Institutional Profile

Objective of the Organization:

To strengthen peace, security and stability across the Asian continent; to contribute to regional and global peace by fostering an environment of prosperity grounded in mutual trust among Asian countries; to enhance cooperation among states through confidence‑building measures; to institutionalize political dialogue; and to promote lasting stability in Asia.

Year of Establishment: 1992

Headquarters: Astana, Kazakhstan

Secretary‑General: Ambassador Kairat Sarybay (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan; served as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Ankara between 1999 and 2003)

Chair: Azerbaijan (2025-2026)

Member States (28):

Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Bangladesh, People’s Republic of China, Palestine, Republic of Korea, India, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Cambodia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Egypt, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Türkiye, Jordan, Vietnam.

Observer States (10):

Belarus, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Turkmenistan, United States of America, Ukraine, Philippines, Saudi Arabia.

Partner Organizations (6):

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), SCO Regional Anti‑Terrorist Structure (SCO‑RATS), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK), Eurasian Economic Community (EEC).

Observer Organizations (5):

United Nations (UN), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Arab League, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA).

History and Organizational Structure

At the 47th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in October 1992, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan proposed the establishment of a cooperation framework in Asia similar to the OSCE, but tailored to the region’s specific characteristics.

The process began in 1993 under Kazakhstan’s coordination, and CICA was formally established with the adoption of the Almaty Act at the Summit of Heads of State and Government held on 4 July 2002. 16 member states and 10 observer states/organizations participated in the Summit, which outlined the foundational framework for CICA’s future areas of work and institutional structure. The Act represents the declaration of the member states' shared will to achieve lasting peace, security, and stability in Asia.

During Kazakhstan’s eight‑year tenure as the first Chair (2002-2010), two Heads of State and Government Summits were convened.

CICA implements Confidence‑Building Measures (CBMs) in five main dimensions: i) economic, ii) environmental, iii) humanitarian, iv) new challenges and threats, v) military‑political. Decisions are taken by consensus in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

The most recent Summit was held in Astana on 12-13 October 2022. The Astana Declaration adopted at the Summit expressed a collective commitment to transform CICA into a full‑fledged international organization. The roadmap for this transformation was approved by the Council of Ministers in 2023. Negotiations continue on issues such as the founding Charter, the structure of the Secretariat and procedural rules.

Azerbaijan holds the CICA Chairmanship since 2024, and the next Summit is expected to take place in Baku this year.

Türkiye–CICA Relations:

As one of the 16 signatories of the Almaty Act—CICA’s founding document adopted on 4 June 2002—Türkiye has strongly supported the organization’s work from the outset. Türkiye coordinates the “New Challenges and Threats (general)” priority area of the CBM Catalogue and co‑coordinates the “Military‑Political” dimension, as well as the “Development of Small and Medium‑Sized Enterprises”, “Trade and Investment” and “Combating Terrorism” priority areas under the “New Challenges and Threats” dimension.

Türkiye also held the CICA Chairmanship from 2010 to 2014. During this period, significant progress was made in shaping CICA’s political and military agenda and establishing an effective dialogue mechanism across the CICA region. Efforts were also directed toward structuring the emerging security paradigm in Asia on the basis of CICA principles. Momentum was achieved in the implementation of CBMs across all dimensions. During Türkiye’s Chairmanship, Informal Meetings of Foreign Ministers were held in New York in 2011 and 2013, and the Fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers took place in Astana in 2012. Iraq, Vietnam, Bahrain, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Qatar joined CICA during this period, while the Philippines and Sri Lanka became observers. Today, CICA covers more than 90% of the Asian continent in terms of both area and population.

The President of the Republic of Türkiye H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the 6th CICA Summit of Heads of State and Government, hosted by Kazakhstan on 12-13 October 2022. Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Burak Akçapar participated in the CICA Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers on 21 September 2023, held on the margins of the high‑level week of the 78th UN General Assembly. Former Deputy Minister Burhanettin Duran participated in the 7th CICA Council of Ministers held online on 17 December 2024 in Baku, while Deputy Minister Ambassador Berris Ekinci represented Türkiye at the CICA Informal Council of Ministers on 25 September 2025. CICA Secretary‑General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay participated in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on 11-13 April 2025.

Türkiye is the third‑largest financial contributor to CICA after Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China. The first project of the CICA Fund, which was decided to be established at the 6th CICA Summit in 2022, was implemented in Afghanistan in March 2025 in cooperation with TIKA and the Islamic Food Security Organization (IOFS).

A ceramic panel representing Türkiye’s cultural heritage, supported by TIKA, was installed at the entrance of the new CICA Secretariat Building, and inaugurated on 2 July 2025.

CICA Secretary-General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay paid a working visit to Türkiye on 12-13 February 2026.

Türkiye supports CICA's transformation into a fully-fledged international organization, remaining true to its Asian identity and the core functions inherent in its founding philosophy.