Moscow -

Important events that constitute major international events to be hosted by Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, this week, starting with the Conference of the Forum on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, through the meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and ending with the "Central Asia-Russia" Summit. .

But the most notable event remains the Forum for Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (SICA), the first in terms of scale and importance in the post-pandemic period.

It is also of exceptional importance given the nature and number of member states, and what it can bring out again at the level of cooperation between them in the current turbulent international circumstances, primarily the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the unprecedented crisis between Moscow and the West.

SICA includes 27 permanent member states, 8 as observer states, and 5 international organizations.

Over the past three decades, the organization has turned into an effective forum for multilateral diplomacy, and a number of leaders of the organization's countries have arrived in the Kazakh capital, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building in Asia is an international forum for promoting cooperation aimed at ensuring peace, security and stability in the Asian continent.

It is based on an understanding of the direct relationship between peace, security and stability in Asia and the world.

Hence the member states' affirmation of their commitment to the United Nations Charter, and that peace and security in Asia can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation that leads to common and indivisible security in Asia.

Summits of the Forum on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia are held every 4 years, while the meetings of foreign ministers of the participating countries are held every two years, and the General Secretariat is located in the capital of Kazakhstan.

The timing of the event on October 12-13 is also not accidental, as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the launch of the forum initiative.

The main objectives of the forum are:

  • Expand cooperation by developing multilateral approaches to ensure peace, security and stability in Asia.

  • Combating illicit drug production and trafficking.

  • Expand trade and economic cooperation.

  • Fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev receives Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his arrival in Astana (Reuters)

foundation

The idea of ​​holding this forum was first put forward at a session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 by the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Its objective was to create an effective and acceptable structure for all to ensure peace and security in Asia.

Its members may be countries whose territories are located in the Asian region.

Initially 15 countries signed the organization's Declaration of Principles in 1999 and became founding members of the organization.

The complex international circumstances in the nineties of the last century played a major role in calling for the establishment of this forum.

This era witnessed the turmoil of the entire world community, as one of the great powers (the Soviet Union) collapsed, and more than 12 new countries appeared on the world map, and with that was an increase in the number of military and political conflicts in almost all of these regions, including Europe, as well as On the development of the growing confrontation and contradictions not only between West and East, but also between North and South.

The idea also came at a time when the pace of globalization began to gain more momentum than ever, which, over time, led to an increase in economic and political interdependence between a large number of countries.

double-edged sword

But this globalization, according to the economist, Viknor Lachon, is not only accompanied by positive factors, such as the gradual “erasing” of borders between countries, the free movement of capital, labor, intellectual resources, information, and the rapid development of trade and economic relations between countries.

On the other hand, he says to Al Jazeera Net, it has caused the internationalization of new challenges and threats, including terrorism, the emergence of religious extremism, drug and arms trafficking, and others.

He continues that the principles and mechanisms that were formed during the past few decades, which defined the framework and behavior of states in the global system and ensured relative strategic stability, began to lose their importance as a result of the current deterioration in the international situation, and the lack of trust among the major players in the state arena, which led - among other results. - To the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine.

On this basis, Lachon points out that it is not by chance that definitions such as the “new cold war,” “trade war,” “technological war,” and others have emerged in the lexicon of experts and politicians to describe the current relations between the United States and Russia on the one hand, and the United States and China on the one hand. other.

The SICA Summit takes place in turbulent international conditions and amid the atmosphere of the Russian war on Ukraine (Al-Jazeera)

Challenges

It is noteworthy that this is the second time that this forum is being held in a turbulent international situation.

The previous forum was held in an atmosphere of dismantling the arms control and non-proliferation regime, after Washington withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, as well as the ambiguity surrounding the START 3 Treaty. In addition, the destruction of the world order and the international economic order, through Focusing on achieving Washington's development goals and putting only American interests first, thus creating an unstable and unhealthy international situation.

As for Lana Liksyutina, she says that against this background, the member states of the Forum are faced with an urgent task of finding common responses to the challenges, as well as clarifying plans and strategies for the development of the Forum, taking into account the current dangerous changes in the global arena.

Towards a multipolar world

She continues her talk that the member states are able, if they have the political will, to establish a new and qualitative stage of international relations, facing unipolarity.

These countries occupy more than 90% of the territory of the Asian continent, and possess enormous resources and intellectual potential along with transport corridors and fast-growing markets that collectively produce more than 50% of global GDP, and two-thirds of global economic growth.