Kazakh President Stresses Importance of Sustainability in Int’l Relations
Kazakh President Stresses Importance of Sustainability in Int’l Relations
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the opening session of the sixth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on Thursday stressed the importance on international relations.

TEHRAN (Iran News) –Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the opening session of the sixth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on Thursday stressed the importance on international relations.

In his opening remarks, he stated that “This year marks the 30th anniversary of an initiative to convene this conference. Over this period, it has become a platform for multilateral cooperation & international institution of modern diplomacy.”

“Today we live in the conditions of an unprecedented geopolitical storm and the growing crisis of the world economy. This phenomenon has already been called “global dysfunction.”

Since the last CICA summit in 2019, the world community has experienced difficult trials, the negative consequences of which continue to have an impact on global development.

In my view, a particularly important challenge facing us is to achieve sustainability in international relations in the face of emerging unprecedented threats.

It is critically important to give a new impetus to multilateral mechanisms and return to open dialogue, the President of Kazakhstan communicated.

The President of Kazakstan touched open multifarious issues during his speech, including issues pertaining to the economy, food security, environment, and sustainability.

President Tokayev went on to point out the importance of sustainability in international relations. Along these lines, he said, “important task that we have is to achieve sustainability in international relations in the face of emerging unprecedented threats.

It is critical to give a new impetus to multilateral mechanisms and to return to open dialogue.” Moving ahead, he enunciated that, “The forecast that the 21st century will be the century of Asia is now a reality.

“Asia has become a recognized world economic leader in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity. The region has significant human and natural resources. Asia is home to 21 of the world’s 30 largest cities.

Of the estimated growth of $30 trillion in middle-class consumption by 2030, only $1 trillion is expected to come from Western economies.

However, the future of Asia itself depends on our collective willingness to strengthen dialogue among cultures, traditions, and worldviews. I am sure that the steps taken for the development of CICA correspond to this goal,” Tokayev highlighted.

 

Tokayev further outlined the priorities of Kazakhstan for its upcoming chairpersonship at CICA by saying, “First, the economic dimension. Disruptions in global supply chains force us to take a revised look at the formation of efficient transit-transport corridors.”

In this context, he shared that “The CICA Forum of Analytical Centers will serve as a universal platform for experts and specialists from all over Asia to exchange experience and ideas and implement joint research projects.

This year, Astana hosted the CICA Business Council and Business Forum, as well as the Fifth Meeting of the CICA Youth Council.

The CICA Foundation will be established today. Its purpose is to create a special mechanism for the selection of CICA projects and the collection of voluntary funds for their implementation. The number of observers and partners is also growing.

Turkmenistan joined CICA as an observer. Decisions were made to establish cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),” the Head of State said.

President Tokayev emphasized that “The maturity and effectiveness of CICA as a regional platform for political dialogue serves as a starting point for its further transformation.

Member States have repeatedly discussed and agreed in principle that CICA is already functioning de facto as an organization.

I want to emphasize that we are not creating a new organization, but moving to a new stage of institutional development, he added.

Raising the status of the Conference will strengthen the increased role of Asia in world affairs and bring the interaction of the member states to a new level,” the President of Kazakhstan noted.

About the environment, he stated that “Environment is becoming increasingly important. Climate change is leading to natural disasters that became more unpredictable & catastrophic. In 2021, 57 million people in Asia were affected by them.”

“Decarbonization of the economy is extremely urgent for Asia. To address this problem, we need investments in unprecedented amounts.

In a month, Egypt will host COP27P. I propose to hold a High-Level Conference in 2024 in Astana on environmental issues in CICA,” the President of Kazakhstan said.

He reiterated that “We need a working mechanism for food security in CICA space. Asia produces two-thirds of the world’s agricultural products but remains vulnerable in this area.

It seems promising to establish cooperation between CICA & IOFS, headquartered in Astana.” Aside from that regarding economic measures he proposed people-centric policies.

He said, “People must always be at the center of our efforts. Economic measures can be considered effective only if they are focused on the human dimension, saving and developing human resources.”

Meanwhile the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres video addressed the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) participants.

While addressing the event, Guterres stressed that “Over the last 30 years, CICA has grown into a vital platform for dialogue between countries across Asia.”

The leaders from Palestine, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are attending the summit.

Among the other guests are Belarus’s President as well as the Vice Presidents from Vietnam and China. The agenda of the Summit is to deliberate on key issues pertaining to CICA’s objectives.

Meanwhile Kuwait has officially joined the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) as a member state and it was decided Kazakhstan to be chairperson of the summit for two more years and the Executive Director of the CICA Kairat Sarybay was elected as the first secretary general of the CICA.

The participants of the conference also adopted the Astana Statement during their plenary session on Oct. 13.

This milestone decision has been a key priority of Kazakhstan’s chairpersonship in CICA in 2020-2022. The transformation into an organization will affect development priorities as Kazakhstan renews its chairpersonship for the next two years.

“Are there any objections to the adoption of documents on the transformation of the CICA? There are no objections. The Astana statement on the transformation of CICA is considered to be accepted,” said President Tokayev during the summit.

The importance of this transformation was first raised by Tokayev in October 2021 ​​during his meeting with the delegations participating in the sixth meeting of CICA foreign ministers. He said back then that CICA possessed all the elements of an international organization, including fundamental documents, governing and working bodies, an operating budget, a permanent secretariat, and its transformation will “emphasize Asia’s new role in global affairs.”

The sixth CICA summit, which continues today in Astana, also adopted a draft statement by CICA leaders on cooperation, on security and the use of information and communications technology, a document to establish the CICA Fund and CICA action plan on the implementation of the United Nations resolution on counterterrorism.