“Priorities are shifting in favor of force”: Tokayev spoke about the global situation at the CICA summit

Tengrinews.kz — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the 7th CICA Summit.
At the beginning of his speech, the President of Kazakhstan expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan for the hospitality and excellent organization of the summit.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highly praised Azerbaijan's dynamic chairmanship, aimed at expanding CICA's potential as a unique platform for dialogue, confidence-building, and comprehensive cooperation.
He emphasized that the Conference holds special significance for Kazakhstan.

"More than three decades ago, our country initiated the creation of this forum to strengthen mutual trust and promote security in our vast region. Since then, CICA has successfully united member states to achieve mutually beneficial results. Today, this platform remains a unique forum, originally created to ensure security and build trust in Asia through direct, universal dialogue. CICA member states cover nearly 90 percent of Asia's territory and represent more than half of the global population. Few international institutions can claim such an impressive scale of activity," the Head of State said.

The President noted that such a scale reflects the immense potential of CICA, driven by an energetic young generation striving to build a common future.
"The spirit of CICA, reflecting our sincere commitment to shaping a secure and prosperous Asia, has become a truly recognizable brand. I am pleased to welcome Laos, which joins CICA today as a full member state," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The Head of State also noted that the summit is taking place at a time when the very significance of the forum is undergoing a serious test of strength. He believes the world is facing extremely complex and unprecedented challenges that require deep reflection and carefully measured responses.
"In essence, we are seeing a gradual erosion of the very foundations of the international security architecture, accompanied by a dangerous shift in priorities toward force at the expense of the rule of law. In 2025, the world faced the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II. The cost of these conflicts is measured in human lives, not just statistical indicators. In a single year, more than 37,000 civilian deaths were confirmed across 20 armed conflicts. Over 117 million people remain forcibly displaced, and 266 million face food insecurity. This trend undermines the results of years of joint political efforts aimed at achieving global stability and security. Therefore, it is obvious that Asia needs stronger institutions. The era of declarations of intent is coming to an end," the President of Kazakhstan stated.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recalled that at the 6th Summit in Astana in 2022, CICA participants agreed to transform the Conference into a full-fledged international organization.

"Currently, Azerbaijan is worthily fulfilling this mission as Chair, and we look forward to the adoption of the CICA Charter, which will serve as a roadmap for our future activities. Kazakhstan's position on the transformation of CICA is based on our previously assumed commitments and readiness to show the necessary flexibility to reach a common understanding and develop appropriate agreements.
While preserving its Asian roots, the Conference must remain open to cooperation with global partners. The organization should promote a security model based on consistent dialogue and constructive consultations in the spirit of mutual trust," the Head of State believes.

As a reminder, the Head of State arrived arrived in Baku on a working visit to participate in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).