The upcoming European Union-Central Asia summit, scheduled for April 3-4 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is being hailed as a pivotal event that could reshape trade dynamics and deepen political ties between the two regions, according to Eurasianet.
For European observers, the summit represents a chance for the EU to position its Global Gateway strategy as a serious contender to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with the potential to expand its regional influence. However, initial reactions to a pre-summit tour by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas suggest that Central Asian leaders remain cautious about the EU’s ambitions in the region.
Kallas embarked on a brief visit to Central Asia from March 27-28, where she met with the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian states in Turkmenistan. Her tour also included talks with the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The primary objective of the trip was to lay the foundation for a successful summit in Samarkand, but early feedback suggests that the event may fall short of being a groundbreaking moment.
A 23-point joint communique released after the foreign ministerial meeting in Ashgabat revealed a focus on broad topics such as promoting trade, addressing global warming-related challenges, and enhancing regional cooperation. It also touched on issues like sanctions circumvention and the promotion of democratic values, rule of law, and human rights. However, the tone of the statements remained diplomatic and restrained, with little indication of any major breakthrough in the discussions.
The EU’s official statement on Kallas’ visit further tempered expectations, highlighting her efforts to explore possibilities for expanding trade and economic cooperation under the Global Gateway initiative. It mentioned that the upcoming summit would affirm the political commitment to fostering closer strategic cooperation between the EU and Central Asia.
In his statement, President Mirziyoyev expressed hope that the EU could assist Uzbekistan in its bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), emphasizing the potential of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor. Similarly, President Tokayev noted Kazakhstan’s Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, which, according to him, would create "broad opportunities for strengthening interpersonal contacts and business ties." However, he also cautioned that Kazakhstan would proceed carefully due to the current global geopolitical uncertainties, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and unpredictable shifts in U.S. policy.
The EU’s growing interest in Central Asia is driven in large part by the need to diversify its energy supplies following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since the conflict began, the EU and Central Asia have laid out a roadmap to strengthen ties, and the EU has committed to investing €10bn in the development of the Trans-Caspian trade network. The upcoming summit in Samarkand is expected to provide an opportunity to build upon this momentum and deepen trade relations.
Despite these positive developments, experts caution that Brussels’ task in expanding its economic and diplomatic presence in Central Asia is far from easy. Merkhat Sharipzhanov, a regional analyst, pointed out that the EU will need to contend with the well-established influence of Russia and China, which have long been dominant players in the region.
Earlier, President Mirziyoyev shared his vision for regional cooperation, economic integration, and security challenges in an interview with Euronews. He highlighted the EU's growing role as a key partner for Central Asia, noting the region's increased trade with the EU, which has quadrupled to €54bn in recent years.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep current on world news.
Comments (0)