<img alt="" src="https://api.caspianpolicy.org/media/ckeditor_media/2026/05/18/tcf-2026-web.gif" />

Save the date for the&nbsp;Trans-Caspian Forum 2026, taking place on&nbsp;June 10, 2026, at the&nbsp;National Press Club in Washington, DC.

Hosted by the Caspian Policy Center, this year&rsquo;s forum,&nbsp;&ldquo;Economic Security through Peace and Durable Partnerships,&rdquo;&nbsp;will convene senior U.S. and regional government officials, leading experts, and private sector executives to explore the evolving strategic relationship between the United States and the Greater Caspian region 
&nbsp;

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

&nbsp;

8:30 &ndash; 8:55 AM

Registration &amp; Breakfast

&nbsp;

8:55 &ndash; 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks &ndash; Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Caspian Policy Center (CPC)

&nbsp;

9:05 &ndash; 9:20 AM

Policy&nbsp;Address&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Aryeh Lightstone,&nbsp;Senior Advisor, The Board of Peace&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

9:30 &ndash; 10:15 AM

Strategic Dialogue - Perspectives from the Region: Insights for the Next Phase of Caspian Cooperation&nbsp;

Senior leaders from the region discuss their visions for what comes next &mdash; from connectivity and energy diversification to critical minerals and digital infrastructure &mdash; within a cooperation framework that seeks to maximize joint economic security.

Moderator: Dr. Eric Rudenshiold, Senior Fellow for Caspian Affairs, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan</li>
	<li>Erzhan Kazykhan, Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for Negotiations with the United State</li>
	<li>Javlon&nbsp;Vakhabov,&nbsp;Deputy Advisor&nbsp;to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Edil Baisalov, Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic for International Initiatives &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

10:15 &ndash; 11:15 AM&nbsp;

Panel I - The Middle Corridor: Strengthening Strategic Choice and Building Secure Networks&nbsp;

Moderator: Ambassador (ret.) Matthew Klimow, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>
	Vinay Chawla, Director, Office of the Special Envoy for Peace Missions, U.S. Department of State&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Taleh&nbsp;Ziyadov,&nbsp;Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Ambassador Zafer&nbsp;Ateş,&nbsp;Director General for Energy, Environment, and Transboundary Waters,&nbsp;Ministry of Foreign Affairs&nbsp;of&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Nurzhan&nbsp;Marabayev,&nbsp;Chief Executive Officer,&nbsp;Semurg&nbsp;Invest, Kazakhstan&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Zviad&nbsp;Chkhartishvili,&nbsp;Director, Poti Sea Port Administration, Georgia&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

11:15 &ndash; 11:30 AM&nbsp;

Policy Speech &ndash; Senator Steve Daines, U.S. Senator from Montana&nbsp;Introduction by Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Board, CPC&nbsp;

&nbsp;

11:30 AM &ndash; 12:00 PM &nbsp;

Panel II - Digital Sovereignty and Industrial AI: Technology as the Next Growth Vector&nbsp;

Moderator: Eric Green, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>
	Ambassador&nbsp;Zavqi&nbsp;Zavqizoda, Ambassador of Tajikistan to the United States&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Aida&nbsp;Badalova,&nbsp;Advisor to the Minister,&nbsp;Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Anatoly&nbsp;Motkin, Founder and President,&nbsp;StrategEast&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

12:00 PM&ndash;1:00PM&nbsp;

<cite>Networking Lunch&nbsp;</cite>

&nbsp;

1:00 &ndash; 1:30 PM

Panel III &ndash; Critical Minerals: Capitalizing on the Momentum

Moderator: Dr. Marsha McGraw Olive, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Ashley Beaty,&nbsp;Head of Global Engagement, Cove&nbsp;Kaz&nbsp;Capital&nbsp;Group&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

1:35&nbsp;&ndash; 2:35&nbsp;PM

Panel IV - Energy Security: The Caspian Basin in a Changing Global Market&nbsp;

Moderator:&nbsp;Efgan&nbsp;Nifti,&nbsp;Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CPC&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Mark Menezes,&nbsp;President&nbsp;and CEO of U.S. Energy Association (USEA);
	</li>
	<li>
	Orkhan Zeynalov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Shawna Wilson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Security Assistance Programs, Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation, U.S. Department of State&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Miras Kyrgyzali, Chief Manager, Kazatomprom U.S. Representative Office&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

2:45 &ndash; 3:25 PM

Panel V&nbsp;- Business Investment along the Middle Corridor&nbsp;

Moderator: Alexander Sokolowski,&nbsp;Advisory Board Member, CPC&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Jonathan Bar, Managing Director, Apollo Global Management &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Laura Brank, Partner, BCLP 
	</li>
	<li>
	Madina Zhunusbekova, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF)&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Luka Kervalishvili, Head of Commerce Department, PACE Group, Georgia&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

3:25 &ndash; 3:30 PM

Closing Remarks &ndash; Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Advisory Board, CPC

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Trans-Caspian Forum 2026

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UPCOMING

The Caspian Policy Center published its first report dedicated to critical minerals diplomacy in 2025 ...

Central Asia and the New Critical Minerals Frontier: Progress in Reshaping Global Supply Chains

This report is produced by the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) ...

THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR MOMENT: How Central Asia and the South Caucasus Are Rewiring Eurasia

This year marks ten years of CPC bringing the Greater Caspian Region to the center of American policy conversations

Caspian Policy Center to Host 9th Annual Trans-Caspian Forum

Armenia’s June 7 election is not so much a contest between political parties as it is a referendum on the country's very identity

Armenia’s Defining Choice:   Why This Election Matters Beyond the South Caucasus

Record high-level engagement on the main stage and sidelines of Azerbaijan’s premier annual energy forum

The Baku Energy Pivot: Why Azerbaijan Matters More Than Ever to Europe and the United States

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s short trip to Yerevan on Tuesday, May 26

Armenia after Moscow:  Rubio’s Visit and Armenia’s Accelerating Turn West

Kazakhstan’s energy ministry confirmed on June 1 that crude oil output has returned to normal levels

Headlines from the Caspian: June 1, 2026

Russian disinformation in the past capitalized on traditional media outlets, from radio to state-controlled websites

Armenia in the Crosshairs:  Russian Disinformation and the Armenian Elections

CPC hosted the Kyrgyz Republic’s newly appointed Ambassador to the United States, Edil Baisalov

CPC Ambassadorial Series: Discussion with Edil Baisalov, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States

Prime Minister of Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway will now be open

Headlines from the Caspian: May 26, 2026

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said his country plans to increase freight transported through

Headlines from the Caspian: May 20, 2026

A new trilateral oil and gas production sharing agreement has been signed

Trans-Caspian Venture: How a Trilateral Gas Deal Could Strengthen East-West Connectivity

The war in Iran has had many geopolitical consequences. This is particularly true in the Middle East

Security of the Middle Corridor

Representatives from Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed 13 investment contracts

Headlines from the Caspian: May 11, 2026

The critical minerals industry in Central Asia is at a crossroads and in Kyrgyzstan critical decisions need to be made

Extracting Good Mining Policy in Kyrgyzstan

A major U.S.-linked mining deal in Kazakhstan is advancing plans to develop

Headlines from the Caspian: May 4, 2026

If there was any chance for reinstituting Moscow’s and Baku’s historical working relationship

Historic Meeting of Azerbaijan’s and Ukraine’s Presidents Steps on Moscow’s Toes

Turkmenistan's officials recently announced increased preparations for WTO membership

Turkmenistan’s WTO Journey and Lessons from the Region

The concept of creating an S7+ group of countries that would cooperate among themselves

The Silk Seven Plus (S7+) Initiative: What to consider

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Omani Deputy Prime Minister

Headlines from the Caspian: April 27, 2026

Full Conferences & Forums

Energy

Panel Discussions

Economy

Event Clips & Promotional Materials

Security

Central Asia

South Caucasus

Environment

Water Security

Guest Contributions

videocasts

Analysis and Reports

Podcasts

Press Releases

Infographics

&nbsp;

The Caspian Policy Center published its first report dedicated to critical minerals diplomacy in 2025. Titled &ldquo;A Guide for Policymakers: How to Meet US Strategic Mineral Needs,&rdquo; the report explained the issue of U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers, namely China. It presented Central Asia&rsquo;s potential as a source for minerals that can meet U.S. demands for energy and strategic defense applications. It then provided information on U.S. and European Union (E.U.) minerals initiatives, followed by policy recommendations to bolster diplomacy with Central Asia.

&nbsp;

<a class="magazine_detail_read_button" href="https://api.caspianpolicy.org/media/ckeditor_media/2026/06/09/critical-minerals-cpc.pdf">Read Full Report&nbsp;</a>

Central Asia and the New Critical Minerals Frontier: Progress in Reshaping Global Supply Chains

Trans-Caspian Forum 2026

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