Biography of CICA Secretary General
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay is the first Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). He previously (2020-2022) served as the Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat before the position was transformed into a Secretary General post as part of the comprehensive CICA transformation process launched at the Sixth CICA Summit by the adoption of the Astana Statement on Transformation in October 2022. During the two terms of the Kazakh Chairmanship (2020-2022, 2022-2024) and the current term of Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship (2024-2026), he has provided comprehensive assistance to the CICA Chair and Member States, and has led the Secretariat along the path of the organization’s institutional development.
Under Ambassador Sarybay’s stewardship, the Secretariat has advanced the strategic initiative to transform CICA into a full-fledged international organization. Fulfilling the task of the Sixth CICA Summit, the Secretary General contributed to the shared efforts of Member States, resulting in the endorsement of the Road Map for CICA Transformation by the Ministerial Council in September 2023.
As an advocate of practical cooperation, Ambassador Sarybay also facilitated the process of updating the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in 2021 and 2024. These revisions expanded collaboration in new areas such as ICT security, epidemiological safety, counter-terrorism, public health, agriculture, trade and investment, human rights and volunteering. The adoption of the ministerial document on modalities of CBM implementation in December 2024 allows for further enhancement of the quality of Member States’ interaction and requires greater efficiency and expert input of the Secretariat.
During his tenure, CICA has also made important strides in institutional enhancement, including the establishment of the Council of Eminent Persons (2021), the transformation of the Think Tank Forum into a permanent advisory body (2021) and the establishment of the CICA Fund (2022). The Secretariat has also facilitated the establishment of the Partnership Network of Leading Universities (2024).
With the transition of the Chairmanship from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan on 17 December 2024 during the Seventh CICA Ministerial Council meeting, Ambassador Sarybay has been working to ensure the vital continuity in the work of all CICA bodies. He welcomed the strategy of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship in building on the legacy of previous Chairmanships while applying innovative approaches under the motto “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia.”
Under the leadership of Azerbaijan, the Secretary General has been guiding the Secretariat’s daily activities in providing comprehensive support to the Chairmanship in implementing its priorities. Specifically, Ambassador Sarybay has been contributing to the common efforts of CICA Member States to establish new advisory bodies, including the Finance Summit and the Women Council, to implement confidence building measures in an effective and impactful manner, and to foster synergies with other international organizations to enhance CICA’s visibility. This substantive work, together with the full spectrum of administrative, organizational and technical support, is aimed at advancing the priorities of the Chairmanship and consolidating CICA’s standing as a mature multilateral platform.
The Secretariat under the guidance of Ambassador Sarybay has also supported the Chairmanship and Member States in strengthening the organization’s legal framework, including drafting a CICA Charter and revising some of CICA’s core documents, such as the Host Country Agreement and the Rules of Procedure. A historic milestone was achieved on 2 July 2025 when President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev inaugurated the new CICA Headquarters in Astana. The construction of the new building stands as a symbol of the Host Country’s strong faith in CICA’s future and the enduring promise of pan-Asian cooperation.
Ambassador Sarybay has contributed to CICA’s growing international engagement and partnerships. Under his stewardship, cooperation with the United Nations has deepened through participation in high-level forums, co-hosted events and contributions to global agendas.
During the tenure of Ambassador Sarybay, the CICA family has welcomed the State of Kuwait as its 28th Member State (2022), Turkmenistan (2021) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2023) as Observer States. The Eurasian Economic Union became another Partner Organization of CICA in 2022.
All these developments reflect the confidence of our partners and underscore CICA’s role as a reputable organization for dialogue and cooperation in Asia.
Track record
Embarking on a diplomatic career in August 1991 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Sarybay held various roles in central office and diplomatic missions abroad. His career path includes responsible positions in the foreign policy system of the Republic of Kazakhstan, such as the Assistant to the President, Head of the Protocol Service of the President, Press Secretary and Head of the Press Service for the President, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to multiple countries.
As Head of Protocol Service of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 1996-1997, K. Sarybay developed a new edition of the Presidential Decree “On State Protocol”. Later he served as the Press Secretary and Head of the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1997-1998).
K. Sarybay was appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 1998-1999.
From 1999 to 2003, K. Sarybay served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Türkiye, becoming the youngest ambassador in the history of Kazakhstan.
Serving as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Federal Republic of Germany in 2003-2007, K. Sarybay initiated the process, which resulted in the adoption of the EU Strategy on Central Asia (2007).
As Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2007-2008, Ambassador K. Sarybay held the simultaneous roles of National Coordinator for Interaction with the European Union and head of the government task force to develop “The Path to Europe” State Programme. This programme was approved by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and played the role of a strategic document for developing priorities of the KazakhChairmanship in the OSCE (2010).
Ambassador Sarybay served as Assistant to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Foreign Policy Issues in 2008-2010.
He was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the third time in September 2010 and held this post until February 2014. The main milestones of K.Sarybay’s activities at this post are as follows:
- leading the task force in the development and implementation of the concept paper of the Chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2011-2012. It was during the 38th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Astana, Kazakhstan, in June 2011, that the decision to rename the Organization of the Islamic Conference to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was reached;
- active participation in the establishment of the Islamic Organization for Food Security headquartered in Astana, Kazakhstan;
- preparation and convening of the Commemorative Session and Fourth Ministerial Meeting of CICA in Astana, Kazakhstan, in September 2012;
- leading the task force in the preparation of the third meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan (Heart of Asia), which was convened in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in April 2013;
- leading the delegation of Kazakhstan’s negotiation process regarding the legal status of the Caspian Sea in 2011-2013, resulting in a breakthrough between the summits of the Caspian Five in Baku (2010) and Astrakhan (2014);
- development of the “African dimension” of Kazakhstan's foreign policy in 2011-2013, resulting in the opening of the Embassies of Kazakhstan in Pretoria and Addis Ababa.
From February 2014 to September 2020, K. Sarybay served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Austria and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the International Organizations in Vienna. He was also appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Slovenia concurrently.
In the position as the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria, K. Sarybay contributed to the development of effective inter-parliamentary dialogue, strengthening bilateral political and economic cooperation and establishing network diplomacy. He successfully established an extensive network of Honorary Consuls of the Republic of Kazakhstan all over the federal states of Austria, except the capital city of Vienna.
As the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Slovenia, K. Sarybay was one of the most active non-resident Ambassadors. During his tenure, Friendship Groups were established in both Parliaments of Kazakhstan and Slovenia, two Honorary Consulates of Kazakhstan were opened (in Maribor and Nova Gorica), and cooperation with the Kazakh-Slovenian Business Club enhanced opportunities in building trade and economic relations.
K. Sarybay acting as a Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the International Organizations in Vienna was elected as a Co-Coordinator of CTBT Article XIV in 2015-2017 (together with Japan), served as a Chair of the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation in 2016-2017, Chairperson of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee in 2017-2019, Chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2019-2020. During his tenure, the project on the establishment of the IAEA Low-Enriched Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan was successfully completed.
In addition to his diplomatic achievements, K. Sarybay is a proponent of women's empowerment and has initiated numerous innovative arts and sports projects. Around fifty musical concerts and cultural events were held in all regions of Austria and Slovenia within the framework of “The Pearls of Kazakhstan - Melodies of the Great Steppe” in 2015-2020, a continuation of the same endeavour in Germany from 2003-2007. As part of the Art Circle project, “The Art Embassy of Kazakhstan” was inaugurated in the Goriška Brda region, Slovenia. Furthering cultural exchange, the first Vienna Ball was successfully organized in Astana in 2018. The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan in Vienna has organized the OSCE Connectivity Bicycle Tour three years in a row (in 2018-2020).
Under the leadership of K. Sarybay, the CICA Secretariat organized football tournaments, bicycle and ski tours, which have already become a good tradition, and a hike up Kanysh Satpayev Peak near Almaty in 2023, where the organization’s flag was planted at an altitude of 4317 meters above sea level.
For his outstanding services, Ambassador Sarybay has been awarded multiple Orders of the Republic of Kazakhstan – “Parasat” (“Nobility”), 2nd-degree “Dostyq” (“Friendship”) and “Qurmet” (“Honour”) and several state medals, as well as the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Karel Kramář Commemorative Medal of the Czech Republic, and numerous awards of international organizations.
Ambassador Sarybay has a scientific and research background in oriental studies and linguistics. He is the author of several books, a number of scientific and popular science articles on ancient Turkic languages and articles on relevant international policy issues, lecturing as the visiting professor of the Diplomatic Institute of the Academy of Public Administration of Kazakhstan.
Kairat Sarybay is a graduate of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Leningrad State University (1988), fluent in Kazakh, Russian, Turkish, English and German. Born on 8 June 1966 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, married to D.A. Leyla Mahat, has four children and two grandchildren.
Ambassador Sarybay's commitment to multilateral diplomacy, cultural exchange and gender equality reflects his dedication to advancing peace, security and prosperity in Asia and globally.
