European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela is visiting the five countries of Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan) between 12 and 18 March to strengthen cooperation with the region and develop the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy.
This meeting is taking place ahead of the EU-Central Asia Summit in early April (see EUROPE 13578/8) and the Global Gateway Forum in June.
The main areas to be addressed during Mr Síkela’s visit will be transport, in particular developing the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, critical raw materials, digital connectivity and the water, energy and climate sector.
According to a press release, the commissioner is expected to sign “a number of bilateral and regional agreements relating to these four priority areas”.
He will meet with various national authorities and representatives of the private sector and will visit several key sites, including the port of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan, a strategic point for developing the Trans-Caspian transport corridor.
In preparation for the bilateral summit, an EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting with High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas is expected to be rescheduled following its cancellation on 4 March (see EUROPE 13591/17). The EU Special Representative for Central Asia had meanwhile visited Turkmenistan from 4 to 6 March (see EUROPE 13595/14).
A visit to Ashgabat by the European Parliament delegation for relations with Central Asia preceded these meetings in the region, as part of the eighth Turkmenistan-European Union interparliamentary dialogue. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)