Tokayev calls for strengthening international security system in Asia
In his remarks at the VII CICA Summit in Baku, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, noted that the Summit was taking place at a time when the very value of the forum was being tested, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of Akorda.
He said the world was facing exceptionally complex and unprecedented challenges requiring profound reflection and comprehensive analysis.
“In essence, there is a gradual erosion of the very foundations of the international security’s architecture with a worrying shift towards the primacy of force over the rule of law. In 2025, the world witnessed the highest number of armed conflicts since the Second World War. The toll is measured in lives, not only in statistics. More than 37,000 civilian deaths have been verified across 20 armed conflicts in a single recent year. Over 117 million people remain forcibly displaced and 266 million face acute food insecurity. This tendency has undermined decades of joint political efforts to reach global stability and security. Therefore, it is clear that Asia needs stronger institutions. Time of declarations of good-will is getting over,” the President of Kazakhstan stated.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recalled that at the 6th CICA Summit in Astana in 2022, participating states had agreed to transform the Conference into a full-fledged international organization.
“Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship is now delivering this mission with great dignity and we look forward to the adoption of the CICA Charter as a road-guider. Kazakhstan’s position on CICA’s transformation is based on our previous commitments and relevant flexibility to get common understanding and proper agreement. Rooted in Asia, CICA should remain open to cooperation with partners across the world. The Organization must advance a model of security built on consistent dialogue and productive consultations in the spirit of mutual trust,” the Head of State said.
The President reminded the Summit participants that security had always been among CICA’s key priorities.
“Our organization has much to offer in peaceful settlement of disputes, disarmament and peacebuilding that matters today more than ever. Working alongside the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, CIS and other international institutions, CICA should take more active part in bridging differences across Asia and beyond. Therefore, we urge member states to translate our collective political will into concrete initiatives that lead to tangible results. As a practical step, we propose to launch a Mechanism for Preventive Diplomacy. Peace is best built before crises emerge. Prevention is inherently more effective and far less costly than managing crises once they have erupted. It will give every member state a structured voice in decisions and translate declarations into coordinated action,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.
According to the Head of State, a forward-looking organization must be prepared for the fundamental changes unfolding in the world today.
“Artificial or Super intelligence has already become decisive factors of economic development and national competitiveness. Cyberattacks are playing extremely destructive role in today’s conflicts. Even more troubling is uncontrolled development of artificial intelligence, whose capabilities are advancing faster than the mechanisms for its international legal regulation. There are already documented cases in which AI Agents bypassed safeguards and gained unauthorized access to external systems. Such cases will cause serious disruptions and inflame tensions between states unless we jointly put them on halt by introducing international legal instruments. The advancement of AI should not prevail humanity’s ability to maintain effective control over it. Therefore, confidence-building measures must be extended into the digital domain. From my perspective, CICA should add Artificial Intelligence to its five existing dimensions,” the President of Kazakhstan proposed.
As it was previously reported, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Baku for a working visit to attend the Seventh CICA Summit.
Today, the Head of State is participating in the VII Summit of the Conference on Interaction in Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Baku.
Earlier, on the sidelines of the Summit, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog. The two sides exchanged views on current international issues, including the situation in the Middle East.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan's principled stance on the need to de-escalate tensions and resolve conflicts exclusively through diplomatic means.
Addressing the Summit, Tokayev highlighted CICA’s special role in ensuring security in Asia.