Central Asia and the Caucasus brings together a series of background papers prepared for the First Eurasian EMF held in Thun, Switzerland, in January 2010, These papers cover a broad range of issues relevant to the diverse and dynamic group of countries situated on the Eurasian supercontinent. Although the papers cover subjects and themes as diverse as the impact of the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 for the countries in the region, to what constitutes a good business environment, to name a few, they are united by the identification of the key issues economic, geopolitical, social that are of highest priority to the development of the countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus.