Events

According to Dmitry Mironchik, on 27-29 April Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei is in China on a working visit. Today he is taking part in a meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs. “For Belarus the meeting is a platform to advance its national interests to the Asian-Pacific Region. Belarus’ inclusion to the CICA political mechanisms created additional channels for developing and strengthening contacts with its member states and observers,” the spokesman for the ministry said. Besides, for Belarus it is an opportunity to share opinions on the issues of the current international and regional agenda, receive firsthand objective information on the processes in the countries of Asia.

The status of observer at the CICA, which Belarus received in 2015, allows the country to join the work of sectoral mechanisms and thematic events of the meeting. “Belarus’ strategic partners Russia, China, and Kazakhstan are members of the CICA and this is a positive factor for Belarus,” Dmitry Mironchik said. Iran and Turkey also play an important role in by the meeting. Belarus maintains constructive dialogue with them too.

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. The CICA Member States cooperate across the priority areas: economic, environmental, humanitarian and military-political areas, the fight against new challenges and threats (terrorism, laundering of illicit proceeds, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings).

The meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs is held every four years. Ministerial meetings are the central forum for consultations and in-depth examination of issues related to CICA activities.

The meeting brings together 26 countries from Central and South-East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Observer status at the Conference has been granted to Belarus, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, the United States of America, Ukraine, Philippines, and Japan.