Excellencies, esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure and a deep sense of pride that I stand before you today, on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Today we celebrate our collective journey towards fostering peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity across the vast and diverse continent of Asia.
When CICA was initiated 31 years ago, it was envisioned as a platform that transcends borders, ideologies, and historical grievances, to unite the nations of Asia under the common banner of dialogue and mutual understanding. Today, we can confidently assert that we have made substantial progress towards realizing this noble vision.
Over the years, CICA has evolved into a vital mechanism for promoting trust, confidence, and cooperation among our Member States. It has provided a platform where leaders, senior officials and line experts can engage in open discussions, share perspectives, and seek common ground on the most pressing regional and global challenges. Through dialogue, we have managed to dispel misunderstandings, build bridges, and create an atmosphere conducive to sustainable peace and development. As we like to say – CICA spirit prevails after all.
Past year was most significantly marked by the successful CICA Summit held last October here in Astana, gathering 52 delegations. CICA leaders have reached strategic decision to launch the transformation of our forum into a full-fledged organization. Today I am glad to announce that following some thorough discussions CICA foreign ministers have agreed on a Roadmap for CICA transformation that outlines 8 clusters for raising our platform to the next level of cooperation. Though this is just the very first step of this no less but epic journey. Some paramount deliberations are expected on each and every cluster and CICA Secretariat is ready to assist Member States in this noble endeavor.
The success of the Informal Ministerial Meeting we had in New York two weeks ago was not just limited to Transformation roadmap. Ministerial Council has also adopted Statement on promoting volunteerism for sustainable development and reached decision on the next deputy Secretary General of CICA. More on that a little later.
I am quite satisfied with the level of Member States interest and involvement in CICA process throughout this year. The most active interaction is in the economic and new threats and challenges dimensions, with environmental sphere also picking up the pace. All together there were 21 CICA conferences, seminars, workshops and trainings. That includes two meetings of CICA Think Tank Forum – an important advisory body of our organization. Next week the 6th Meeting of CICA Youth Council will take place and there are also plans to hold CICA Business Council and Business Forum later this year.
I sincerely thank those Member States which actively implement CBMs and look forward to even more productive year ahead of us. Let us continue to work hand in hand, drawing inspiration from the progress we have achieved, as we navigate the path forward.
Furthermore, I would like to thank Astana diplomatic corps for supporting various informal activities organized by the CICA Secretariat. This passed year we brought CICA Flag to the top of Satpayev Peak near Almaty, convinced some Ambassadors to test their skiing skills, pedaled together through breathtaking scenery of Burabay national park and got together for some friendly but really competitive football. And we will definitely continue with such memorable events.
On this day I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all my able staff at the Secretariat for all the hard work and positive attitude. And of course, special appreciation goes to the current Kazakh Chairmanship that wisely guides us all to the new heights and frontiers.
Long live CICA! Happy CICA Day!
Astana, 5 October 2023
