State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir is scheduled to travel to Azerbaijan and Iraq later this week, a trip that forms part of the government’s initiative to advance peace, security and stability across Asia and beyond.
He is set to attend a high‑level meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence‑Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku.
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence‑Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multinational forum that works to enhance cooperation in order to promote peace, security and stability throughout Asia.
Kobir announced that he will travel to Azerbaijan, where he is scheduled to be present from 15 to 16 October. He made the statement to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
A senior official told UNB that the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence‑Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is scheduled for Thursday, and that the state minister is due to leave Dhaka at 2 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence‑Building Measures in Asia (CICA), currently held by Azerbaijan, will host the summit, with assistance from the CICA Secretariat.
Heads of state and government, along with delegates from the member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence‑Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and representatives of observer states as well as partner organisations, are slated to take part in the event.
The seventh CICA Summit is set to convene regional leaders who will reaffirm their collective commitment to dialogue, mutual trust and constructive cooperation.
The event serves as an essential forum for bolstering confidence‑building measures, fostering peace, security, stability and sustainable development. It also advances multilateral approaches to addressing issues of common interest.
Emphasising the strategic significance of the trip, Kobir said Bangladesh must expand its engagement with Central Asia, describing the region as a new arena and dimension for the country’s foreign‑policy outreach.
He said that Central Asia constitutes a new space and dimension for foreign‑policy projection, and that his side is building engagement there.
The state minister said Bangladesh sees considerable scope for expanding political, economic and strategic engagement with the Central Asian countries, as Dhaka seeks to diversify its external relations.
After concluding his engagement in Azerbaijan, Kobir said he will travel to Baghdad, Iraq, to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday.
He will also deliver a statement on behalf of Bangladesh at the OIC meeting.
The state minister said Bangladesh places great importance on the Baghdad gathering, noting that it takes place amid significant geopolitical changes across the Middle East.
Speaking about Iraq’s transformation after decades of conflict and instability, he said that a new horizon for development and international engagement is emerging in the country.
Kobir said that Baghdad is “an interesting place to be at this time.” He noted that after “going through turbulent times over the last 20 years, a new space of opportunity and engagement has opened up.”
He said Bangladesh will explore possibilities for further engagement with Iraq, as well as the wider region, as countries affected by prolonged instability gradually enter a new phase.
The state minister emphasized Bangladesh’s strong interest in peace and stability in the Middle East, noting that the region is home to a huge number of Bangladeshi expatriate workers.
The official said that peace and stability in the Middle East are of interest to Bangladesh, noting that the country has nearly eight million workers there and a very large workforce.
Their safety, welfare and well‑being remain among the government’s highest priorities, especially given the conflicts and security threats affecting various parts of the region, Kobir said.
He warned that instability in the Middle East could affect not only Bangladeshi expatriates but also Bangladesh’s economic and energy interests.
The state minister said that numerous diplomatic and informal channels are presently engaged in efforts to secure peaceful solutions to regional conflicts.
“Many stakeholders are formally and diplomatically engaged to bring about a peaceful resolution. There are also informal and back-channel discussions,” he said.
Kobir said that Bangladesh, drawing on its long‑standing experience and internationally recognised role in United Nations peacekeeping, will give positive consideration to any proposal that would enable it to help safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.
He said that Bangladesh would give positive consideration to any proposal presented to the country for involvement in preserving peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond, stating, “We will always positively consider any proposal that comes to Bangladesh to participate in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.”
Why it matters
The state minister's visits to Azerbaijan and Iraq advance Bangladesh's foreign policy outreach into Central Asia and reinforce its diplomatic posture in the Middle East.