
Samarkand (dpa) – The European Union aims to enhance its collaboration with Central Asian nations moving forward. During a summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa engaged with the leaders of five Central Asian countries to solidify a new “strategic partnership” focused on boosting cooperation in the economic, trade, and investment sectors. The summit included representatives from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
The EU unveiled a substantial investment initiative totaling twelve billion euros for the region, sourced from its “Global Gateway” strategy. Over the coming years, the EU plans to channel up to 300 billion euros into the infrastructure of developing nations as part of its effort to expand global influence.
Regional Engagement from Other Countries
The establishment of this partnership emphasizes the importance of mutual reliability, a sentiment echoed by von der Leyen, who noted that this is “more crucial than ever in today’s world.” She pointed out that Russia has proven to be an unreliable partner, while working with China poses its own challenges, especially as China acquires critical raw materials and processes them domestically. For the EU, direct investment in the region remains a top priority. (April 4)













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