On behalf of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Portugal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Augusto Santos Silva received his Uzbekistani counterpart, Abdulaziz Kamilov, in Brussels on 16 November during the 16th EU-Uzbekistan Cooperation Council. They reported “good progress” in the negotiations on the bilateral Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Initiated in 2018, these negotiations aim to replace the current partnership. The new comprehensive agreement covers not only political reforms, the Rule of law, human rights, migration, trade, and economic development but also sustainable development. It is also expected to establish cooperation on foreign policy, climate change, corruption, and the fight against terrorism.
“We are about to conclude negotiations towards this new enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement. [...] We stressed the need for ambition and vision to get us over the finishing line, and I’m convinced that we will conclude the negotiations”, affirmed Augusto Santos Silva after the meeting.
The EU had already listed Uzbekistan as a beneficiary of its Generalised Scheme of Preferences in April (see EUROPE 12696/15). It had recognised the efforts made in the judicial sector and in working conditions.
Nevertheless, the EU called on its partner to implement the recommendations that were made by the OSCE election observation mission after the election of its president in October. In general, the EU is encouraging its partner to implement its “really ambitious programme of reforms”.
The 16 November meeting was an opportunity to discuss the issues of governance, the Rule of law, the role of civil society, and the business climate in Uzbekistan once more. Finally, the ministers discussed the situation in Afghanistan, a neighbouring country of Uzbekistan. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)