Baku:State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir proposed three initiatives to bolster regional cooperation in Asia at the seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The initiatives focus on results-driven projects, increased stakeholder engagement, and enhanced digital collaboration to tackle challenges in IT and AI.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Kobir stressed Bangladesh's commitment to advancing regional cooperation among Asian nations, advocating for CICA's transformation into a more inclusive and effective organization. He expressed support for establishing CICA as a full-fledged international regional organization with a defined legal status, a stronger Secretariat, reliable financing, and efficient decision-making processes.
Kobir's proposals included implementing results-oriented projects with follow-up mechanisms to foster sustainable partnerships, organizing more in-person events to boost stakeholder involvement, and expanding exchanges among ICT institutions of member states. He also highlighted the importance of developing confidence-building measures to ensure a secure and trusted digital environment.
The summit, held under Azerbaijan's chairmanship, emphasized the theme "A Stronger CICA Connectivity, Digitalization, and Sustainable Growth in Asia," reflecting the significance of regional connectivity and technological advancement. During the event, the Lao People's Democratic Republic joined CICA as its 29th member, with Azerbaijan's chairmanship endorsed for the 2026-2028 term and Sultan Hajiyev appointed as the next Secretary General of CICA.
CICA, established in 1999, functions as a multilateral platform to promote peace, security, stability, and confidence-building measures in Asia.