From February 17 to 20, 2026, the CFive
team conducted a series of high-level meetings in Washington, D.C., engaging
with leading U.S. policy institutions and think tanks to advance dialogue on
strategic connectivity, critical minerals, energy cooperation, and supply chain
diversification.
Working discussions were held with:
• The Heritage Foundation
• Hudson Institute
• Atlantic Council
• Caspian Policy Center
• Congressional Research Service
• New Lines Institute
Discussions centered on the evolving
geo-economic landscape, emerging corridor initiatives, and the growing
relevance of Central Asia in global supply chain realignment. Particular
emphasis was placed on moving from analytical exchange to implementation-oriented
cooperation, including joint research initiatives, expert dialogue, and
structured business engagement.
These meetings took place on the sidelines
of the Peace Summit in Washington, D.C., in which Kazakhstan participated at
the invitation of President Donald Trump. Kazakhstan was represented by
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, underscoring the strategic depth of the
country’s engagement at the highest political level.
Throughout the week, a consistent
strategic narrative emerged: Kazakhstan’s role as a connector state. Situated
at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan advances a multi-vector
foreign policy designed to maintain balanced relations with diverse centers of
power. Its accumulated experience in providing neutral negotiation platforms
and sustaining diplomatic continuity strengthens international confidence in
the country as a bridge between East and West, as well as between the Global
North and the Global South.
In this context, connectivity extends
beyond geography. It is institutional, economic, and strategic. The CFive
team’s engagement in Washington, combined with Kazakhstan’s participation in
the Summit, reflects a broader effort to integrate Central Asia into
transregional networks linking the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and
the Indo-Pacific - reinforcing Kazakhstan’s evolving identity as a connector
state in a rapidly transforming global order.