Seminar on Security in Central Asia

The "Central Asia 2008" seminar, 22 - 23 September 2008

The "Central Asia 2008" seminar was organized and funded jointly by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Switzerland, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Academy, Bishkek.  First of a kind, this event provided a forum for security policy experts from Eurasia, East and South East Asia, Europe and the United States, to analyze and discuss the continued interaction of a range of key regional security dynamics and functional issues in Central Asia over the last year.  The seminar identified major emergent themes, linkages and trends and reflected on their strategic impact and security policy implications. Participants from the US, China, Russia and Singapore engaged in animated debates from country and regional perspectives which allowed for further synergy and added value to the seminar.

The seminar took place from 22 to 23 September, 2008 and featured panels on "New Problems, Perspectives, and Paradigms", "The Afghan Factor in Central Asian Security Politics", "Change and Continuity in Energy Geopolitics", "Security and Development in Central Asia: New Paradigms", etc. Ms. Selbi Hanova, GCSP-OSCE Academy "A European scholar for Central Asia" scholarship holder 2008-2009, served as a Rapporteur at the Seminar.

"Geneva Paper", identifying major themes and analytical concepts derived from the presentations and discussions, was published shortly after the event.