A meeting with Bayram Balci, a researcher at the Center for International Studies (CERI) at the Institute of Political Studies “Sciences Po” (France), a renowned expert on political and social processes in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East.

Bayram Balci has many years of experience researching Central Asia and the post-Soviet space. From 2006 to 2010, he headed the French Institute for Central Asian Studies (IFEAC) in Tashkent, and from 2017 to 2022, he directed the French Institute for Anatolian Studies (IFEA) in Istanbul. His scholarly work focuses on political transformations, issues of identity, the interplay between religion and politics, and international relations in Eurasia.

During the meeting, the main focus was on current trends in the development of international relations, as well as the transformation of the geopolitical situation in Central Asia. Of particular interest were issues related to strengthening regional cooperation, developing a multi-vector foreign policy for Central Asian states, and the prospects for expanding cooperation with European partners.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange expert assessments of current regional and international processes, as well as to discuss the prospects for developing research contacts between IAIS and representatives of the French academic community.