Manama, 31 October – 2 November 2025 — The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, paid a working visit to Manama upon the invitation of Ambassador Khaled Yousef Al-Jalahma, Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
In continuation of his mission, Ambassador Sarybay attended the 21st Manama Dialogue Regional Security Summit, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) under the theme “Regional power and statecraft amidst global change.” The event gathered ministers and policymakers from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, serving as a key platform for open exchange on regional security and defense issues.
The CICA Secretary General expressed gratitude to H.E. Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, for the invitation to the Manama Dialogue 2025 and discussed the prospects of CICA’s development as well as broader regional and global security issues.
Ambassador Sarybay also engaged in-depth consultations with CICA's primary stakeholder at Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry represented by its Chief of Organizations, H.E. Hatem Abdulhameed Hatem. The Secretary General commended Manama’s substantial contribution to promoting multilateralism in Asia and beyond and thanked Bahrain for its proactive engagement in CICA’s activities. Speaking of the Chairmanship’s priorities, the two sides discussed the current standing of the CICA transformation process focusing on the elaboration of the CICA Charter. The Bahraini side was updated on the outcomes of the recent informal meeting of the CICA Ministerial Council in New York and other achievements under the Chairmanship of Azerbaijan, including the calendar of upcoming events leading to the Seventh CICA Summit in Baku in 2026.
On the margins of the Manama Dialogue 2025, the Secretary General held a series of bilateral meetings with high-level officials of CICA Member States as well as representatives of regional organizations and institutions to inform these stakeholders about CICA achievements and promote awareness of its unique cooperation toolkit, further strengthening the organization’s international profile.
With H.E. Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Ambassador Sarybay discussed regional security and collective efforts to sustain peace and prosperity across the CICA region. The Minister was informed about the work of the newly established and other CICA institutions. The Secretary General expressed appreciation to Palestine for its active support to the CICA process and continued contribution to initiatives, including the promotion of multilingualism within the organization.
Ambassador Sarybay also met with H.E. Md. Touhid Hossain, Adviser for Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. The Secretary General conveyed sincere appreciation for Bangladesh’s multifaceted contributions to strengthening CICA — from donations to the CICA Fund and the Secretariat’s budget, to recognising the valuable input a Bangladeshi expert provides to the Human Dimension of the CICA framework. The conversation also covered the outcomes of the September 2025 CICA Ministerial Council meeting in New York, ongoing initiatives under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship, and Bangladesh’s plans to enhance its diplomatic presence in the region.
The visit to Bahrain marked the first stop of the CICA Secretary General’s scheduled tour to several Arab countries of the Gulf region.
