Historic EU-Central Asia summit set to strengthen ties in Uzbekistan

The first-ever EU-Central Asia summit is set to be held in Uzbekistan on April 3-4, marking a historic gathering between European Union leaders and Central Asian counterparts.

The summit will be attended by the European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the heads of state from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will chair the high-level meeting, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The summit is expected to focus on strengthening partnerships amid global instability, with António Costa emphasizing the EU's commitment to fostering closer ties with Central Asia.

The summit will present a key opportunity for the EU to demonstrate its geopolitical interest in intensifying bilateral engagement and enhance regional cooperation with Central Asia. Given the evolving geopolitical landscape, marked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and ongoing developments in Afghanistan, relations between the EU and Central Asia have become of increased strategic importance over the years.

“We are living in a world of disorder and fragmentation where the only viable solution for the EU is to build stronger partnerships to advance peace and prosperity. It is a multipolar world that requires greater and tailored engagement. The very first EU-Central Asia summit will solidify our commitment to work together for peace, security, and sustainable development, in full respect of international law,” António Costa said.

During the summit, the EU will affirm its commitment to scale up cooperation in areas of mutual interests, which include transport and digital connectivity in the region and with the EU, critical raw materials, economic and security cooperation, and energy transition.

Key topics on the agenda include the enhancement of transport and digital connections, cooperation on critical raw materials, energy transition support, and increased economic and defence collaboration between the EU and Central Asia. The summit is poised to be a pivotal moment in shaping future EU-Central Asia relations, with both sides aiming to strengthen their political and economic ties for mutual benefit.

In recent years, high-level relations between the European Union and Central Asia have significantly deepened, with two major leaders' meetings taking place in Kazakhstan in October 2022 and in Kyrgyzstan in June 2023. In addition to these meetings, numerous ministerial-level discussions have been held, with the latest occurring in Luxembourg in 2023.

These discussions culminated in the establishment of a joint roadmap for strengthening ties between the EU and Central Asia, which includes a commitment to holding a summit. The 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting is scheduled for March 4, 2025, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and will be focused on preparing for the upcoming summit.

In 2019, the EU adopted a new Strategy on Central Asia, underscoring the increasing strategic importance of the region for EU interests. This updated strategy builds on the positive developments in regional cooperation and aims to foster a stronger, modern, and inclusive partnership with Central Asia. The goal is to ensure that the region becomes more sustainable, resilient, prosperous, and politically and economically interconnected.

The EU is the second-largest trading partner of Central Asia and the region's largest investor, accounting for over 40 per cent of its total investments. To further enhance bilateral relations, the EU has negotiated enhanced partnership and cooperation agreements (EPCAs) with all Central Asian countries, except Turkmenistan. These agreements aim to deepen economic, political, and cultural ties, providing a foundation for further collaboration in the coming years.

By Vafa Guliyeva