Geopolitics and Energy Diplomacy in the Caspian Region: Developments After the Downfall of the Soviet Union

Could the Caspian Region replace Russia’s or the Persian Gulf’s immense energy potential with their energy resources? Yunis Gurbanov explores the strategic importance of the region in post-USSR Eurasian policies of major global actors, namely China, the EU, the USA, and Russia, and examines Azerbaijan’s, Kazakhstan’s, and Turkmenistan’s oil and gas resources as alternatives to conventional suppliers. He shows that the Caspian region’s resources could serve as alternative energy sources on a global level, mitigating dependence on traditional suppliers and stabilizing energy prices.

Yunis Gurbanov holds a BA in Art Manager and an MA in International Relations from Azerbaijani State University, an MA in Governance and Political Studies from the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, an LLM in European Law from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, a Master in Public Administration from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in New York City, and Ph.D. in Politcal Science from the Cologne University of Germany. He tutored at the Institute for International Politics and Foreign Policy at the University of Cologne. He conducted scientific research and worked at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University in New York City and Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University. He worked in state, non-state and academic positions in Azerbaijan, Germany, and the USA.