11 countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia that play a significant role in world energy security. Four of the countries – Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan – possess substantial oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea, which offer game-changing potential for energy consumers in Europe and Asia. Other countries like Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus are important transit countries in the region, and their stability is paramount to energy security, the report said. The 11 countries – which also include Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan – are diverse politically and economically with distinct energy sector challenges. However, lack of long-term vision and planning is common across the region, and the countries must prioritise strategic energy policy development in order to build a more secure and sustainable future. Read more at http://www.iea.org
