Türkiye’s Fidan Heads to Baku for 28-Nation CICA Summit
(MENAFN) Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in the Azerbaijani capital on Thursday, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Azerbaijan, the current CICA chair, is hosting representatives of member states, observer countries and partner international organizations. Talks will center on regional cooperation, connectivity, digitalization and sustainable development, the priorities of Baku’s chairmanship.
Leaders are expected to adopt the Baku Declaration and a statement on cooperation in occupational safety and health. The summit is also set to announce Laos as a new member.
Fidan will address the gathering and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Diplomatic sources said he will press for collective solutions to global crises and geopolitical challenges, built on consultation, consensus, mutual trust and regional ownership, and will urge members to preserve and strengthen multilateral diplomacy.
He is also expected to raise Israel’s continuing war in Gaza, its illegal settlement expansion policies and its restrictions on humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
On trade, energy, technology, digitalization and connectivity, Fidan is expected to call for deeper cooperation within CICA. He is set to present **Türkiye-**backed projects, notably the Middle Corridor and the Development Road, as drivers of regional stability and economic prosperity. He is also expected to argue that linking the Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative would boost connectivity and economic cooperation across Asia.
On artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, Fidan is expected to advocate a human-centered approach to digital transformation that respects digital sovereignty and guarantees equal access.
Climate change and sustainable development will also feature in his remarks. He is expected to demand political commitment and concrete measures on environmental challenges, especially their impact on vulnerable regions, and to reaffirm Türkiye’s climate commitments as host and president of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).
CICA’s institutional development
CICA was created as a forum for dialogue and confidence-building in Asia and now spans 28 countries with differing political, economic and security priorities. Its members cover about 90% of Asia’s landmass and more than half of the world’s population. Cooperation runs across five dimensions: military-political, economic, human, environmental, and new threats and challenges.
Azerbaijan, chair for 2024-2026, has made connectivity, digitalization and sustainable development its priorities while working to turn CICA into a fully fledged international organization.
The Baku Declaration is expected to review progress under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, including cooperation on artificial intelligence, environmental protection, connectivity, sustainable development and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is also expected to address institutional reform and the importance of UN-centered multilateralism. The separate occupational safety statement is expected to reaffirm members’ commitment to protecting human life, strengthening administrative capacities and sharing expertise.
Türkiye’s role in CICA
Türkiye is a founding member and hosted the organization’s third summit in Istanbul in June 2010. It chaired CICA from 2010 to 2014, helping strengthen its institutional structure and international profile. Ankara currently coordinates or co-coordinates several confidence-building priorities: military-political cooperation, counterterrorism, trade and investment, small and medium-sized enterprise development, and responses to emerging security threats.
Azerbaijan, the current CICA chair, is hosting representatives of member states, observer countries and partner international organizations. Talks will center on regional cooperation, connectivity, digitalization and sustainable development, the priorities of Baku’s chairmanship.
Leaders are expected to adopt the Baku Declaration and a statement on cooperation in occupational safety and health. The summit is also set to announce Laos as a new member.
Fidan will address the gathering and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Diplomatic sources said he will press for collective solutions to global crises and geopolitical challenges, built on consultation, consensus, mutual trust and regional ownership, and will urge members to preserve and strengthen multilateral diplomacy.
He is also expected to raise Israel’s continuing war in Gaza, its illegal settlement expansion policies and its restrictions on humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
On trade, energy, technology, digitalization and connectivity, Fidan is expected to call for deeper cooperation within CICA. He is set to present **Türkiye-**backed projects, notably the Middle Corridor and the Development Road, as drivers of regional stability and economic prosperity. He is also expected to argue that linking the Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative would boost connectivity and economic cooperation across Asia.
On artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, Fidan is expected to advocate a human-centered approach to digital transformation that respects digital sovereignty and guarantees equal access.
Climate change and sustainable development will also feature in his remarks. He is expected to demand political commitment and concrete measures on environmental challenges, especially their impact on vulnerable regions, and to reaffirm Türkiye’s climate commitments as host and president of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).
CICA’s institutional development
CICA was created as a forum for dialogue and confidence-building in Asia and now spans 28 countries with differing political, economic and security priorities. Its members cover about 90% of Asia’s landmass and more than half of the world’s population. Cooperation runs across five dimensions: military-political, economic, human, environmental, and new threats and challenges.
Azerbaijan, chair for 2024-2026, has made connectivity, digitalization and sustainable development its priorities while working to turn CICA into a fully fledged international organization.
The Baku Declaration is expected to review progress under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, including cooperation on artificial intelligence, environmental protection, connectivity, sustainable development and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is also expected to address institutional reform and the importance of UN-centered multilateralism. The separate occupational safety statement is expected to reaffirm members’ commitment to protecting human life, strengthening administrative capacities and sharing expertise.
Türkiye’s role in CICA
Türkiye is a founding member and hosted the organization’s third summit in Istanbul in June 2010. It chaired CICA from 2010 to 2014, helping strengthen its institutional structure and international profile. Ankara currently coordinates or co-coordinates several confidence-building priorities: military-political cooperation, counterterrorism, trade and investment, small and medium-sized enterprise development, and responses to emerging security threats.
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