The EU will mobilise €124 million to finance cooperation programmes that will promote sustainable development in Central Asia, the European Commission announced on Friday 23 November at a bilateral EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will be the beneficiaries.
€88 million will finance six regional programmes to support the private sector, promoting job creation (€31.2 million) and regional trade and investment (€30 million), strengthening cooperation on environmental protection and resilience to climate change (€18.9 million) and promoting the rule of law (€8 million).
€36 million will be specifically dedicated to Kyrgyzstan, as part of bilateral cooperation with the country. This programme will support the authorities in ensuring quality education for all, said the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, in a statement. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)