Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath has concluded a two-day official visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, where he led Sri Lanka’s delegation to the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
Held on October 15, 2026, under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, the summit brought together heads of state, vice presidents and foreign ministers from 28 member states to discuss building a “Stronger CICA” through enhanced connectivity, digitalisation and sustainable development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said.
Delivering Sri Lanka’s country statement, Minister Herath welcomed the summit’s theme, “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia”. He stressed that meaningful economic integration across Asia depended on stronger connectivity, digital transformation and closer partnerships among member states.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Baku Declaration, the accession of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic as a full member, the extension of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship for 2026–2028 and the appointment of Sultan Hajiyev as CICA Secretary-General, the ministry said.
During the visit, Minister Herath paid a courtesy call on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at Zuğulba 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.
Following his meeting with President Aliyev, Minister Herath participated in a high-level business meeting with SOCAR, a leading Azerbaijani energy company, to explore strategic opportunities for energy cooperation.
The Sri Lankan delegation also included Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Iran, with accreditation to Azerbaijan, Professor Fazeeha Azmi, and the ministry’s Director General for South East Asia and Central Asia, Chamari Rodrigo.
The visit reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with CICA and deepening bilateral relations with its member states.
The engagements also highlighted the importance of mutually beneficial partnerships in trade, tourism, agriculture and energy, while advancing regional connectivity, digital transformation and sustainable economic growth across Asia.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
