BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 15. Strengthening ties will contribute to sustainable development throughout Asia, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during his address at the 7th CICA Summit in Baku on Thursday, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
Furthermore, Hakan Fidan emphasized that sustainable development also requires measures to address environmental issues. Türkiye continues to lead the way in combating the effects of climate change.
He noted that Türkiye wants this summit to serve as an opportunity to strengthen climate justice, sustainable development, and people-centered transformation.
“We call for high-level participation by all stakeholders at the upcoming leaders’ summit. Today’s escalating crises are creating uncertainty on the international stage. Finding collective solutions to our shared challenges is more important than ever, and the greatest obstacle to these much-needed multilateral actions is the lack of trust among international actors.
As a solution, our priority is to build a culture of dialogue to strengthen mutual trust by improving cooperation based on regional responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is taking place in Baku under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.
The summit will review the progress made in the CICA transformation process, which began in 2022, as well as the results of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship in strengthening the organization and promoting practical cooperation among member states.
The summit is attended by heads of state and government, as well as delegations from CICA member states, observer states, observer organizations, and partner entities.
The summit presents an important opportunity to discuss issues of dialogue and confidence-building among member states in a complex international environment characterized by intensifying interstate tensions, escalating conflicts, and the emergence of new hotspots of tension, including in Asia.
One of the summit’s most significant outcomes is considered to be the admission of Laos into the CICA as a new member. The event will also be marked by the adoption of documents aimed at intensifying activities within the CICA and improving cooperation in specific areas.
Guided by the motto “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia,” Azerbaijan promoted dialogue and results-oriented cooperation during its chairmanship from 2024 to 2026.
The Baku Declaration is expected to be the summit’s main political document. In it, Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the CICA will receive the approval of all member states, and the initiatives put forward and activities carried out over the past two years in various areas will be welcomed. The document will also contain specific provisions regarding the strengthening of the international order and ways to counter risks in the military-political, economic, environmental, and other spheres.
The Baku Declaration will place special emphasis on promoting
tolerance and intercultural dialogue, advancing the use of science,
education, and innovation in the interests of security and
well-being, as well as the opportunities and risks associated with
the development of artificial intelligence.
In addition to the Baku Declaration, the summit also plans to adopt
a separate statement on occupational safety and health.