Washington, D.C. - In lieu of the annual CAMCA Regional Forum, throughout the week of June 21st-25th, the Foundation, in partnership with the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and the CAMCA Network, hosted the 2021 e-CAMCA Forum, a virtual conference for the CAMCA Forum community centered around the theme: “Economic Prospects of the CAMCA Region.” Programming included live virtual events featuring 35+ speakers from more than 12 countries as well as the release of original publications and additional content providing the latest updates from the CAMCA region and more.
The week’s events began with a welcoming address from Dr. Svante Cornell, Director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, followed by a panel discussion on, “New Regionalism in Central Asia and its Challenges,” led by Dr. S. Frederick Starr, Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute.
“Looking at the world through the prism of CAMCA offers an alternative: it means looking at this part of the world and this region from the inside out, rather than the outside in,” noted Dr. Cornell in his remarks.
The remainder of the week featured keynote interviews with distinguished leaders including: Dr. Sergei Guriev, former Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO of Afghanistan’s leading media Group, MOBY Group; and Douglas Becker, Founder & Chairman of CINTANA Education.
Following the keynote sessions were panel discussions focused on the topics: “U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: What Does it Mean for Political and Economic Alignments in the Region?”, “Impediments to Foreign Investments in CAMCA: Real or Imaginary?”, “Will a New Entrepreneurial Class Drive CAMCA Economies?”, and finally, “Can Education Systems of CAMCA Countries Adjust to New Labor Market Demands?” Panels featured speakers from across the globe representing varying sectors, including several members of the CAMCA Network, offering a wide range of perspectives and insights for attendees.
Presentations also included the latest reporting and statistics from the region like those from Yernar Zharkeshov, Principal and Head of Eurasia at Whiteshield Partners and CAMCA Network member from Kazakhstan, who presented on the prospects for economic recovery and future investment in the CAMCA region, based on Whiteshield’s new Global Investment Opportunities Index.
Find a full list of the week’s panelists and more on their backgrounds here.
Publications released included a comprehensive collection of Country Updates from members of the CAMCA Network reporting on recent political, economic and social developments and entrepreneur profiles, featuring some of the region’s innovative business leaders. The Forum also featured a Virtual Business Expo. Find more information on the 2021 e-CAMCA Forum publications at www.camcaforum.org and access a comprehensive collection of the week’s session recordings on the Forum’s YouTube page.
With the successful conclusion of the 2021 e-CAMCA Forum, the Forum organizers are looking forward to being able to gather in person for the next CAMCA Regional Forum and will be announcing the dates and location of the 2022 Forum in the months ahead. Sign up at www.camcaforum.org to receive further updates.
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Media Contact:
Sarah Tonucci
Executive Director, Rumsfeld Foundation
(202) 944-1304
sarah@rumsfeldfoundation.org