At the 2022 EU-Central Asia Connectivity Summit in Samarkand, EU High Representative Josep Borrell noted that Europe and Central Asia see the need to advance their strategic autonomy and could pursue this goal by enhancing connectivity with each other in various spheres, including energy trade, digital infrastructure, security architecture, food supplies, and access to critical raw materials. The first CAPS Unlock Policy Memo argues that while the EU definition of strategic autonomy as the capacity “to act autonomously to safeguard its interests, uphold its values and way of life, and help shape the global future” cannot be directly applied to Central Asia, the challenges and solutions that the concept implies are relevant for the region. It would be desirable for Central Asian countries to avoid excessive and harmful dependencies on other actors and decrease intra-regional conflict potential, and they can do it by fostering regional cooperation and integration, particularly around the water-energy-climate change nexus. The policy memo proposes the creation of a Central Asian Water and Energy Community inspired by the European Coal and Steel Community, and discusses the incentives and ways for the EU and Central Asia to support each other in their pursuit of strategic autonomy.
This is the first event marking the beginning of the public programing by CAPS Unlock, a new Central Asian regional think tank. CAPS Unlock conducts research and organizes discussions on political, economic and social issues most pertinent for the development of Central Asia. Its mission is to support policy solutions guided by the values of justice, freedom and open society. The event is organized jointly with the DGAP (German Council on Foreign Relations), one of the leading European think tanks and cooperation partner of CAPS Unlock.
Please join CAPS Unlock and DGAP for a discussion on the ideas presented in the memo: https://2706.capsunlock.org/…/Strategic_autonomy_for…
Register via Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/…/tZcod-qhqDkjHtJAjays…
The live stream is available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capsunlock.org
on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@capsunlock_org
Speakers:
Aida Aidarkulova, Executive Director, CAPS Unlock
Nargis Kassenova, Director of the Program on Central Asia, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
Iskandar Abdullaev, Visiting Professor, Giessen University
Moderator: Michael Hall, member of the Board of Trustees, CAPS Unlock