First Group of CACI Fellows Completes Program in Washington, DC.

The first group of five fellows completed a six week program of orientation, high level meetings and research in Washington, DC from September 29 to November 7, 2008. The group included Dr. Anar Valiyev (Azerbaijan), Assistant Director for Academic Affairs at Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy; Mr. Tornike Turmanidze (Georgia), Head of Current Analysis Section at the Department of Information and Analysis, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; Dr. David Abesadze (Georgia), Head of Policy Analysis Division in the Political Department of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;  Ms. Xeniya Rogan (Kazakhstan), Senior Financial Analyst at JSC "Kazkommertsbank", and Mr. Bakai Zhunushov (Kyrgyzstan), founder and CEO of iCap Investment consulting company.


Fellows with Mr. Donald Rumsfeld, Former Secretary of Defense and currently the
Chairman of Rumsfeld Foundation which is sponsoring the fellowship program


The group had an intensive schedule of group meetings with representatives of the US Administration, the US Congress, business community, media, NGOs, think tanks, and universities, including distinguished members of SAIS faculty. In addition each fellow had individual programs designed to their professional interests. At the end of the program fellows had a presentation at Central Asia-Caucasus Institute Forum discussing “Central Asia and Caucasus after the August War”.


Fellows during their presentation at Central Asia-Caucasus Institute Forum on
November 5, 2008


David Abesadze: “This is one of the best programs for the mid-career professionals. This thoroughly designed and extremely interesting program gives fellows unique opportunities and provides with important contacts, useful experience, and real understanding of the processes of the United States and world politics that is a good stimulus to pursue pro-active and successful professional career.”

Bakai Zhunushov: “I am extremely grateful to the sponsors and organizers of the Program. I feel lucky to be able to participate and consider it one of the highlights in my life. What I learned will  definitely benefit me personally, my organization and the nation. I hope the contacts I established will help to intensify cooperation between the US and the Kyrgyz Republic.”

Tornike Turmanidze: “The fellowship program offers an amazing opportunity to explore the U.S. foreign policy community, to get in touch with and hear first-hand opinions from key people in Washington D.C. who conduct scholarly research and shape U.S. strategy towards this region.”


Fellows with Francis Fukuyama, the Bernard L. Schwartz Professor of Internationa
Political Economy at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies,
Johns Hopkins University


The second group of fellows will visit Washington, DC from March 23 to May 3, 2009. The winners of the Fellowship Program will be announced in mid-February.