EU and Central Asia: Working for a Safer and More Prosperous Future Together
Under this motto the European Union-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Samarkand on 10 November. The event was attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, vice-president Federica Mogherini.
The communique adopted at the end of the meeting stipulates the intention of the EU to develop a new strategy for Central Asia by the end of 2019. It will be based on mutual interests, common approaches and values.
The document also identifies the main elements of future cooperation on sight.
Central Asia and the European Union will pay special attention to strengthening the region's economic, transit and transport potential, improving the investment climate, efficient border management, human capital development through education and support of small and medium-sized businesses and employment.
Among the key points on the political agenda are the effective use of water and energy resources, ecology and mitigation of climate change impact.
European multilateral financial institutions, such as the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, will continue to provide support to individual countries and the region of Central Asia as a whole.
The sides recognize that it is necessary to continue work on strengthening the rule of law with a view of effective tackling contemporary challenges such as extremism, terrorism and drug trafficking. Discussions on these issues and a dialogue on the rule of law will continue at the upcoming meeting of the EU and Central Asian Ministers of Justice, to be hosted by Brussels on 7 December 2017.
The parties agreed to hold next meeting in Brussels in 2018.
