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CICA Secretary General delivered remarks at the 115th Session of the IOM Council and engaged in high-level meetings to strengthen multilateral cooperation




Geneva, 25–27 November 2024 – The Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Ambassador Kairat Sarybay participated in the 115th Session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council. He delivered remarks on the critical importance of promoting regular migration pathways in Asia, emphasizing on the conferences and training sessions held for government agencies and stakeholders from civil societies of the Member States of CICA to share their best practices in dealing with labor migration, illegal migration and human trafficking, thus, promoting stability and confidence building through dialogue and cooperation in Asia.

On the sidelines of this high-level gathering, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay met with Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The meeting focused on CICA’s contributions to addressing migration challenges in Asia and explored opportunities to enhance collaboration aimed at promoting safe, orderly and regular migration in Asia and beyond. Both sides expressed their commitment to strengthening partnerships based on the Memorandum of Understanding of 2008.

As part of his visit, the CICA Secretary General held a series of high-level meetings with other prominent international organizations and key stakeholders to strengthen multilateral cooperation and foster meaningful synergies.

Ambassador Sarybay met with Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). During the meeting, the Secretary General provided a comprehensive update on CICA’s recent achievements and key developments under Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship. Discussions focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration and fostering synergies between CICA and UN entities based in Geneva.

Highlighting CICA’s Human Dimension and its focus on fostering social and economic development, Ambassador Sarybay met with Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Secretary General Ambassador Sarybay provided an overview of the activities of CICA’s advisory bodies, the Business Council and Youth Council, emphasizing their efforts to promote the internationalization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Member States and to enhance women’s and youth’s participation in business opportunities.

Ambassador Sarybay also underscored the implementation of the Kazakh Chairmanship’s initiative to establish the CICA Partnership Network of Leading Universities (PNLU). The PNLU has significant potential to bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and labor market demands. By aligning academic programs with market needs, it aims to contribute meaningfully to shaping regular labor migration pathways in Asia, addressing both present challenges and future requirements.

Both parties agreed to maintain a dialogue to identify potential areas of collaboration and to leverage each other’s platforms for enhanced outreach efforts.

In his meeting with Ms. Magdalena Sepúlveda, Director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), the CICA Secretary General explored opportunities for engagement in social development through the CICA Think Tank Forum and other advisory bodies. Both sides expressed their commitment to continuing dialogue and elevating research efforts to the multilateral level.

Environmental sustainability took center stage during discussions with Dr. Bruce Gordon of UN-Water. Ambassador Kairat Sarybay provided updates on CICA’s initiatives within the Environmental Dimension and key outcomes from the 2024 CICA Environmental Conference. The meeting explored potential synergies in water-related initiatives, tailored to the diverse geographical and developmental needs of CICA Member States.

The Secretary General also had an in-depth discussion with Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Director of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). The dialogue focused on contemporary challenges and opportunities for multilateralism and mediation in the evolving landscape of global security and the transition to a multipolar world.

During discussions with Mr. Pierre Krähenbühl, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Secretary General provided an overview of CICA’s goals and objectives and modalities of activities. The meeting outlined potential areas for collaboration, including ICRC engagement in the CICA Military-Political Dimension seminars, which are annually organized by Kazakhstan as coordinator to promote awareness of international humanitarian law among CICA Member States.

Building on CICA’s commitment to fostering mediation and dialogue, Ambassador Sarybay engaged with the team from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, led by Ms. Katie Sams, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. Ambassador Kairat Sarybay underscored the CICA’s unique role as a pan-Asian intergovernmental forum with significant mediation potential. The discussions laid the foundation for further engagements, including capacity building activities.


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