Commonwealth of Independent States Foreign Ministers meet to discuss Eurasian security

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Foreign Ministers convened in Almaty on April 11 to discuss the international agenda and the current state and future of cooperation within the organization. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration and strengthening the CIS’s multifaceted potential.

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu stated that the commonwealth continues to serve as a valuable platform for open dialogue, coordinated action, and the steady strengthening of comprehensive ties among member states, reported the ministry’s press service.

“Kazakhstan is interested in the development of our organization and is determined to strengthen its multifaceted potential,” he said.


Special focus was given to the institutional development of the commonwealth, enhancing coordination, and advancing initiatives proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Nurtleu highlighted partner support, noting major projects like the Volunteer Forum, Commonwealth Fair, and Academic Capital of the CIS.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II, the meeting participants agreed to award the honorary title of the City of Labor Glory. 1941-1945 to Astana, Almaty, Karagandy and other cities of the CIS countries.

The participants discussed a wide range of global and regional matters as well as interaction within the CIS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov set out Russia’s assessment of the current and future international developments, including in the context of the Ukraine crisis, as well as Russia’s efforts to build an architecture of equal and indivisible security for Eurasia.

The ministers summed up the results of the joint efforts by the CIS foreign ministries in 2024 and outlined plans for further inter-ministry collaboration and foreign policy coordination within the CIS. The ministers paid special attention to preparations for the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the holding of relevant anniversary events in the CIS countries.

The meeting resulted in the approval of a package of decisions directed at stepping up integration ties in culture and humanitarian affairs, law enforcement, defence, and security. The status of CIS anchor institutions in the area of education was assigned to Army General Sergey Shtemenko Krasnodar Higher Military School and the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (Moscow).

The next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers will be held in Dushanbe in October ahead of the CIS Summit.