On 17 December 2024, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Asia Kaha Imnadze, head of the UNRCCA, participated in the 7th Ministerial Council Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held virtually and hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan. The event marked the conclusion of Kazakhstan’s 2020–2024 Chairmanship and the commencement of Azerbaijan’s leadership for 2024–2026.
Addressing the Ministerial Council Meeting on behalf of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, SRSG Imnadze commended CICA member states for their collaborative efforts in addressing critical challenges facing the region. He highlighted the importance of advancing peace and security, tackling the severe impacts of climate change, promoting sustainable economic growth, empowering youth, and fostering inclusive economic recovery in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He emphasized the importance of effective multilateralism, calling for a reform of international cooperation to better address global challenges, and noting the need for an inclusive, fair, and networked multilateral approach.
SRSG Imnadze also commended achievements of the CICA during the presidency of Kazakhstan (2020-2024), among other things, acknowledged the advancement of CICA’s transformation into a fully-fledged international organization and, not least, establishing partnerships with the UN Office on Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The CICA Ministerial Council adopted several key documents aimed at enhancing regional stability, deepening cooperation, and advancing confidence-building measures among member states. ///UNRCCA, 18 December 2024