Your Excellency, Ambassador Han Chunlin
I express my deepest appreciation to the People’s Republic of China for its ratification of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Secretariat, its Personnel, and Representatives of Members of CICA.
Furthermore, I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of China for continuous financial support and yet another voluntary financial contribution to the Secretariat’s budget. China is one of the most active CICA Member States and is the second largest donor of the CICA Secretariat.
These contributions demonstrate China’s unwavering support for CICA and significantly enhance the effectiveness of our organization and reinforce our collective efforts to promote peace, security, and stability in Asia. Let me also thank the Government of China for continuous secondment of highly qualified personnel to strengthen the Secretariat’s operations.
The Convention is one of the fundamental documents of our organization. The immunities and privileges granted by the Convention are an essential institutional feature, as they facilitate the effective functioning of the Secretariat, ensure the smooth work of its personnel, and enable the representatives of Member States to participate freely in CICA meetings.
The early ratification of the Convention is particularly significant in the context of the ongoing transformation of CICA into a full-fledged international organization, which remains a key priority of the Chairmanship. For the Convention to enter into force, ratification by 14 Member States is required, and I am pleased to announce that 13 Member States have already completed this process.
China has been a steadfast supporter of CICA’s activities and has played a constructive role in advancing the Chairmanship’s initiative on the transformation of CICA. I highly appreciate China’s positive engagement and commitment to this important process.
I look forward to our continued cooperation and to witnessing further contributions from all Member States towards strengthening CICA’s institutional foundation. I also hope that the remaining Member States that have not yet ratified the Convention will follow China’s example, take the final step, and complete this crucial process. With just one more ratification, the Convention will officially enter into force, marking a significant milestone for our organization.
14 March 2025
Astana, Kazakhstan
