AKP Phnom Penh, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has emphasised the need for the Member States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) to rise up to the challenge posed by COVID-19.
At the 6th Ministerial Meeting of CICA hosted by Kazakhstan in hybrid format on Oct. 12, H.E. Prak Sokhonn highlighted the importance of preserving today’s hard-earned global peace and prosperity and the need for CICA Member States to rise up to the immediate challenges posed by COVID-19 and those caused by persisting issues including great power rivalry, supply chain disruptions, and developmental gaps.
The Deputy Prime Minister called on CICA Member States to reinforce their cooperation in order to enhance CICA’s international standing in promoting inclusive and constructive dialogue, facilitating trade and investment, and carrying out more innovative ways to enhance multi-faceted cooperation across the region such as through Track 1.5 and Track 2 engagements.
The 6th Ministerial Meeting of CICA was chaired by H.E. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, under the theme “Security and Sustainable Development in Asia in New Realities of the Post-Pandemic World”.
In the meeting, the CICA Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment in enhancing mutual confidence and trust building with the ultimate purpose of promoting peace, security, stability, and prosperity across the Asian region.
The meeting exchanged views and set out common directions on a number of important regional and global issues including the importance of upholding a rules-based multilateral trading system, environmental protection, the need to capitalise on the latest technologies to facilitate socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of upholding human rights in their entirety in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and International Law.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of three key documents, namely: (1) Regulation of the CICA Council of Eminent Persons; (2) Updated CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures; (3) Amendment of CICA Rules of Procedure.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press