Fergana, 15 October 2025 — The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, undertook a working visit to Uzbekistan to participate in Fergana Peace Forum, held under the theme “Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress.”
The event gathered more than 300 representatives from Central Asia, alongside participants from Asia, Europe and the Americas, underscoring the growing importance of Fergana Valley as a regional hub for peace, dialogue and cooperation.
In his address to the Forum, Ambassador Sarybay emphasized the Fergana Valley’s unique historical and strategic role as a crossroads of civilizations, cultures and trade routes, noting that its diversity has always been a source of strength and creativity. He commended the Khujand Summit, which brought together Honourable Presidents Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, Emomali Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan — all CICA Member States — earlier this year. Ambassador Sarybay described it as a landmark event that demonstrated how even the most complex regional issues can be addressed through political will, mutual respect and constructive dialogue, and noted that it may serve as an inspiring example for the entire Asian region. Secretary General stressed that the Fergana Peace Forum embodies the very spirit of CICA: transforming dialogue into trust and trust into cooperation, paving the way for stability and shared prosperity across Asia.
Ambassador Sarybay further highlighted CICA’s evolution into a full-fledged international organization and its role as the only pan-Asian platform uniting 28 Member States in the pursuit of common security and development goals. He outlined the priorities of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship, that advances the theme “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia.” The Secretary General also noted recent institutional developments, including the establishment of the CICA Finance Summit and the CICA Women Council, alongside previously established advisory bodies — the Business Council, Youth Council, Think Tank Forum, Council of Eminent Persons and the Partnership Network of Leading Universities — as well as the special mechanism, the CICA Fund, which further expands the organization’s capacity to promote inclusive and sustainable growth.
During his visit, Ambassador Sarybay had a productive meeting with Mr. Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, an active member of the CICA Think Tank Forum. The two sides exchanged views on the outcomes of the highly productive CICA Ministerial Council meeting held on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and the 13th CICA Think Tank Forum convened in Baku under the co-chairmanship of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS, China) and the Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center, Azerbaijan).
Discussions further underscored the crucial importance of the Termez Dialogue for promoting peace and prosperity in the region, elaborating on prospects for its further development. Separately, the participants highlighted Uzbekistan’s valuable experience in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Secretary General noted that this expertise could serve as a meaningful contribution to “The SME Landscape in Asia: Interactive Guidebook” — an e-book initiative designed to provide an economic overview and insights into the business environment across participating countries.
The Fergana Peace Forum made a valuable contribution to strengthening regional dialogue and cooperation in Central Asia. Its outcomes echo CICA’s goals, which remains committed to fostering mutual trust, partnership and sustainable development across the continent.
