dialogue and practical confidence building measures across the Asian continent.
The discussion further underscored the need for close interaction between the United Nations and regional formats, as well as the need to strengthen synergy among multilateral structures in the interests of developing collective solutions. For its part, CICA contributes to the practical implementation of this approach: an important step in strengthening dialogue was the Roundtable of Executive Structures of Regional Organizations in Asia, held on 17 June 2026 and aimed at aligning efforts in the interests of the region's sustainable development.
It is symbolic that the current and incoming SCO Chairs – Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan – play an active role in CICA. For SCO and CICA, which have been partner organizations since 2014, the overlapping membership of States serves as a natural connecting link, while also underscoring the relevance of synergy whereby multilateral institutions do not duplicate, but rather complement one another in ensuring security and stability in the region.
On the margins of the SCO meeting, Secretary General of CICA Kairat Sarybay held a bilateral meeting with Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Ms. Võ Thị Ánh Xuân. During the conversation, the sides held a thorough discussion of the CICA agenda ahead of the upcoming 7th Summit in Baku. Secretary General Sarybay expressed appreciation to Vietnam for its firm commitment to the principles of multilateralism and its support for the institutional development of CICA.
The day before, on 31 August, at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Zheenbek Kulubaev, Secretary General Sarybay took part in the official opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games, held at the Bishkek Arena stadium.
