The inaugural summit of the Central -European Union and the International Climate Forum – held in Samarkand last week and to which EU leaders attended EU António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen leaders alongside the chiefs of the five central nations of Asia – have been revealed as an important moment in the today’s turbulent context.
At a time when the international system is tense by trust crises, conflicts and economic fragmentation, Uzbekistan, at the heart of Central Asia, demonstrated that an alternative program is not only desirable but more and more achievable: an anchored with mutual respect, constructive cooperation and joint efforts to meet the challenges of development.
Central Asia – A region bordering Russia to the north, China to the east and Afghanistan in the south – was only ten years ago, widely considered as an area of unresolved conflicts and sealed borders. Today, it is in recognition as a region marked by the increase in stability, connectivity and opening.
A recent illustration of this transformation was the signing of the historical agreement on the point of junction of the borders of the State and the declaration of eternal friendship by the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kirgyzstan and Tajikistan, just before the Summit of Central Asia. These agreements have helped to resolve long -standing territorial disputes and have opened new opportunities for regional cooperation.
According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (CBR), Central Asia GDP should increase by 6% this year – well above the world average. The region is gaining in economic traction: intra-regional trade has increased by 4.5 times, mutual investments have doubled and the number of joint ventures has multiplied in recent years.
At the heart of this progress is the vision of President Shavkat Mirziyev’s foreign policy of Uzbekistan, who, at the start of his presidency, said an approach “no problem with the neighbors”. Sharing the borders with all the other States of Central Asia, Uzbekistan played a decisive role in promoting regional commitment and dialogue. The principles of opening and good neighborhood have become the basis of a new model of cooperation.
Consequently, Central Asia acquires increasing strategic relevance. The region offers a powerful combination of human capital and unexploited natural resources. It is estimated that it holds 7% of the proven reserves in the world of oil and gas, as well as a large part of rare elements essential to green technology and digital transformation. Central Asia could have up to 39% of world reserves of 10 critical minerals: including 38.6% of manganese ore, 30% of chrome, 20% of lead and 12.6% of zinc.
In this context, the region seeks to recalibrate and strengthen relations with external partners. Europe, with its long -standing ties with Central Asia, is well placed to play a leading role. Over the past seven years, trade in trade between Central Asia and the EU has quadrupled, reaching 54 billion euros. The relationship is increasingly considered not as a dynamic of the deceiver, but as a mutually strengthening partnership.
As Mirziyoyev pointed out, cooperation with the European Union should be reciprocal and based on common interests. In this context, the Samarkand summit produced a historic decision to establish a strategic partnership between the EU and Central Asia. Rather than being motivated by geopolitical competition, this partnership is underput by practical objectives: investment, innovation and human development.
Key development was the signing of an agreement to open a regional office of the European Investment Bank in Tashkent. This decision indicates the EU’s commitment to deeper and long -term commitment in the region, Uzbekistan emerging as a key partner.
The EU is increasingly considers Central Asia as a priority destination to invest in green energy, infrastructure and innovation. On the sidelines of the summit, a substantial investment set has been announced, covering areas such as transport connectivity (including the transcaspian “average corridor”), the modernization of digital infrastructure, water supply and waste management systems, support for women and young entrepreneurship and expansion of renewable – solar, wind and hydrogen green.
The EU also expressed its intention to support the development of a carbon market in Central Asia and praised Uzbekistan’s proposal to establish a “central partnership in Asia-EU for clean energy”.
These developments reflect increasing recognition that Central Asia can play an essential role in the global green transition. Uzbekistan, for example, has already ordered 14 solar power plants and provides for 50 additional renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 24,000 megawatts. The share of renewable energies in the country’s energy mixture should reach 54% over the next five years.
In particular, Europe also invests in human capital. The plans include the widening of access to Erasmus + for students in Central Asia, the creation of new academic exchanges in artificial intelligence, megadata and space technologies, and the alignment of the region more closely with the EU digital education and innovation program.
One of the most significant dishes of the Samarkand summit is the recognition of a new regional dynamic: Central Asia is increasingly articulates its priorities with greater cohesion and strategic clarity.
Samarkand served as a platform where this regional voice could be expressed and committed. Central Asian countries have presented concrete mechanisms, proposals and collaborative platforms. Europe’s response reflects a shared interest in translating these ideas into practical steps. What emerged from the summit is not only a political declaration, but a framework for continuous cooperation with tangible and strategic objectives.