Baku hosts Asian security forum bringing together delegations from conflict-hit countries

The seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) opened in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Thursday. CICA is a forum that promotes peace, security and cooperation across Asia through dialogue and mutual trust. It is the first gathering of its kind since the Iran war began in late February, bringing together delegations from Middle Eastern and Asian countries involved in ongoing political and military conflicts.

Who is attending

The summit is hosted by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. Attendees include Israel's President Isaac Herzog, Iran's deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, and a Palestinian delegation led by Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also present. At the opening, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were joined by leaders from China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, India and Sri Lanka.

The agenda covers regional security, transport links, digital cooperation and sustainable growth. In his opening speech, Aliyev said Azerbaijan, located at the intersection of Asia and Europe, is becoming an increasingly important connecting hub in Eurasia, and that its cooperation with many states strengthens regional security.

Herzog's meetings

Herzog arrived in Baku on Wednesday and met Aliyev, whom he called a friend. He described Azerbaijan as an important partner of Israel in the region and said the visit aims to strengthen ties in security, energy and trade. In a post on X, he wrote that the talks also covered recent regional events and a shared commitment to stability and security. His office said he would also meet the local Jewish community. Photos and videos suggest he travelled on an Azerbaijan Airlines commercial flight, reportedly to cross Turkish airspace.

Herzog also met Bahrain's foreign minister, Dr Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani. They discussed Israel-Bahrain ties and the importance of the US-led Abraham Accords for security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East. Since the Iran war began, Bahrain has been heavily bombed by Iran, and relations between the two countries have long been cold.