CAMCA (Central Asia, Mongolia, the Caucasus and Afghanistan) is a vulnerable region grappling with a range of issues including low connectivity, economic dependency, food security, poor governance, corruption, and terrorism - all exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not fully recovered from the pandemic's negative impacts, the war in Ukraine poses a new set of political and economic challenges. In addition, the reemergence of the Taliban and terrorist syndicate in Afghanistan has created a new phase of security challenges for the entire region. The presentation by the spring 2022 Rumsfeld Fellows examined the challenges posed to the CAMCA region by the pandemic, Taliban, and Ukrainian conflict, and suggest possible solutions.

When: Tuesday, May 3, 2022, 3:00-4:30 PM EST

Where: Middle East Institute, 1763 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Co-organizers: The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at AFPC, The CAMCA Network and The Rumsfeld Foundation

In January 2022, Kazakhstan experienced an unprecedented political crisis. Though since overshadowed by events in Ukraine, it marked a turning point in the country’s history - one that will have considerable implications for the future of Central Asia. Those events are the subject of a new publication by Dr. Svante Cornell, and he will discuss his analysis and its major findings at our upcoming Forum.

Date: May 5, 2022,  9:00 AM EST.

Discussants:

• Svante Cornell, Director, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the American Foreign Policy Council
• Fred Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the American Foreign Policy Council

Turkey is trying to avoid openly taking sides in the war of Russia against Ukraine. While condemning the Russian invasion and supplying Bayraktar drones to Ukraine, Turkey did not join the economic sanctions against Russia and in fact may seek to benefit from the Western sanctions against Russia, all while acting as a facilitator of negotiations between the parties. The backdrop of Turkey’s actions is gradually growing Turkish influence in the Caucasus and Central Asia. In this forum, speakers will address how Turkey’s strategy affects the wider region from Eastern Europe to Western China.

Date: April 20, 2022, 10.00 AM, EST.

Speakers:

• Ambassador Matthew Bryza, Board Member, Jamestown Foundation\
• Suat Kiniklioglu, Former Member of the Turkish Parliament
• Svante Cornell, Director, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the American Foreign Policy Council

Moderator:

Fred Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the American Foreign Policy Council

 Register for the Zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nvN2Lu0ZROKoZASfi8Su1w

The event will also be live-streamed on the CACI Facebook page and here on the Silk Road Studies website.

Lessons from Kyrgyzstan's Experiment with Parliamentarism

This CACI Forum will present some of the findings of the newly published paper from the Silk Road Papers series, authored by Dr. Johan Engvall. The paper examines successes and failures of Kyrgyz experiment of parliamentarism, which ended in 2021. Our speakers will offer analysis and comments on this unique experience for Central Asia, which lasted about a decade.

WHEN: Mar 3, 2022 10:00-11:15 EST

Speakers:

• Johan Engvall, Deputy Research Director at the Swedish Defense Research Agency. He is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program Joint Center.\

• Erica Marat, Associate Professor, College of international Security Affaires, National Defense University

CACI Forum: In Ukraine’s Shadow: The Kazakh crisis and the need for a new U.S. strategy in Central Asia