International Scientific-Practical Conference on Regional Security in Asia in the Context of Preventing New Challenges and Threats Held within CICA

Nur-Sultan, July 14, 2021 – Within the framework of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), an International Scientific-Practical Conference on Regional Security in Asia in the Context of Preventing New Challenges and Threats was held in the format of a videoconference, attended by experts from 17 CICA member states.

The event was organized by the Foreign Policy Research Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Institute of World Economics and Politics with the assistance of the CICA Secretariat.The Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, made a welcoming speech, who informed about the progress of the CICA process and the priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the Conference. Director of the Foreign Policy Research Institute Bolat Nurgaliyev in his speech paid attention to the main aspects of ensuring regional security in Central Asia and in the CICA space.

The conference consisted of two panel sessions on the following topics: “New challenges and threats to regional security in the CICA space and the experience of the member states in countering them” and “Prospects for the development of cooperation within the CICA to ensure regional security.”

The speakers were high-profile experts from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies (Korea), the Shanghai Institute of International Studies (China), the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the National Security Administration of Iraq, the Institute of Strategic Studies of Islamabad (Pakistan), Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University (Turkey) and others.

During the speeches, the participants touched upon a range of issues related to new challenges and threats in the CICA space, the main of which are the spread of terrorism, religious extremism, drug trafficking, illegal migration and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The speakers were particularly concerned about the current situation in Afghanistan and the prospects for its further development from the point of view of ensuring security and stability in the region.

According to experts, threats of interethnic tension, environmental degradation and global warming, in the field of information and communication technologies, cybersecurity, and epidemiological security have begun to occupy a significant place.

The participants agreed on the need for interaction and exchange of experience on measures to overcome the crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic and ensure the post-crisis recovery and development of states.