Baku, 1 October 2026 – Baku hosted the first-ever Media Forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), bringing together officials, media representatives and experts from 14 CICA Member States under the theme “Building Trust through Media in a Polarized World”.
Organized by the Media and Broadcasting Council under the Chairmanship of Azerbaijan in CICA, the CICA Media Forum focused on a practical objective – strengthening cooperation in the media sector to build lasting trust across Asia.
This framework for media cooperation was initiated by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. In his message to the Forum – delivered at the opening ceremony by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration – President Aliyev placed this initiative to convene the CICA Media Forum within the broader priorities of Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship aimed at strengthening CICA’s institutional capacity, expanding practical cooperation and enhancing the Organization’s role in fostering dialogue among its 28 Member States. He noted that high-level engagements involving think tanks, businesses, experts and youth have already given fresh momentum to the entire CICA process.
The Media Forum extends that work into the public sphere. In his message, President Aliyev described the media not only as a channel for sharing information, but also as an instrument of public diplomacy, mutual understanding and regional cooperation. He pointed to Azerbaijan’s efforts to deepen ties among media organizations and improve information exchange. At the same time, he warned that disinformation and AI-generated fabrications can erode public trust as the influence of social media and digital platforms grows. “Reliable information must become not only a benchmark of quality in professional journalism, but also in the entire information space,” the President stated. He also called for closer cooperation among public institutions, media organizations, digital platforms, journalists, researchers and civil society, alongside greater media literacy and responsible use of new technologies.
The discussion was further advanced by Khalaf Khalafov, Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Special Assignments, who focused on the practical responsibilities of the media in a polarized world. Pointing to rising geopolitical tensions and the spread of disinformation, he stressed that objective and professional journalism is essential to bridging societal divisions and reinforcing trust between states.
Echoing this call for media responsibility, CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay emphasized that strengthening diplomatic relations must go hand in hand with closer professional ties among media communities. He urged media to connect regional initiatives to people’s lives through professional exchanges, newsroom visits and joint fact-checking, underscoring that media engagement is particularly important ahead of the Seventh CICA Summit, which Baku will host on 15 October as Member States advance the transformation of CICA into a full-fledged international organization.
During the panel session “Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship: Initiatives, Cooperation, Results”, participants explored how to translate confidence-building measures into tangible outcomes. Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Samaddin Asadov, highlighted the role of transport corridors in driving economic integration, while Mehmet Daniş, President of Türkiye’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), emphasized that complex global challenges make multilateral platforms like CICA increasingly vital. Broadening the concept of connectivity, Sadagat Gahramanova, Deputy Chair of Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, stressed the importance of secure digital spaces for women, and Farhad Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of the Center of Analysis of International Relations, underscored the critical need for regional cooperation amid global security shifts.
The second session, “The Role of Media in Strengthening Social Cohesion and Intercultural Dialogue”, examined the media’s power to shape public perception. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training of Pakistan, and Kobuljon Akhmedov, Director of the Media Content Production Center under the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan, advocated for joint cultural projects and professional exchanges to bridge regional divides.
Addressing the dual nature of new technologies, Montaser Abu Zeid, Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Astana, and Zaid Al Nawaiseh, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Government Communication of Jordan, warned against AI-driven manipulation and the spread of falsified content. They called for fact-checking, human oversight and ethical journalism to ensure public communication enriches debate rather than distorts facts. Concluding the discussion, Salken Sarnogoyeva, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan, and Prak Thaveak Amida, Under Secretary of State at Cambodia’s Ministry of Information, both highlighted the shared regional responsibility to counter disinformation and anchor public dialogue in verified information and mutual respect.
The first CICA Media Forum demonstrated that the trust-building agenda of Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship extends beyond formal intergovernmental dialogue. Implementing this vision relies on strong media ties across the region, ethical tech standards and objective coverage that communicates practical results of regional cooperation to the public.
