On the activities of the CICA

Nur-Sultan, December 11, 2020 - Regular meetings of the Ad hoc Working Group (AWG) and the Senior Officials Committee (SOC) of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) were held on December 9 and 11, 2020, at the initiative of the Kazakh chairmanship.

The meetings of the AWG and the SOC discussed the promotion of CICA confidence-building measures, including specific actions for their practical implementation in 2021.

Chairman of the SOC, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Shakhrat Nuryshev, stressed the importance of further cooperation, including through the CICA Business and Youth Councils and the Think Tanks Forum.

The member states discussed in detail Kazakhstan's proposals for further institutionalization of the CICA, as well as improving its legal framework.

In addition, the heads of delegations had a constructive exchange of views on the most pressing issues on the international and regional agenda. In particular, they discussed the interaction of CICA member states in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and prospects for cooperation in the post-coronavirus period.

Taking into account current challenges, Kazakhstan proposed to include cooperation in the field of epidemiological safety, public health and pharmaceuticals in the CICA's Catalogue of Confidence-Building Measures, which was supported by the member states.

Following the meetings, the participants agreed to enhance cooperation within the CICA to strengthen peace, security and prosperity in Asia.

The SOC is the main body for implementing the decisions of Summits and Ministerial Meetings that coordinates and manages the current activities of the meeting and reviews the main issues related to specific areas of interaction development within the CICA.

The AWG reviews issues of different spheres of CICA activities and the implementation of its objectives.