‘Caspian Region’s Davos’ to bring world leaders together

ISTANBUL

The Caspian Forum offers an opportunity to develop better neighborhood relations and to establish a mechanism that would pave the way for regional integration.

Istanbul-based think tank Caspian Strategy Institute (HASEN) will be hosting key personalities in energy and international relations at the Caspian Forum on Dec. 4-5 at Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace.

Providing the political and business worlds strategic offers on energy, international relations, security, economy, education, culture and environmental issues with its exclusive studies and data on the Caspian Sea region and its surrounds, Caspian Strategy Institute (HASEN) will be organizing the third Caspian Forum in Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace after the opening of the event last year in Istanbul and the second edition in New York in September.

Caspian Forum will be discussing Turkey as an “energy hub” and its aim of becoming a country that reserves the right to fix energy prices amid recent developments in regional energy issues, including the latest situation in the Southern Energy Corridor, the steps taken for TANAP Project, the recently unveiled Marmaray Project and efforts to revive the Silk Road.

At the Forum, answers will be sought to questions like, “What role will the Caspian region be playing in Europe’s rising natural gas demands and solution to its dependency?” “How will the future of energy resources take shape in Caspian?” “What will the other resources to be added to the Southern Gas Corridor be?” “What will the region gain with the planned, uninterrupted transportation route from London to Beijing?” and “Will the economic growth of Caspian countries continue?”

Prof. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan, a member of Istanbul Bilgi University’s Board of Trustees, and journalist Hakan Çelik will moderate the Caspian Forum, set to draw the boundaries of projects and cooperation in energy, transportation and finance sectors in 15 years. At the forum, discussions will be carried out within the scope of the following titles: the Caspian Region Southern Gas Corridor, the Caspian Transit Corridor and the Grand Caspian.

The forum will contribute to efforts to create a thriving, safe and democratic Caspian region by bringing together worldwide energy and transportation ministers and leading representatives in academia, politics and business, and from NGOs and the media. The list of speakers at the forum includes Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız, Turkish Trade Minister Hayati Yazıcı, Azerbaijani State Petrol Company Chairman Rövnag Abdullayev, Azerbaijani Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov, Romanian Transport Minister Nicole Manescu, Slovenian Infrastructure Mnister Samo Omerzel, Albanian Economy Minister Z. Damian Gjiknuri, Georgian Economy Minister George Kvirikashvili, Greek Energy Minister Yiannis Maniatis and Türkkon Secretary-General Halil Akıncı.

‘Defining the Caspian’

The Caspian region and Eurasia is currently under the spotlight for their energy resources and extensive transportation corridors. The Caspian region, which is strategically located by way of its history, which had brought civilizations together, their economic interaction and its rich national resources, is again climbing to the top of changing global political and economic agendas. Global powers are placing greater importance on the region after increasing their awareness of unique opportunities that could be offered to international investors and consumers in energy and transport. The Forum sees energy and transport-related issues as two core notions in the definition of Caspian. Problems in regional energy resources, economic diversity, transport projects and security will be discussed at the Forum. Adopting a future focused vision while defining the Caspian region will bear useful conclusions for both regional and non-regional states. The assessment of opportunities for such a vision and the chart out of a path in order to overcome problems in the process of reshaping the future of the Caspian region will be the main theme of the Forum.