President Ilham Aliyev's address to participants of the 13th Think Tanks Forum was truly inspiring and significantly elevated the importance of the event. This year’s gathering holds special significance as it marks the first forum of its kind held under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.
Azernews reports that these remarks were made by Kairat Sarybay, Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), during the forum’s opening session.
He emphasized that enhancing effectiveness is a key priority for CICA. “Asia is rapidly becoming a global hub of development, thanks to its growing influence in science and technology,” he said. “In an era of increasing interdependence among states, CICA’s value becomes even more evident. This platform plays a vital role in enabling Asian countries to share strategic perspectives.”
Sarybay added, “Asia’s rising global influence further underscores the importance of CICA. Regional stability will play a decisive role, and our core mission is to identify pathways out of crises and ensure sustainable development. In this context, the forum’s theme this year—‘The Resonance of Development and Security’—perfectly aligns with today’s challenges and allows for a deeper understanding of the factors shaping our region.”
He also highlighted the forum’s focus on environmental issues this year as particularly significant. “Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 has elevated regional climate diplomacy to a new level. Environmental cooperation will become one of CICA’s main pillars in the future. The strong interest of member states in dialogue and collaboration provides a solid foundation for ongoing discussions.”
According to the Secretary General, all of these developments show that CICA is entering a new phase of growth. “As the organization moves toward a more structured and multidimensional framework, the Think Tanks Forum—with its research, strategic insights, and policy analysis—stands ready to support this transformation,” he concluded.
