London (Ruby Hyder/The London Post) – In a landmark moment for British engagement with one of the world’s most strategically vital regions, the Eurasia Policy Council (EPC), an independent and non-partisan think tank dedicated to the geopolitics, economics and environmental security of Central Asia and the wider Eurasian space, was formally launched at the House of Lords.
Hosted by the Lord Qurban Hussain, the high-profile inauguration attracted a distinguished audience that included peers and MPs from both Houses of Parliament, serving and former British diplomats, leading academics from Oxford, SOAS and King’s College London, senior executives from energy, mining and infrastructure companies, representatives of international NGOs, and members of the national press.
Crucially, the event brought together official delegations and senior figures from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Iran – a clear signal of the Council’s ambition to function as an authentic bridge between London, Brussels and the rapidly evolving nations of Eurasia.
Under the distinguished patronage of Lord Qurban Hussain, who delivered the opening address, speakers repeatedly emphasised the timing of the launch amid rising geopolitical tensions, fragile global supply chains and accelerating climate impacts across the region.
“Eurasia stands at the crossroads of the world’s most acute challenges – great-power competition, economic instability and the existential threat of climate change,” Lord Hussein declared. “The Eurasia Policy Council offers the neutral, expert-led space required to address these complexities with intellectual rigour, dignity and a shared commitment to peace.”
Afzal Khan MP, a long-standing champion of stronger UK–Central Asia ties, described the initiative as “both timely and essential”. “At a moment when multilateral institutions are under strain, the EPC will help Britain and Europe forge deeper, more resilient relationships with a region indispensable for energy security, critical minerals and the future of the rules-based order,” he said.
Salman Sheikh, a prominent strategist on Eurasian and Middle Eastern affairs, focused on the economic opportunity: “Eurasia is emerging as a hub for green energy, rare-earth elements and new transport corridors. The EPC will promote evidence-based partnerships that deliver inclusive growth rather than zero-sum competition.”
Dr Robert Hamilton, an authority on climate security in arid regions, warned that environmental pressures – from acute water scarcity in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins and glacial retreat in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountains to the disruptive pace of energy transition – are now primary drivers of instability. “By placing climate resilience at the heart of its agenda, the EPC is showing both courage and foresight,” he noted.
The Council has articulated four strategic pillars:
• Rigorous, peer-reviewed research on geopolitical and economic trends
• High-level diplomatic and Track-1.5 dialogue between the UK, EU and Eurasian states
• Promotion of sustainable investment and green technology transfer
• Building climate resilience, with special emphasis on transboundary water management, renewable energy and disaster-risk reduction
Closing the event, EPC’s Co-Founders,Raza Syed and Prof.Shabnam Delfani stated: “This launch marks the start of a sustained British and European commitment to engage with Eurasia not as a distant periphery, but as an indispensable partner in tackling shared global challenges.”
The Council intends to release its first flagship report on water security and cooperative governance in Central Asia in spring 2026 and will host its inaugural annual conference in London next autumn.
As competition intensifies from the Black Sea to China’s western borders, and as climate stresses reshape economies and societies across the steppe and high mountain heartlands of Eurasia, the Eurasia Policy Council establishes itself as a vital new actor in Britain’s foreign-policy landscape – one poised to deliver independent analysis and foster the trusted dialogue the region urgently requires.
INPS Japan/Lonton Post
Original URL: https://londonpost.news/lord-qurban-hussain-launches-eurasia-policy-council-amid-rising-central-asian-focus/