The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Organization: Civil Cooperation Strategies

Abstract

Efforts by individual countries or groups of Black Sea’s surroundings countries to cooperate have remained on the agenda of these countries for the last quarter of a century. However, it was a generally accepted assessment that the point reached in spite of all the struggles was not satisfactory. Especially today, we are targeting very serious regional war scenarios, which has found supporters on global and regional scale, which threaten peace and tranquility. It has become more important than ever that the countries of the region come together and join forces. On the other hand, in view of the neo-liberal global economic movements, it is understood that the countries of the region are in need of each other. These countries need to come together and establish a dialoge and partnership networks.From this point of view, efforts to develop socio-economic and cultural relations between the countries of the Black Sea region at the institutional level (public and private sector) in such a way that the people are directly involved are strategically important for the socio-cultural integration of societies and the development of commercial relations as well as to ensure regional security. In our article, after analyzing the structure and activities of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023, what the strategic relationship formats between the countries in the region can be and how they can be developed will be discussed.