December 3, 2025

The Trans-Caspian Corridor: Understanding the Financial Framework for Attracting and Derisking Foreign Capital

The development of the Greater Caspian region has become a geopolitical imperative for the European Union. The war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and disruptions along the Suez and Red Sea route have brought Central Asia and the Greater Caspian Region into sharper focus for the EU. Due to its wealth of resources of fossil fuels, hydrogen, and Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), the region holds materials which are vital for a number of core elements of the green transition, particularly in the manufacture of battery technology to store green energy. The region holds the potential to serve an essential role in the European Union’s environmental pivot.

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CEPA and the EU’s Indo-Pacific Test: Can Strategic Pragmatism Meet Sustainability?

After nearly a decade of negotiations, the European Union and Indonesia have concluded their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a landmark deal linking Europe’s de-risking ambitions with Southeast Asia’s development priorities. As the agreement enters the complex EU ratification process, questions arise over whether Brussels can strike a balance between environmental integrity and strategic pragmatism. Palm oil, nickel, and sustainability compliance will test both partners’ political will and the EU’s ability to act as a credible, values-driven actor in the Indo-Pacific.

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