Central Asia and the European Union will continue cooperation in energy, security, and the fight against climate change

The 20th meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union and Central Asia took place in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, on Thursday, according to the press service of the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, deputy foreign ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

The participants discussed preparations for the first Central Asia-EU summit, scheduled for April 3-4. The summit is expected to demonstrate a commitment to deepening high-level ties between the two regions, strengthening strategic cooperation, and serving as an important step toward intensifying relations between Central Asia and the EU.

In a joint statement following the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to working together for peace, security, the promotion of fundamental rights, and sustainable development. They also reiterated their strong support for the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law, particularly respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all states within their internationally recognized borders. The participants also agreed to refrain from actions that contradict these principles.

The Central Asian countries and the EU confirmed their commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons, and the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

The EU provided information on its imposed sanctions, emphasizing the critical importance of preventing their circumvention. Participants agreed to continue cooperation on this issue to eliminate the re-export of dual-use European goods.

Additionally, the EU highly appreciated the efforts of Central Asian countries to support good neighborly relations, mutual understanding, and trust in the region, including through consultative meetings of the leaders of Central Asian states.

Representatives of the foreign ministries of Central Asian countries welcomed the EU’s commitment to supporting the region's stability and prosperity, including through the Global Gateway strategy, the Team Europe initiative, as well as the individual involvement of EU member states and European financial institutions.

Furthermore, the participants noted the role of the EU’s GSP system for Tajikistan and GSP+ for Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, which aim to enhance access to the EU market and strengthen the link between international trade and human rights compliance, including labor rights and environmental protection.

The meeting participants also emphasized the need to continue expanding cooperation within the framework of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy for sustainable connectivity between Central Asia and the EU in areas such as trade, transport, water resources, energy, climate change, digitalization, and critical raw materials, as well as fostering interpersonal ties, including education, research, and sustainable tourism.

The participants welcomed the readiness of European and international financial institutions to allocate €10 billion for the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor as a multimodal, competitive, sustainable, predictable, "smart," and efficient network that will significantly improve transport links between Central Asia and Europe.