As the first post-Soviet state, Kazakhstan will chair the OSCE in 2010, thereby ensuring that the Central Asian country will play an important intermediary role between the former Soviet republics and the West in the next year.
With this background, the Hertie School held a "Customised Seminar" for 20 mid-level and senior Kazakh government civil servants from 29 June to 3 July.
On the agenda: a series of learning modules and discussions with OSCE and Kazakhstan experts on OSCE procedural issues, the role of the OSCE in Central Asia, transparency and cooperation of the public and third sectors, as well as energy policy, regulatory management, and the potential of Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship.
In addition, exchanges with representatives from German federal ministries (Federal Foreign Office and Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology), the Central Asian parliamentary group of the German Bundestag, NGO representatives, and members of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations also took place.
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Nitij Singh, Hertie School India Representative