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European Council President Charles Michel arrived in Kyrgyzstan on June 2nd to attend the European Union (EU) - Central Asia Summit, as Brussels seeks to strengthen ties with countries in the region.
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| President of the European Council Charles Michel. Photo: VNA |
This is Michel's second trip to Central Asia, following his visit to Kazakhstan for the first EU-Central Asia Summit in October 2022. The second EU-Central Asia Summit took place in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, with the participation of leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan sent a delegation to the summit.
The focus of the conference was to deepen relations between Central Asia and the EU. Speaking to the press, Charles Michel said that Brussels wants a “sincere” partnership with this energy-rich region. According to Michel, Brussels wants to maintain security and stability in the region; and emphasized the potential for cooperation in the fields of technology, climate, energy, security, transport and tourism .
The conflict in Ukraine has prompted global powers like China and the EU to seek a greater role in Central Asia, especially economically . In May, Chinese President Xi Jinping also chaired a summit between China and five Central Asian nations in Xi'an, northern China. According to observers, the increasing East-West confrontation has created opportunities for Central Asian countries to enhance their international standing, attract new investment, and demand increased security cooperation from new partners, such as the EU.
The EU's 2019 strategy for Central Asia, titled “New Opportunities for a Stronger Partnership,” encompasses three priority areas: resilience, prosperity, and regional cooperation. Recently, environmental issues have been added to the list of priorities. The EU is a leading provider of aid in Central Asia.
From 2014-2020, EU development cooperation funding to Central Asia amounted to €1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) in the form of grants, technical assistance, and direct budgetary support. The EU is also a major investment partner for Central Asian countries, after the US, Russia, and China.
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