Kazakhstan’s CICA Chairmanship Prioritizes Enhancing Connectivity in Asia

ASTANA – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kanat Tumysh and Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay signed a Roadmap for the Implementation of the Kazakh Chairmanship’s Priorities in CICA for 2023-2024 on Feb. 22, outlining major efforts to strengthen connectivity in Asia, according to the ministry’s press service.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kanat Tumysh (L) and CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay (R). Photo credit: Foreign Ministry’s press service.

The document contains specific planned actions to implement President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiatives announced at the sixth CICA Summit in October. 

According to Tumysh, the priorities of the Kazakh chairmanship are aimed at developing the CICA as an important actor in international affairs that would strengthen connectivity in Asia and promote the common interests of the region. He focused on the practical implementation of the previous roadmaps and the timely adoption of the new document to advance the chairmanship’s extensive agenda in the coming period.

The roadmap covers different areas of interaction, including stepping up the CICA’s transformation into a full-fledged international organization and its institutional development, the implementation of the CICA catalog of Confidence Building Measures, promotion of activities of the business and youth councils, cooperation with СICA observers and partners, establishing contacts with interested international organizations, capacity building of the CICA Secretariat among other measures.

CICA is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation toward promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia. Established in 1992, CICA has 28 member states, nine countries, and five international organizations that hold observer status.

Source: Astanatimes