Kazakhstan Welcomes First Senior Officials Committee Meeting at New CICA Headquarters

The newly established headquarters of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana held its first Senior Officials Committee (SOC) meeting, marking a significant step in the organization’s ongoing development.

Chaired by Azerbaijan, the session highlighted the collaborative spirit among member states, with CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay expressing gratitude for the national contributions to the new headquarters, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

These contributions symbolically reflect Asia’s rich artistic heritage, cultural diversity, and shared commitment to fostering peace and cooperation.

Sarybay also unveiled In Pursuit of Peace, a special anniversary publication commemorating 25 years since the adoption of the Declaration on CICA Principles, underscoring the organization’s institutional journey and achievements.

The meeting’s agenda focused on reviewing the annual implementation of confidence building measures (CBMs), with particular emphasis on environmental cooperation. Delegates gave preliminary approval to draft regulations establishing the CICA Finance Summit and the CICA Women Council, which will be presented for formal adoption at the upcoming Ministerial Council meeting in September.

Discussions further included exploring ways for the CICA Secretariat to facilitate engagement with Afghan stakeholders, aiming to enable Afghanistan to benefit from regional cooperation opportunities offered by member states.

Sarybay noted progress toward the entry into force of the CICA Convention on Privileges and Immunities, which requires only one additional ratification.

CICA Deputy Secretary General Farid Damirli provided an overview of the SME Landscape in Asia: Interactive Guidebook project, designed to assist small and medium-sized enterprises through practical tools supporting growth, integration, and cross-border collaboration.

Following the SOC meeting, the CICA Special Working Group, also chaired by Azerbaijan, completed the first full reading of the draft CICA Charter - an essential milestone in transforming CICA into a fully fledged international organization.