Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, on Thursday, where he is expected to address the Gaza crisis, regional security and economic cooperation, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The summit, hosted by Azerbaijan as CICA's rotating chair, will bring together representatives from member states, observer countries and international organizations to discuss geopolitical challenges, connectivity, digital transformation and sustainable development.
Fidan is scheduled to deliver a speech and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering, with a particular focus on regional stability, multilateral diplomacy and Israel's actions in the Palestinian territories.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, Fidan is expected to condemn Israel's continued military operations in Gaza, its expanding occupation and restrictions on humanitarian assistance, which Ankara says have subjected Palestinians to increasingly dire living conditions.
He is also expected to criticize Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank, including settlement expansion and annexation efforts, arguing that such actions undermine peace initiatives and threaten long-term regional stability.
Fidan will reiterate Türkiye's call for greater international pressure on Israel to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, the sources said.
Beyond the Middle East, the Turkish minister is expected to emphasize the importance of collective responses to global crises through dialogue, mutual trust and regional ownership, while advocating stronger multilateral institutions.
Economic cooperation will also feature prominently in his remarks, particularly in trade, energy, technology and transportation connectivity.
Founded as a platform for dialogue and confidence-building across Asia, the CICA currently comprises 28 member states, covering approximately 90% of the continent's landmass and more than half the world's population.
Türkiye, a founding member, previously hosted the organization's third summit in Istanbul in 2010 and held its rotating chairmanship from 2010 to 2014.
Ankara continues to play an active role in CICA's confidence-building initiatives, particularly in counterterrorism, trade, investment and military-political cooperation.
Fidan is expected to highlight Türkiye's Middle Corridor initiative and the Development Road project as strategic routes capable of strengthening regional trade, promoting prosperity and enhancing connectivity across Asia.
He will also underline the potential benefits of aligning the Middle Corridor with China's Belt and Road Initiative to facilitate trade and economic integration.
Digital transformation, artificial intelligence and climate change will be among the summit's other priorities.
Fidan is expected to advocate human-centered technological development that respects national digital sovereignty and ensures equitable access to emerging technologies.
He will also highlight Türkiye's role as host and president of the upcoming COP31 climate conference, emphasizing the need for coordinated action to address climate-related vulnerabilities.
The summit is expected to adopt the Baku Declaration, outlining member states' commitments to multilateralism, regional cooperation and the CICA's institutional transformation. A separate statement on occupational safety and health cooperation is also expected to be approved.
Officials anticipate that Laos will be announced as the CICA's newest member.
