11–13 April 2025 – Antalya - The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, participated the fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, convened under the patronage of H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Held under the theme “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World,” the Forum united over 4,800 participants from 148 countries to confront today’s most pressing global divides through dialogue.
Ambassador Sarybay addressed the panel “The Role of Culture in Today’s World: Unifying or Dividing?” where he emphasized CICA’s longstanding commitment to fostering intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity as pillars of regional peace and security. Drawing on CICA’s three-decade experience as Asia’s largest consensus-based intergovernmental forum, he briefed participants on the organization’s efforts to foster cooperation in the Human Dimension as a model for building trust through education, cultural exchange and humanitarian cooperation.
On the margins of the Forum, Ambassador Sarybay engaged in high-level consultations with government, international, and academia leaders, advancing CICA’s institutional transformation and discussing joint approaches to shared challenges — climate change, migration, and peacebuilding among them.
In a meeting with Mr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, Ambassador Sarybay expressed appreciation for Iraq’s contribution to the CICA Fund and Iraq’s support for CICA’s transformation into a full-fledged international organization.
With Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh, the CICA Secretary General discussed key Azerbaijani Chairmanship priorities, including the establishment of the CICA Women Council, climate action and cooperation on sustainable connectivity.
On the margins of the Forum, Ambassador Sarybay also met with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Badr Abdelatty, who reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to CICA’s goals under Chairmanship priorities and its intention to further engage in the CICA processes.
The COP29 legacy and broader environmental cooperation within CICA were the focus of discussions with Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Presidential Envoy on Climate Issues of Azerbaijan. Both sides agreed to jointly advance the green agenda of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship at regional and global levels.
In a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Ambassador Sarybay shared updates on CICA’s current agenda, including the Women Council initiative and recent CICA Fund projects supporting sustainable development in Afghanistan.
Regional developments amid the evolving geopolitical landscape were discussed during a meeting with Mr. Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). As CICA and OSCE may serve as complementary platforms for the broader Eurasian region, the two sides exchanged views on possible avenues for future collaboration.
During his meeting with Georgia’s Foreign Minister, Ms. Maka Botchorishvili, Ambassador Sarybay presented CICA’s mission, unique composition, and evolving external partnerships, with emphasis on sustainable connectivity under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship.
Migration-related challenges and cooperation opportunities were discussed with Mr. Michael Spindelegger, Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Both sides agreed to explore joint initiatives through the CICA Think Tank Forum, Youth Council and Business Council to address irregular migration and support legal pathways.
In interviews with TRT Haber and TRT AVAZ, CICA Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay emphasized Türkiye’s indispensable role as a founding member and key driver of CICA’s institutional development, particularly through its consecutive Chairmanships from 2010 to 2014. Ambassador Sarybay also noted Türkiye’s active coordination and co-coordination of several CICA priority areas, as well as its consistent contributions to strengthening regional law enforcement capacities across Member States. He underscored that CICA supports this mission through its comprehensive approach to security — encompassing political, economic, environmental, human, and new challenges and threats dimensions — which serves as a foundation for building trust, stability, and peace throughout Asia.
The Secretary General’s visit to Antalya concluded with in-depth talks with Ms. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Foreign Minister of Türkiye, focusing on the advancement of CICA’s dynamic agenda under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship. Ambassador Sarybay expressed his deep appreciation for Türkiye’s steadfast support and valuable contributions to CICA’s transformation. He also commended the outstanding organization of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which once again proved to be a vital platform for high-level dialogue and multilateral engagement.
The Secretary General interview for TRT Avaz in Turkish language: https://youtu.be/LKWZsTgB0_c?si=1Xu1sl8DyQ0eAahH
