On April 12, 2013, Istanbul kindly hosted the 10th Board Meeting and General Assembly of the International Fund for Cooperation and Partnership of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea (BSCSIF).
The meeting had an extended format, and due to the participation not only by the members of the Board of Directors, but also by the majority of BSCSIF full members, as well as distinguished guests from Turkey: representatives of public institutions, companies in the region and mass-media, the quorum for the General Assembly has been achieved.
The sessions were inaugurated by the welcoming speech of BSCSIF President, Mr. Victor Khmarin, representative of Russia in the frame of the organization. The BSCSIF Vice-President, Secretary General, Mr. Eldar Hasanov delivered a speech about the perspectives for further development and extension of the Fund.
In the course of the Board Meeting, the BSCSIF Presidency has been transferred, based on the rotation principle, from Mr. Viktor Khmarin, the Russian representative to Dr. Akkan Suver, representing Turkey.
One of the most important issues on the BSCSIF Agenda discussed at the Board meeting was the establishing of the International Centre for Support and Coordination of Economic Cooperation, headquartered in Istanbul, as far as Turkey represents an economic and geostrategic hub, linking the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions, and on a large scale, Europe and Asia. This non-governmental organization has been established with the aim of developing the international economic cooperation and partnership among the countries of the Black Sea – Caspian Sea region, in order to provide support to physical and juridical persons in implementing their projects in such areas as economy, ecology, energy, transportation, medicine and health, security, science, education, innovation, culture and tourism. The Centre activity is directed towards contributing to the development of entrepreneurial activity in the region, covering the countries represented in BSCSIF, a more comprehensive integration of the regional economy into the world economic system, establishment of favorable conditions in order to strengthen foreign economic relations and improve the investment climate in the region.
The International Fund for Cooperation and Partnership of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea is an international non-governmental organization, founded on the 4th of March, 2009, by distinguished representatives of civil society and public life from eight countries: Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Republic of Turkey and Ukraine. Later on, representatives from seven more countries have joined us, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Bulgaria, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Republic of Serbia, and Switzerland. During the last Meeting held in Istanbul, the representatives of South Africa (His Royalty Mr. Zolani Mkiva, Mr. Zarko Taric), Croatia (Mr. Jasminko Umicevic) and Albania (Mr. Bahadir Aksoy) as well as from countries already represented in the Fund: Switzerland (Mr. Roger Widmer), Romania (Mr. Gabriel Comanescu), Kazakhstan (Mr. Bakhytbek Baiseitov), were accepted as Members of BSCSIF Board of Directors, along with new full members of the Fund.
The central office of BSCSIF is located in Bucharest, and four branches actively operate in Brussels, Istanbul, Moscow and Varna.
