From 13–17 May 2024, the NESA Center for Strategic Studies hosted an informative Silk Road Future Leaders Seminar focused on the theme, “Security Implications of Climate Change.” The seminar, held at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., brought together the next generation of young military officers, diplomats, and academics from South and Central Asia. Twelve sessions were conducted, each organized around themes addressing current regional threats in South and Central Asia. These sessions offered comprehensive instruction and facilitated discussions aimed at analyzing the prevailing conditions and significant events within the region, along with their potential implications. Participants were encouraged to critically engage with experts in the field to assess both national and regional perspectives and priorities.
The seminar was led by the NESA Center’s Academic Dean, Dr. Roger Kangas, who served as the course director and moderator, with assistance from Distinguished Professor of International Relations, Dr. Hassan Abbas. The five-day program featured numerous internationally recognized scholar-practitioners from various academic and policy institutions. As part of the seminar, participants visited the Caspian Policy Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C., that focuses on the South Caucasus and Central Asia region to discuss the challenges of coordinated activity on environmental security. The program ended with a trip to the Embassy of Uzbekistan, where they were hosted by Ambassador Furqat Sidiqov and his staff. He gave a presentation on measures Uzbekistan is taking to address climate change, with particular attention given to the Aral Sea region.
