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Qabil Ashirov

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The Media Forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, is another example of Azerbaijan’s role as a venue for international dialogue and cooperation. Dedicated to the theme “Building Trust through Media in a Polarized World,” the Forum was organized at Azerbaijan’s initiative as the first Media Forum within the CICA framework. The event coincides with the final stage of Azerbaijan’s 2024–2026 CICA chairmanship and comes ahead of the upcoming CICA Summit. This factor gives the Forum additional regional and diplomatic significance.

CICA is a broad regional platform bringing together 28 states and covering approximately 90 percent of the territory of Asia. Its main objectives include strengthening peace, security and stability, increasing trust among states, and developing interaction and dialogue. The addition of a media dimension to this agenda during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship demonstrates the growing importance of the information sphere for regional cooperation.

The main objective of the Media Forum is to develop media cooperation as an important mechanism for strengthening regional trust, expanding information exchange, and deepening ties among CICA member states. Expanding ties between media organizations, exchanging experience among journalists, increasing media literacy, and discussing new opportunities and challenges created by digital technologies constitute the main directions of this strategy. In the modern information environment, perceptions of a country are often shaped by the way information about that country, published by its media, reaches international audiences. For this reason, expanding media ties also carries practical significance for interstate relations.

As President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted in his address to the Forum participants, CICA is regarded as a “unique dialogue platform that contributes to peace, security and stability in the region.” This idea is directly connected with the broader philosophy of the Media Forum. Just as trust is built at the political and diplomatic levels, it is also strengthened in the information space. A reliable information environment is becoming an important condition for political dialogue between states.

The President’s other observation further clarifies the role of the media in this process. In the words of Ilham Aliyev, “The media, which reports on ongoing developments and delivers news to society, is a force that can influence the formation of public opinion, mutual trust, and understanding, as well as dialogue and opportunities for cooperation.” This approach reflects a broader role for the media beyond its traditional function as a channel for transmitting information. A news report, analytical article or interview can shape perceptions among audiences in different countries, increase awareness of existing ties and generate interest in new opportunities for cooperation.

In this context, the issue of disinformation also carries particular importance. The development of digital media has accelerated the spread of information many times compared with previous periods. The development of artificial intelligence technologies has also made the production of text, photo, audio and video materials more accessible. Under such circumstances, verifying sources, confirming facts and increasing media literacy among audiences are becoming important elements of regional information security.

As President Ilham Aliyev stated, increasing media literacy is among the essential conditions for establishing sustainable foundations for trust. This idea explains why media literacy has emerged as a separate direction on the Forum’s agenda. As audiences become more capable of analyzing information, comparing sources and distinguishing facts from commentary, the quality of the information environment also improves.

The fact that the Forum is being held for the first time within the CICA framework also carries particular significance. President Ilham Aliyev specifically highlighted this fact, describing the holding of the first Media Forum in Baku as an important event. The initiative creates an institutional basis for developing media and information cooperation as a separate area within CICA’s activities. At the next stage, this platform could develop into broader forms of cooperation involving journalists, media organizations, experts and digital media representatives.

The launch of such an initiative during Azerbaijan’s CICA chairmanship also fits into Baku’s tradition of hosting international events. In recent years, Baku has emerged as one of the cities hosting numerous international events that bring together political leaders, diplomats, experts, business representatives and journalists from different countries. These events bring different agendas together in one location and contribute to Azerbaijan’s position as a platform for regional and international dialogue.

The significance of the Media Forum also becomes clear within this broader context. Baku serves here as a strategic platform for bringing together countries, media organizations and experts from across the CICA region. The city becomes a space for organizing the exchange of ideas and information among countries spanning the broad geographical area covered by CICA. Bringing media representatives from different parts of Asia together in Baku creates additional opportunities for direct exchanges of information about their respective countries.

Ultimately, the CICA Media Forum represents an important media component of the regional cooperation agenda shaped during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. The Forum’s strategy is built around strengthening trust in the information environment, increasing media literacy, promoting professional journalism, discussing digital challenges and expanding media ties among CICA countries. The ideas expressed by President Ilham Aliyev at the Forum complement the central logic of this strategy: in the modern world, information is an important pillar of regional dialogue, public diplomacy and cooperation. Baku’s hosting of such an initiative further highlights Azerbaijan’s role as a platform for regional dialogue within the framework of its CICA chairmanship.