Sri Lanka calls for stronger regional economic cooperation at CICA summit

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath has concluded a two-day official visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, after leading the Sri Lankan delegation to the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Sri Lanka emphasised the importance of strengthening regional connectivity, digital transformation and sustainable development to promote economic integration and cooperation across Asia.

The summit was held on October 15, 2026, under Azerbaijan's chairmanship and brought together heads of state, vice presidents and foreign ministers from 28 member states. Talks centred on building a stronger CICA through enhanced connectivity, digitalisation and sustainable development.

Delivering Sri Lanka's statement at the summit, Minister Herath welcomed the theme, "A Stronger CICA for Connectivity, Digitalisation and Sustainable Development in Asia." He stressed that stronger connectivity, digital transformation and closer partnerships among member states are essential to achieving meaningful economic integration across the Asian region.

The summit ended with adoption of the Baku Declaration, admission of the Lao People's Democratic Republic as a full member, extension of Azerbaijan's chairmanship for 2026–2028, and appointment of Sultan Hajiyev as Secretary-General of CICA.

During the visit, Minister Herath met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the Zagulba Palace. He also held bilateral discussions with counterparts from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Palestine, and met CICA Secretary-General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay. The discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, tourism, agriculture and energy security, with the aim of strengthening partnerships and identifying new opportunities for mutual benefit.

Minister Herath also took part in a high-level business meeting with SOCAR, Azerbaijan's leading energy company, to explore strategic opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector.

The visit reaffirmed Sri Lanka's commitment to strengthening cooperation with CICA and deepening bilateral relations with its member states. It also highlighted the importance of developing mutually beneficial partnerships in trade, tourism, agriculture and energy while advancing regional connectivity, digital transformation and sustainable economic growth across Asia.