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Kyrgyzstan enters 2026 at a pivotal moment. As the C5+1 framework marks its tenth anniversary and the region deepens its cooperation with the United States, Bishkek faces both mounting pressures and expanding opportunities. The recent appointment of Ambassador Baisalov &ndash; a seasoned diplomat and former Deputy Prime Minister &ndash; signals Kyrgyzstan&rsquo;s intent to elevate its engagement with Washington. The Caspian Policy Center is pleased to host Ambassador Baisalov for a candid conversation on Kyrgyzstan&#39;s strategic priorities, its role within the evolving C5+1 architecture, and the prospects for deepening U.S.-Kyrgyz bilateral cooperation.

&nbsp;

10:00-10:05 am | Opening Remarks

<ul>
	<li>Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer, Caspian Policy Center</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

10:05-10:10 am | Panel Introduction

<ul>
	<li>Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Board, Caspian Policy Center</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

10:10-11:00 am | Ambassadorial Interview and Q&amp;A

<ul>
	<li>H.E. Edil Baisalov, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States</li>
	<li>Moderator: Dr. Eric Rudenshiold, Senior Fellow, Caspian Policy Center</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

 
 
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CPC Ambassadorial Interview Series:  AMBASSADOR EDIL BAISALOV

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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 Address &ndash; Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of State

&nbsp;

9:30 &ndash; 10:15 AM

Fireside Chat I - Strategic Vision from the Region: Insights for the Next Phase of Caspian Cooperation

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 States</li>
	<li>Abdulaziz Kamilov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

10:15 &ndash; 10:45 AM

Panel I - The Middle Corridor: Strengthening Strategic Choice and Building Secure Networks

Moderator: Ambassador (ret.) Matthew Klimow, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>John Askonas, Senior Advisor, Office of Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State</li>
	<li>Nurzhan Marabayev, CEO, Semurg Invest LLP</li>
	<li>Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

10:45 &ndash; 11:15 AM

Panel II - Digital Sovereignty and Industrial AI: Technology as the Next Growth Vector

Moderator: Eric Green, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Rebecca Hunter, Director of Starlink Global Market Access, SpaceX</li>
	<li>Representatives of Tech Companies (Invited)</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

11:15 &ndash; 11:30 AM

Policy Speech &ndash; Senator Steve Daines, U.S. Senator from Montana

Introduction by Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Board, CPC

&nbsp;

11:30 AM&ndash;12:30 PM

Networking Lunch

&nbsp;

12:30 &ndash; 1:15 PM

Panel III &ndash; Critical Minerals: Capitalizing on the Momentum

Moderator: Dr. Marsha McGraw Olive, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Bethany Aquilina Brez, Vice President of Foreign Policy, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)</li>
	<li>Senior Representative, Export&ndash;Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

1:15 &ndash; 1:45 PM

Critical Minerals Part II &ndash; Private Sector

Moderator: Admiral (ret.) Ron MacLaren, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Ashley Beaty, Head of Global Engagement, Cove Kaz Capital Group</li>
	<li>Geoffrey Pyatt, Senior Managing Director for Energy and Critical Minerals, McLarty Associates; Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources</li>
	<li>Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

1:45 &ndash; 2:15 PM

Panel IV - Energy Security: The Caspian Basin in a Changing Global Market

Moderator: Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CPC

<ul>
	<li>Mark Menezes, President and CEO of U.S. Energy Association (USEA); Former U.S. Deputy Secretary for Energy</li>
	<li>Yuri Kim, Senior Director for International Government Relations, ExxonMobil</li>
	<li>Senior Representative, SOCAR</li>
	<li>Senior Representative, Chevron</li>
	<li>Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

2:15 &ndash; 2:45 PM

Panel V - Powering the Future: Nuclear Energy in the Caspian Region

Moderator: Roger Kangas, Senior Fellow for Security Studies, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Christopher Klein, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, FIRST Program, U.S. Department of State</li>
	<li>Miras Kyrgyzali, Chief Manager, Kazatomprom U.S. Representative Office</li>
	<li>Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

2:45 &ndash; 3:15 PM

Panel VI - Business Investment along the Middle Corridor

Moderator: Alexander Sokolowski, Advisory Board Member, CPC

<ul>
	<li>Jamshid Ehsani, Partner and Head of Global Principal Structured Finance, Apollo Global Management</li>
	<li>Robert Yoon, Head of the Sales and Business Development Division, Samsung E&amp;A</li>
	<li>Laura Brank, Partner, BCLP</li>
	<li>Senior Representatives from the Caspian region</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

3:15 &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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Amos Hochstein, Senior Advisor for Energy Security at the U.S. Department of State, opened the celebration of 30 years of U.S.-Caspian diplomatic relations by delivering the keynote address which emphasized the importance of U.S. involvement in the Caspian region as it is a place connecting the East and West.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Click below to view his full speech:&nbsp;

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FKy2fkt8ucA" title="YouTube video player" width="800"></iframe>

&nbsp;

Amos Hochstein, Senior Advisor for Energy Security at the U.S. Department of State

CPC Ambassadorial Interview Series: AMBASSADOR EDIL BAISALOV

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