CIS Electric Power Council to Convene in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan will host the 60th meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Electric Power Council in its capital Nur-Sultan today.
Representatives of the bloc’s member states will convene with the heads of various energy firms to discuss an array of topics ranging from renewable energy to sustainable development. The main agenda of the meeting, however, will be gas diplomacy and the future of the energy market amidst the global energy crisis, spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The CIS is an important platform for Russia to re-exert its patronage and influence over the post-Soviet countries in Central Asia. In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has lost its sway over the organization. Therefore, it is a vital to Russia’s foreign policy to get the member-states back on board to restrengthen the bloc and the form a collaborative strategy during the short-term. In this framework, Moscow will aim to pressure the gas-rich member-states—most notably Azerbaijan—to refrain from forming closer ties with the West and independently engaging in prospective deals that might hinder Moscow’s efforts in Ukraine and elsewhere. Thus, Russia hopes to avoid the rise of an alternative natural gas market for Europe which could eliminate its heavy reliance on Russian gas.
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