The President of Uzbekistan proposed signing a full-fledged agreement on partnership and cooperation between the two regions at the Central Asian-EU summit. He also expressed interest in working with the EU on critical raw materials, but the process is hampered by the lack of effective transport corridors.

At the Central Asia-European Union summit, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke about the transformation of relations and integration in Central Asia.

“Trust and good neighborliness are strengthening between the countries of the region, full-scale cooperation and collaboration are expanding. Even 7-8 years ago, there were no prerequisites for this, the borders between individual countries were closed, there was no trade, no transit, no business, no humanitarian exchanges, relations were simply frozen. No one could have imagined then that in the very near future we would represent the region together in negotiations with European leaders,” said the President of Uzbekistan.

He stressed that it was the openness of Central Asia and its readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation with all partners that became the condition for ensuring the security and prosperity of the region.

“In September of this year, we will hold the seventh consultative meeting of the heads of state of our region in Tashkent, where we will openly and constructively resolve all the pressing issues on the joint agenda,” the President of Uzbekistan announced.

He also recalled the historic event that took place the other day – the full settlement and signing of an agreement on the delimitation of the state border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

“We are implementing large investment and infrastructure projects in the region together. At the same time, joint investment funds and companies operate to support such projects. Intraregional trade is increasing. Border trade zones are being created for these purposes. All this contributes to the sustainable economic development of our countries and the region as a whole,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

EBRD experts predict regional GDP growth this year of up to 6%, which, as the president noted, is significantly higher than the average figures in other regions.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev also noted the joint work on the formation of a common regional identity, as well as support for cultural, humanitarian and educational exchange.

“We are opening branches of leading national educational institutions in our countries and promoting the project of a single Central Asian visa for foreign tourists,” he recalled.

The President also emphasized that in recent years there has been a noticeable increase in the region’s interaction with the European Union. Over seven years, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the European Union has increased several times, amounting to 54 billion euros. Cooperation platforms have been launched, ministerial meetings, forums and conferences are held regularly.

“At the same time, we believe that the current meeting should become the starting point for a new stage in the development of multifaceted relations,” the head of state said.

The President of Uzbekistan presented his vision of the priorities of joint work with the EU and, among other things, noted

Investing in Green Energy and Environmental Sustainability

“Uzbekistan fully supports the international project to supply electricity from the Central Asian region to Europe. On the eve of the summit, we ratified the relevant agreements on the implementation of this project,” the head of state said.

Uzbekistan, he noted, plans to increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy balance to 54% by 2030 and introduce 24 thousand MW of green capacity.

“The launch of the Central Asia-EU partnership on clean energy could become an important platform for interaction. To work out the financing of projects and the development of the carbon credit market, we propose establishing a working group at the level of heads of relevant ministries,” he said.

https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2025/04/04/uzbekistan-eu/