Statements and Remarks of CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay

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Statement of CICA Executive Director Ambassador Kairat Sarybay at the Opening Ceremony of the CICA Financial Summit 17.04.2021


 

Statement of

CICA Executive Director Ambassador Kairat Sarybay at the Opening Ceremony of the CICA Financial Summit

 

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Let me welcome you at today's Summit on behalf of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, the China Association for the Promotion of Development Financing, and the Jinan Municipal Government for organizing such an important event and providing an opportunity to discuss topical items of CICA's financial agenda.

This Summit is being held amid a new challenge - the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought unprecedented disruptions to most economies in the world and the entire global financial system. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a serious damage to such areas as foreign trade, transport, tourism and offline services. In addition, job losses, declining incomes and lack of access to social security aggravate poverty and inequality in Asia and in the whole world.

Nevertheless, as paradoxical as it may sound, the pandemic has opened up new opportunities for the international community – local e-commerce, distance medicine, online entertainment, the production and sale of products and other sectors have been actively developed.

At the same time, there remains a significant risk that the pandemic could further push the Asia-Pacific away from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and make it even more vulnerable to future shocks.

In the new conditions, inclusive green economy should serve as a benchmark for further development and achievement of sustainability in terms of stimulating accelerated economic growth and improving social welfare in the region. It is especially important to promote large-scale international cooperation among states, international organizations and associations. This will strongly contribute to ensuring global and regional stability and security.

 

Distinguished delegates!

At the online meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs in September 2020, such areas as the adoption of joint efforts to restore the economy in the post-coronavirus period, the creation of conditions to facilitate the flow of people and goods, and the return of business back on track were noted as important areas of cooperation. Member States also show their interest in strengthening cooperation in the field of new information technologies, expanding the 5G network, developing artificial intelligence, e-commerce, etc.

Last year, the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures has been supplemented with a new confidence building measure “Epidemiological Safety, Public Health and Pharmaceuticals”, which helps the Member States to effectively interact in the area that is so urgent today. At the initiative of the Chairmanship and as part of the new confidence-building measure, the several Member States received medical assistance in the fight against COVID-19, which became a practical contribution of CICA to efforts against the pandemic.

In this context, CICA provides all opportunities to exchange fresh ideas and develop joint strategies in order to increase the resilience of the economy and ability to withstand various shocks, as well as to adapt to quick changes in the global economic processes.

 

Distinguished participants,

CICA is a unique platform that unites the largest economies of the world, countries with huge technological potential and developed financial markets, which makes it possible to develop mutually beneficial cooperation and conduct an effective exchange of views on regional economic development.

I would like to note that CICA is constantly working on strengthening Confidence Building Measures in the Economic Dimension, which are focused as well on expanding cooperation among the financial sectors of the Member States. The CICA Plan of Confidence Building Measures for 2021 provides for such events as the Seminar on Cooperation in the Field of Fintech and Investment, the International Conference on Renewable Energy and Green Technology.

I would also like to note the relevance of the Chairmanship's proposal to establish the CICA Fund, which would provide financial support for projects carried out in the interests of the Member States. The CICA Fund would have strongly contributed to providing assistance to the Member States in emergency situations, rescue operations and in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

The Secretariat will continue to use the entire accumulated capacity of CICA for more active interaction of the Member States and development of joint efforts in order to restore the region in the post-pandemic period.

I would like to express the hope that the new ideas and solutions heard at this gathering will be translated into a valuable contribution of the CICA platform to ensuring economic development in the Asian region.

Let me wish you all the success in today’s Summit.

Thank you for your attention!

FOR CICA MEMBER STATES

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