WASHINGTON, D.C. – TODAY, the Caspian Policy Center hosted a roundtable called “Kazakhstan – the Buckle in Eurasian Connectivity” to discuss the economic and geopolitical impacts of the recent developments in Kazakhstan.

CPC Director Efgan Nifti opened the event with his welcome remarks that were followed by the keynote address from H. E. Erzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States.

"For the past 20 years, Kazakhstan has always been among the fastest-growing economies in the world," H.E. Erzhan Kazykhanov shared with the roundtable attendees and panelists.

The panel of speakers included Ambassador (ret.) Richard Hoagland and Ambassador (ret.) Robert Cekuta, board members at the Caspian Policy Center; Joshua Dixon, vice president and general manager of International Irrigation to Valmont Industries; and Tara Blake, director of International Project Finance to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.

The discussion was moderated by Ambassador (ret.) Allan Mustard, a board member at the Caspian Policy Center, and attended by international development experts and private sector representatives from various industries.

The roundtable stimulated discussion on developments in Kazakhstan and their impact in the region and beyond. Key to this is Kazakhstan’s role in fostering connectivity in Eurasia and in promoting regional development through economic reforms and foreign policy initiatives, including Kazakhstan’s efforts to enhance cooperation with the countries of the Greater Caspian region as well as with the U.S. and others.

The roundtable prompted meaningful dialogue on important topics of economic diversification, defense acquisitions, challenges posed by global warming, innovation in agriculture and oil and gas industries, promotion of tourism through cross-border transportation in the Caspian region and more.

The discussion also addressed salient questions related to mitigating risks to security and development arising from religious extremism and the spread of coronavirus. The roundtable fostered a productive comprehensive conversation about the trajectory of development of Kazakhstan and the broader Caspian region.