The Seventh Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit opened in Baku, Azerbaijan on Thursday (15 Oct), bringing together heads of state, government leaders and senior officials from across Asia and the Middle East for talks on regional security, economic cooperation and confidence-building.
Hosted by President Ilham Aliyev, the summit comes as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continue to reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Among the leaders and senior officials attending are Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, and a Palestinian delegation led by Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also attending alongside representatives from across Asia and the Middle East.
The participation of representatives from countries with differing strategic interests highlighted CICA’s role as a platform for dialogue and confidence-building amid ongoing regional tensions.
Discussions are expected to focus on regional security, transport connectivity, economic cooperation, sustainable development and confidence-building measures, with participants also holding bilateral meetings alongside the summit.
The gathering reinforces Azerbaijan’s growing diplomatic profile as a bridge between Europe and Asia and as a venue for dialogue among rival regional powers.
While CICA is not a decision-making security alliance, its ability to convene leaders from across Asia during a period of heightened geopolitical competition demonstrates the continuing importance of multilateral diplomacy.
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