Central Asia and adjacent regions are bound to grow in geopolitical and economic significance. As a region of connectivity, the region inevitably lies at the intersection of the interests of major powers. Inter-state relations in the region are too often fraught with personality conflicts and other complexities that add to the difficulties that the countries of the region have in navigating their geopolitical environment, and preserving the autonomy to minimize the risks and maximize the opportunities of this rapidly evolving region. Regional cooperation and indeed, more fundamentally, regional identity, is still largely inchoate, largely nascent, and hence still fragile. More often than not, the identity and interests of the region have been defined by outside powers. In this context, CAMCA is a uniquely valuable Forum. It was refreshing to have met so many bright, young Central Asians representing almost all CAMCA countries, who do not carry the baggage of their elders and who look to the future with realistic optimism. I not only learned a lot from these young people but meeting them collectively has given me confidence in the future of the CAMCA region.