Excellencies,
Esteemed Ministers,
Secretary General of ECO,
Distinguished Participants,
It is a great honor for me to address this distinguished gathering on behalf of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). I extend my warm appreciation to the esteemed Chair H.E. Yermek Kosherbayev, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan — for guiding the 29th Meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers and for his steadfast commitment to advancing regional cooperation.
Today is ECO Day, marking the Organization’s 1992 expansion and reaffirming its long-standing commitment to regional cooperation, trade, and development.
Excellencies,
This meeting highlights the strong alignment between CICA and ECO, in promoting trust, peace, economic resilience, and regional connectivity. Allow me to highlight recent CICA developments that resonate strongly with ECO’s priorities.
At the Informal CICA Ministerial Council Meeting held on 25 September 2025, Member States took two important institutional steps. First, the CICA Finance Summit was established as an advisory body to promote cooperation in the financial sector, strengthen financial stability, and support sustainable economic development across the CICA region. Second, CICA Women Council was established to bring together state institutions responsible for women’s affairs and empowerment to foster cooperation, dialogue, and the exchange of best practices among Member States.
In 2024, CICA convened its first Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues in Astana, producing a High-Level Statement that affirmed our shared commitment to climate action, water security, biodiversity, and sustainable growth. We also commend Azerbaijan’s successful COP29 Presidency, which revitalized the global climate agenda. In 2025, CICA contributed through a side event on water security and climate resilience in Dushanbe and reaffirmed its support for land restoration at the Sustainability Dialogue in Ulaanbaatar, in line with Mongolia’s Billion Trees Initiative. I congratulate Turkiye for being elected as host and Chair of COP 31.
Amid growing geopolitical tensions and fragile supply chains, secure and efficient transport routes are essential. Kazakhstan’s initiative, supported by Azerbaijan, current chair of CICA, to establish the CICA Council on Sustainable Connectivity, aims to strengthen regional transport, logistics, and trade. Once operational, the Council will provide a pan-Asian platform for technical exchange, policy dialogue, and institutional cooperation, including with ECO.
Recognizing SMEs as the backbone of our economies, the 8th Plenary Session of CICA Business council in Baku in May 2025 focused on digitalization, industrial cooperation, women’s entrepreneurship, and the green transition. A key outcome was the launch of the interactive e-book “SME Landscape in Asia: Interactive Guidebook,” offering practical insights into the business environments of participating countries.
The CICA Fund was established in 2022, as a practical mechanism to finance development projects, and this year saw its first project completed in partnership with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and TIKA, providing 300 Afghan farmers with wheat seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural extension services.
Distinguished Delegates,
I commend the successful ECO Summit held in July 2025 in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, which strengthened regional dialogue, economic cooperation, and our shared commitment to peace, connectivity, and sustainable development. I thank you for your attention and wish Kazakhstan, as Chair, and all delegations a productive and successful meeting.
Thank you.
