Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, 9 September 2026
Distinguished participants,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor to address the opening of the CICA Conference of Heads of Ports. I would like to express sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, Azerbaijan Transport and Communications Holding, Azerbaijan Railways and Baku International Sea Trade Port for hosting this timely event under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship of CICA.
The weight of Asia in global economic and technological development is growing. Asia’s strength lies in its diversity, its markets and its capacity to connect. By strengthening cooperation among our ports, we can make regional connectivity more secure, efficient, sustainable and beneficial for all.
This Conference brings together port authorities, transport institutions, businesses and international partners from across Asia. The Conference provides a timely opportunity to address practical issues related to port development, maritime transport and multimodal connectivity, which are essential for strengthening regional trade and economic cooperation.
For the CICA region, ports are more than physical gateways for cargo. They are strategic nodes connecting sea routes with railways, roads, dry ports, logistics hubs and industrial zones. Their efficiency, security and resilience directly affect trade costs, access to markets and the competitiveness of our economies. For landlocked Member States, reliable links to maritime infrastructure are indispensable for fuller participation in regional and global trade.
For CICA, connectivity is a practical confidence-building measure. An idea of establishing a dedicated Council on Sustainable Connectivity as a CICA advisory body was put forth on the highest political level. The essence of that initiative remains highly relevant today: to promote dialogue and practical cooperation on resilient transport infrastructure, multimodal corridors, digitalized logistics, environmentally sustainable mobility and smoother trade and transit flows. In this way, dialogue on transport links, trade facilitation and professional contacts can contribute to greater mutual understanding, predictability and shared interests across our diverse region.
Under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship, connectivity has received particular and sustained attention. Guided by the theme, “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia,” the Chairmanship has placed transport connectivity, digital transformation and sustainability at the center of its work. As coordinator of the confidence building measures in the priority area of development of secure and effective systems of transportation corridors, Azerbaijan has initiated and supported a series of conferences, expert discussions and other CBM-related activities designed to promote practical cooperation among CICA Member States.
Distinguished participants,
This Conference builds on practical work already carried out within the CICA framework in the area of transportation and connectivity. In December 2025, the Conference on Implementation of Knowledge Sharing on Digitalization of Transport Corridors among CICA Member States brought together government representatives, international organizations and experts to exchange experience on interoperable digital solutions, electronic transport documents and the digitalization of cross-border procedures. It confirmed the value of continued dialogue and coordinated approaches to making transport corridors more efficient and secure.
More recently, in June this year, CICA participated in the Second Meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia. The CICA High-Level Plenary Session on Political Dialogue and Economic Connectivity brought together Member States and partner institutions to discuss transport and logistics links, digitalization, trade facilitation, green development and financial connectivity. The discussions underscored that political dialogue and economic connectivity are mutually reinforcing foundations for sustainable development.
This momentum will continue through further Chairmanship initiatives, including planned online events on the development of transport infrastructure and the promotion of environmentally friendly means of transport. Taken together, these activities demonstrate the Chairmanship’s commitment to moving the connectivity agenda from broad discussion towards practical, sector-specific cooperation.
Today’s Conference is a natural continuation of these efforts. It also gives us an opportunity to consider practical ways of strengthening professional contacts, sharing operational experience and supporting closer cooperation among port authorities of CICA Member States.
The CICA Secretariat stands ready, within its mandate and available resources, to facilitate communication and information exchange among interested Member States and to support follow-up to the recommendations adopted by this Conference. We hope that today’s discussions will lead to sustained professional contacts, technical meetings and future initiatives voluntarily hosted by interested Member States.
Distinguished participants,
I am confident that this Conference will contribute to practical outcomes and a stronger foundation for cooperation across the CICA region.
I wish you fruitful discussions and every success in your deliberations.
Thank you for your attention.
