Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to Attend CICA Summit in Baku

Hakan Fidan will represent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Baku, Haber 7 reported on October 14, 2026. Hosted by Azerbaijan as the current CICA term president, the October 15 gathering brings together member states, observer countries, and international organizational representatives to coordinate regional priorities and diplomatic approaches. The summit also provides a platform where key actors influencing global politics and economics in Asia can outline shared priorities and collaborative areas.

Baku Agenda and New Memberships

The summit centers on the theme of a stronger CICA in Asia through connectivity, digitalization, and sustainable development, according to information obtained from Turkish Foreign Ministry sources and reported by Hürriyet. Delegates are expected to adopt the Baku Declaration as the official concluding document alongside a joint statement concerning cooperation in occupational safety and health. Furthermore, the conference will formally announce Laos as the newest member joining the organization.

Azerbaijan has prioritized advancing connectivity, digitalization, and sustainable development goals through sectoral cooperation and various Confidence Building Measures activities during its term presidency, while accelerating CICA’s transformation into a fully-fledged international organization. The Baku Declaration is expected to feature activities conducted by member countries in areas such as environment, artificial intelligence, connectivity, sustainable development, and SME development under the leadership of Azerbaijan as the 2024–2026 term president, while also drawing attention to CICA’s transformation process, UN-centered multilateralism, and the organization’s role in increasing cooperation across Asia.

Regional Diplomacy and Gaza Stance

Fidan is scheduled to deliver a formal address and conduct multiple bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, according to reporting by İhlas Haber Ajansı. Ministry sources indicate that Fidan will emphasize the necessity of cooperative solutions based on consultation, consensus, mutual trust, and regional ownership in the face of geopolitical challenges, while stressing the preservation of effective multilateral diplomacy. The foreign minister is also expected to address the ongoing situation in Gaza, stating that Israel continues its military campaign and expands territorial control while restricting humanitarian aid to Palestinian populations.

Fidan will describe Israeli policies in the West Bank—including illegal settlement activities and annexation steps that undermine peace plans—as the primary obstacles to enduring regional stability and security, Demirören Haber Ajansı reported. He is set to reiterate Turkey’s call for the international community to increase pressure on Israel to secure a fair and permanent settlement built upon a two-state solution.

Connectivity and Climate Priorities

Beyond security matters, Fidan will highlight opportunities for mutual economic advantage in trade, digital transformation, energy, connectivity, and technology under the CICA framework. He intends to emphasize the prosperity-generating capacity of transport routes supported by Turkey, specifically the Middle Corridor and the Development Road, noting that aligning the Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative will strengthen regional economic integration. Fidan will also advocate for human-centric digital sovereignty in artificial intelligence and call for decisive political will to confront climate change, highlighting Turkey’s upcoming presidency and host duties for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). In this context, Fidan is expected to emphasize that Turkey will continue to assume a leading role in eliminating the negative impacts of climate change on vulnerable regions.

Turkey and CICA Institutional Development

As a founding member, Turkey has maintained active participation in CICA since its inception, coordinating the new threats and challenges dimension while co-coordinating military-political, trade, investment, and counter-terrorism areas. Turkey previously hosted the third CICA summit in Istanbul on June 8, 2010, and held the organization’s term presidency from 2010 to 2014, steering institutionalization efforts and enhancing the group’s political visibility globally. CICA stands out as the sole structure uniting 28 countries with diverse priorities on a common dialogue platform in the Asian continent, where effective multilateral organizations in security are otherwise absent, and ranks among the largest organizations by territory in Asia.

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