Foreign Minister attends “Heart of Asia” Ministerial Conference

Foreign Minister attends “Heart of Asia” Ministerial Conference

India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar attended the 9th ministerial conference of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

What is Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process?

The 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) ministerial conference is part of the Istanbul Process - a regional initiative on security and cooperation for a stable and peaceful Afghanistan - that was launched on November 2, 2011 in Turkey.

What is the Aim of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process?

The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process aims to promote economic and political cooperation for Afghanistan peace through dialogue and confidence-building measures (CBMs).

Which countries were participated in Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process?

The Heart of Asia-Istanbul comprises 15 participating countries, 17 supporting countries, and 12 supporting regional and international organizations. India is one of the participating countries. Other participating countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates

What are the Pillars of Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process?

The Heart of Asia Istanbul Process was initiated by Afghanistan to boost regional cooperation. The Process is believed to replace the previous concept of the Regional Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity process. It is based on three pillars:

1. Political Consultations to resolve disputes in the region and Afghanistan.
2. Implementation of the Confidence Building Measures(CBMs) and
3. Cooperation with Regional Organizations.

De facto Secretariat of Heart of Asia-Istanbul

The Directorate-General for Regional Cooperation (DGRC) is the central multi-sectoral agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, which deals with cooperation in bilateral and multilateral terms with development partners and regional organizations.

When did India hosted the Heart of Asia-Istanbul conference?

India co-hosted the 6th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Amritsar, Punjab in 2016.

The Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference held in Amritsar was co-chaired by Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister and Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

It saw the participation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high-level representatives of the participating and supporting countries.