Lika Merabishvili, StrategEast Regional Director for the Caucasus, participated as an expert speaker at the C5+O.N.E. (Opening Networks Through English) U.S.–Central Asia Regional Conference on Economic Growth, held August 25–27 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Over the three-day conference, Ms. Merabishvili contributed to expert discussions on regional competitiveness, digital transformation, education, and workforce development.
During the plenary session “Turning Regional Potential into Global Opportunity: Advancing U.S.–Central Asia Economic Cooperation,” she highlighted the role of regional cooperation and the digital economy in strengthening competitiveness, expanding markets, and creating new opportunities for innovation and growth.
Lika Merabishvili also led the interactive session “Driving Digital Transformation Through Education and Regional Collaboration,” focusing on the growing importance of digital skills, stronger connections between education and industry, and cross-border cooperation in building competitive digital ecosystems.
On the final day of the conference, she joined the panel “From Learning to Opportunity: Building Workforce Systems That Work,” addressing how education and workforce systems can better respond to rapidly changing labor-market needs and prepare people for emerging opportunities in the digital economy.
Across the discussions, Ms. Merabishvili emphasized that successful digital transformation requires more than technology alone. Connecting education institutions, technology companies, employers, governments, and regional networks is essential to turning digital development into tangible opportunities for people and economies.
Her participation reflects StrategEast’s continued engagement in advancing digital skills development, competitive digital ecosystems, and cross-border technology cooperation across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The C5+O.N.E. program brings together professionals from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to support professional development, regional cooperation, and stronger economic ties between Central Asia and the United States. The program is implemented by American Councils for International Education and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.
