Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous damage and suffering around the world and has become a real threat and challenge for each of us.
At the Special Ministerial Meeting, held on September 24, 2020, the CICA Foreign Ministers paid special attention to international cooperation in managing the after-effects of the pandemic.
Nearly all delegations suggested using the CICA platform to exchange information on best practices, as well as to provide assistance to countries in need. It was particularly noted that any politicization in this matter should be rejected.
Addressing that meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Mukhtar Tleuberdi put forward an initiative to introduce a new Measure "Epidemiological Safety, Public Health and Pharmaceuticals" into the CICA Confidence Building Measures Catalogue.
At the meeting of the Senior Officials Committee in December 2020, Kazakhstan's initiative received the unanimous support of all Member States, and the new measure was approved by silence procedure on January 15.
And now, for all of us, the good news is that the Chairmanship suits the action to the word or, to put it otherwise, the ancient wisdom "Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds" proved its effectiveness.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Halyk Charity Foundation, which came to the aid of people living in our vast CICA area.
Dear colleagues!
Our special event today confirms that CICA has evolved from the idea of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, into an international organization capable of giving an adequate and effective response to the emerging threats and challenges.
I express my hope that the CICA Member States will follow the suit of the Kazakh Chairmanship and give substance to the Forum for the sake of building confidence and security in Asia.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Mukhtar Tleuberdi for their continuing support and valuable attention to the development of CICA process.
Thank you!
