Oriented on making people closer

On April 3rd, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov departed for a working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan to participate in the first "Central Asia - European Union" Summit.

At the capital's international airport, the head of state was seen off by officials.

After some time, the presidential plane landed at Samarkand International Airport, decorated with the state flags of the Summit's participating countries.

At the international airport, Berdimuhamedov was greeted by the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and other officials.

The President of Turkmenistan's motorcade then proceeded from the airport to the residence designated for the duration of the visit, according to TDH.

The inaugural summit of EU leaders and the five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) will convene in Samarkand on April 4th.

The EU delegation will be represented by the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The meeting will be held under the auspices of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

This summit presents a pivotal opportunity for both the EU and Central Asia to underscore their geopolitical commitment to the intensification of bilateral relations and the expansion of regional cooperation.

As outlined in the objectives of the EU's 2019 Central Asia strategy and the 2023 Joint Roadmap for Deepening EU-Central Asia ties, the evolving relationship between the EU and Central Asia has acquired heightened strategic significance over the years.

In this context, the summit will provide a platform for leaders to deliberate on key areas of mutual cooperation, including:

Strengthening multilateral collaboration.

Addressing shared security challenges.

Enhancing economic, trade, and investment linkages.

Engaging in energy, climate-neutral economy, and connectivity initiatives within the Global Gateway framework, as well as cooperation in the green transition.

Fostering people-to-people contacts and mobility.

It is anticipated that the leaders will issue a joint statement following the summit.

Presidents Costa and von der Leyen will also participate in the opening of the Samarkand International Climate Forum. By bringing together global leaders, policymakers, climate experts, and activists, the forum provides a high-level platform to address regional and global threats posed by climate change, and reaffirms the collective commitment to a green transition and sustainable development.

ORIENT news

Photo: daryo.uz