19-23 February 2024 - New Delhi — CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay paid a working visit to India. The business trip included consultations at the Ministries of External Affairs, Youth Affairs and Sports, meetings with representatives of the business community and research institutes of India. Moreover, the CICA Secretary General took part in the Raisina Dialogue forum.
In the course of the conversation with Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, the Secretary General thanked the Indian side for its active contribution to the CICA process. He called on the partners to continue to participate constructively in the work of CICA and to propose initiatives and specific projects focused on practical multilateral results. Kairat Sarybay also drew attention to the upcoming Seventh CICA Ministerial Council meeting to be held this year.
Meenakshi Lekhi, in turn, gave a positive assessment of the activities of CICA and its Secretariat, especially in the process of transforming the Conference into a full-fledged international organization.
The CICA transformation process was discussed in detail during negotiations with Senior Indian Official to CICA, Joint Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs of the Indian Foreign Ministry Muanpuii Saiawi.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay expressed hope for substantial discussions during this year on all eight clusters of the Road Map for CICA Transformation. He also invited the Indian side to take an active part in the Rally of Volunteer Movement Leaders, which will be held in Astana in May 2024, as well as in the CICA Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues scheduled for August.
The Secretary General also met with Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, candidate for the Council of Eminent Persons, discussing with him the achievements of CICA in 2023 and plans for the coming period.
Of particular importance were the meetings of the CICA Secretary General with the leadership of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and the India–Central Asia Foundation (ICAF).
ICWA Director General Vijay Thakur Singh announced that her institute intends to apply for the chairmanship in the CICA Think Tank Forum. The parties discussed how the work of this mechanism can be reinvigorated during the intersessional period, as well as the prospects for its interaction with other CICA bodies – Business and Youth Councils. A number of thematic projects were outlined in the field of small and medium enterprises, connectivity and gender balance.
ICAF President Ashok Kumar Sharma suggested harnessing the potential of both the academic and student communities to enhance CICA’s visibility through joint publications on areas of interaction within the organization, study visits, essay contests, as well as scientific and practical conferences.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, recognizing India's significant contribution to the establishment and evolution of CICA, invited representatives of Indian research institutes to participate in the symposium dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Almaty Declaration on the Principles of CICA. This event is scheduled for the autumn of 2024.
The meeting with Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India, centred on utilizing the CICA platform to exchange best practices in youth policy and volunteering.
The Indian side expressed strong support for the Rally of Volunteer Movement Leaders of the CICA Countries, as well as for the regular meeting of the Youth Council at the level of heads of relevant ministries.
The Secretary General invited partners to initiate an intersessional event for youth, aiming to foster confidence building among the CICA Member States.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay made a similar request to President of the Confederation of Indian Industry, a member of the CICA Business Council R Dinesh. The Federation was invited to hold various thematic workshops, arrange a business tour for representatives from CICA countries in order to strengthen interaction between the business community and government agencies.
R Dinesh confirmed the interest of Indian entrepreneurs in exchanging best practices related to SME support, as well as in closer coordination with other Member States on logistics, connectivity and customs procedures.
The CICA Secretary General also took part in a major international forum, the Raisina Dialogue, held annually in New Delhi.
During a session dedicated to multilateralism, Kairat Sarybay spoke about the successful development of CICA over the past 30 years. The activity of CICA serves as a vivid example of the relevance of multilateral mutually beneficial interaction in Asia. It is also important to achieve synergy between the efforts of CICA and other regional organizations, including the SCO and the EAEU, to maximize their effectiveness.
CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay also met with representatives of the Indian media. The meeting participants discussed at length the history of CICA, the progress made and the prospects for transforming CICA into a full-fledged international organization. The meeting highlighted CICA's active role in supporting the youth movement in Asia, combating climate change and addressing other issues.
Media contact:
Akbota Batyrkhan
Public Relations Officer
Email: a.batyrkhan@s-cica.org
Phone number: +7 (777) 036-26-58
