Anticipating deeper EU-Central Asia Relations: A Look Forward to the Samarkand Summit This Week
Catch the action in Samarkand on April 3-4, 2025, as the European Union embraces Central Asia with an unprecedented political commitment at their much-anticipated summit. This high-level meetup will gather Central Asian leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa for a robust discussion on deepening and strengthening their partnership.
Here's a twists-and-turns breakdown of the epic rendezvous:
Picture credit: eurasian-research.org
"We're off to Samarkand to elevate our partnership with Central Asia to new heights. Europe stands for openness and engagement in these uncertain times. For us, Central Asia is a trusted ally of choice," said Ursula von der Leyen in a bolstering statement on April 1, 2025.
The get-together promises more than one-on-one meetings and a plenary session—an international climate forum on April 4, 2025, is also under wraps!
For EU bigwigs in Brussels, the summit holds tremendous significance and builds on years of growing engagement and mutual interest in forging stronger ties. This landmark event might also signify the launch of a formal EU-Central Asia strategic partnership.
"At the summit, we will strengthen trade ties, increase cooperation in transport, critical raw materials, and digital connectivity, and address water and energy issues. All of this will be backed by a robust Global Gateway investment package, turning our commitment into action," she added.
A series of pre-summit high-level engagements set the stage, like the recent ministerial meeting in Ashgabat with High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, and EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Josef Sikela’s tour of Central Asia advancing Global Gateway goals in the region.
So, what's on the menu:
Discussions aim at bolstering EU-Central Asia bilateral relationships, with topics such as multilateralism, security, trade, investment, environmental and climate issues, renewable energy, and connectivity taking center stage.
Trade and investments are major players on the agenda, focusing on transport, raw materials, digital connectivity, and energy. The EU remains Central Asia's leading trade and investment partner, making up a staggering 22.6% of the region's combined foreign trade, and accountable for over 40% of investments in the region as of 2023.
Transport and connectivity have been the cornerstone of the partnership, with the EU committing €10 billion from international financial institutions for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
Critical raw materials are another focal point, with plans for a joint declaration of intent to elevate cooperation beyond existing bilateral frameworks, aiming to attract investors, develop local industry, and create jobs. In this context, Kazakhstan and the EU are also expected to endorse a 2025-2026 roadmap developed under the 2022 memorandum of understanding on green hydrogen and battery value chains.
Terrorism, drug trafficking, regional stability, and the evolving situation in Afghanistan are also high on the agenda, with Ukraine's evolving circumstances likely to grip discussions, as UI will also come up on the agenda following recent developments. EU leaders will likely reaffirm their strong stance while seeking further cooperation with Central Asian countries on preventing sanctions circumvention.
This summit underscores the culmination of long-standing relations with the region, which is now gaining fresh momentum amidst changing global dynamics. For the EU, Central Asia offers much more than mere transit routes or a source of raw materials. They view the region as a stable and reliable partner with untapped economic potential and a strong desire for diversification.
Brace yourselves for the groundbreaking EU-Central Asia summit, where dynamic discussions, powerful partnerships, and groundbreaking agreements are sure to unfold in the heart of Samarkand. Let this event live up to its billing as the stepping stone towards a more prosperous, sustainable, and interconnected future for both regions!
- The upcoming EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, scheduled for April 3-4, 2025, signifies a significant leap forward in Europe's strategic partnership with Central Asia, as discussed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
- During the summit, leaders from Central Asia and EU bigwigs will engage in robust discussions, aiming to strengthen trade ties, increase cooperation in transport, critical raw materials, and digital connectivity, and address water and energy issues.
- The significance of this event lies in its potential to forge a formal EU-Central Asia strategic partnership, as Ursula von der Leyen announced, with commitments to be backed by a robust Global Gateway investment package.
