This book analyses the opportunities and conditions of employment throughout the Black Sea region and Central Asia. It examines how different countries deal with social issues affecting well-being.

This book analyses the opportunities and conditions of employment throughout the Black Sea region and Central Asia. It examines how different countries deal with social issues affecting well-being.

"In July 2007, the European Union initiated a fundamentally new approach to the countries of Central Asia. The launch of the EU Strategy for Central Asia signals a qualitative shift in the Union's relations with a region of the world that is of growing importance as a supplier of energy, is geographically situated in a politically sensitive area - between China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and the south Caucasus - and contains some of the most authoritarian political regimes in the world. In this volume, leading specialists from Europe, the United States and Central Asia explore the key challenges facing the European Union as it seeks to balance its policies between enhancing the Union's energy, business and security interests in the region while strengthening social justice, democratisation efforts and the protection of human rights. With chapters devoted to the Union's bilateral relations with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and to the vital issues of security and democratisation, 'Engaging Central Asia' provides the first comprehensive analysis of the EU's strategic initiative in a part of the world that is fast emerging as one of the key regions of the 21st century."--BOOK JACKET.

Conflict and cooperation are two dynamics that have shaped the political economy and international relations around the Black Sea since the early nineties. Despite the negative structural environment and the persistence of a high security dilemma, cooperative efforts among Black Sea actors (primarily state elites but increasingly non-state actors) have been advancing, even though slowly. Representing a new development in the study of contemporary regionalism, Panagiota Manoli examines the process of institutionalized subregional cooperation and casts new light on the factors influencing the reconfiguration of subregional structures in the region. Focusing on the primary initiative in the region, Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Manoli traces how subregionalism has evolved since the early nineties and what has been driving and conditioning this process. Questioning whether there is a definitive nature to subregionalism, Manoli then discusses Black Sea subregionalism within the European integration process, examining the impact of the European Union. Contributing to the conceptualization of the subregional phenomenon, this book should be read by scholars and policy-makers alike unclear on how local elements interface with extra-regional forces in the shaping of a subregion.

Countries in the Black Sea Basin established BSEC seeking a region-wide solution to their common problems with a sense of political and economic belonging to the Black Sea. Member states joined the cooperation without considering settling their problems and demands in a satisfying manner. They were quite pleased with the idea to balance their interests instead of settling their security concerns.

The studies contained in this volume demonstrate that despite the economic crisis, there still is much potential in this region and that the measures that need to be taken to realise that potential are feasible and affordable.

The OECD has faced many challenges in the last 50 years, but perhaps none as great as the current global crisis. Response to the crisis has been swift and massive. But despite some cautious optimism, the immediate future does not offer much relief. The global economic system must undergo many structural changes if we are to avoid a repetition of this scenario. The job ahead is substantial and requires great perseverance. This is a key feature of the OECD , which has consistently worked with governments with a long-term view, to address structural problems through enhanced global co-operation. The crisis has left virtually no area of policy making untouched. It has brought many long-simmering issues, such as tax evasion, income inequality, good governance and competition issues, back to the centre stage. But other substantive, medium and long-term matters, such as climate change and poverty reduction, which were at the forefront of most government agendas only one year ago, are adding to the sense of urgency. This crisis presents opportunities as well as challenges, and the OECD is seizing these opportunities to formulate policies that will lead to a stronger, cleaner, fairer world economy. Over the past year, the OECD has pressed for a "stronger" world economy through its work in areas such as regulation; governance; trade (especially Doha); investment and competition; and, of course, developing policies for sustainable growth. Work on anticorruption, corporate governance and tax evasion has sought to restore trust in globalisation by making it "cleaner". So has, literally, our work on environment and climate change, another face of "cleaner". Finally, our work on employment and social inclusion, education, health care and economic development is key to developing a "fairer", more participative world economy. The OECD is the global standard setter in many of these fields. It helps governments to determine where policy changes are needed and how governments can implement those reforms. It is not surprising that the focus of much of this year's Annual Report is on the Organisation's analysis of and response to the crisis. The OECD 's unique ability to address the complex nature of the global crisis, which affects virtually every aspect of policy making, is presented and developed in the pages that follow. We will continue working with member and non-member countries, as well as with other international organisations, to establish the basis for a better world economy.