Wired Across the Caspian: The Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable and the Future of Digital Connectivity

The Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable is the first cable ever laid across the Caspian Sea. With the undersea section completed in August and commercial service expected this fall, the cable opens  a new high-capacity data route linking Central Asia to Europe through the South Caucasus. It adds  route diversity and resilience to a region whose international connectivity has long depended on a  narrow set of paths. The project arrives as governments across Central Asia and the South  Caucasus pursue ambitious AI and digital infrastructure agendas, and as global demand for subsea capacity reaches unprecedented levels.

 

The Caspian Policy Center is delighted to host the companies behind the cable, together with U.S. government and industry experts, to discuss how the project was built and what it means for the region. The panel will examine the engineering and logistical challenges of the first Caspian crossing, the role of trusted infrastructure in attracting hyperscalers and data center investment, and the opportunities for U.S. partnership in the region’s growing digital economy

 

9:00-9:30 am | Breakfast 

 

9:30-9:35 am | Opening Remarks 

 

• Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer, Caspian Policy Center

 

9:35-10:00 am | Diplomatic Perspectives  

 

• H.E. Khazar Ibrahim, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United States 
• H.E. Magzhan Ilyassov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States

 

10:00-11:00 am | Moderated Discussion and Q&A 

 

• Justin Fair, Director for Bilateral and Multilateral Affairs, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, United States Department of State 
• Ean Hundley, Director, ICT and Infrastructure Policy, Office of Foreign Policy, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation 
• Ana Nakashidze, Chief Executive Officer, AzerTelecom International
• Romina Bandura, Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development, CSIS 

 

Moderated by Dr. Akbota Karibayeva Meyer, Research Fellow, Caspian Policy Center