The European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell concluded an official visit to Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic on Aug. 1-3.
Borrell had high level talks in Kazakhstan, including with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and senior officials in the Kyrgyz Republic, in what was an “important opportunity to confirm, in a challenging geopolitical context, the EU’s commitment to further developing relations with both countries, as well as with the whole region of Central Asia,” according to an official statement.
According to Filippo Costa Buranelli, an associate professor in international relations at the University of St. Andrews, EU and Central Asia boast promising opportunities in the fields of economy, energy, tourism, and education.
“Yet, the EU needs to realize that there is increased competition in the region, that the agency and capacity of the Central Asian states to choose their partners has increased over the years, and that the EU values and standards are attractive for the region but there must be reciprocity, respect, and recognition of diversity and needs,” said Costa Buranelli.
EU – Central Asia relations
The professor noted a “marked phase of recalibration” in the EU strategy towards Central Asia.
“Notably, Borrell’s visits to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are particularly interesting, as these two countries have been in the spotlight in terms of secondary sanctions related to the war in Ukraine,” he added.
Relations between the EU and Central Asia have seen some progress in recent years. In January, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU strategy for Central Asia, which aimed to revise the bloc’s approach to the region based on the recommendations from the report prepared by the Committee for Foreign Affairs (AFET).
The Parliament highlighted the increased geostrategic significance and potential for partnership between the EU and Central Asia, particularly in light of recent geopolitical events. Economically, areas such as connectivity, security, climate change, energy, and critical materials present opportunities for alignment, with Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (EPCA) playing a crucial role.
Kazakhstan so far remains the only country in Central Asia to have signed EPCA with the EU, which envisages wide-ranging cooperation in 29 areas. Preparations for ECPAs are ongoing with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan remains the only Central Asian country without a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in place.
In 2022 and 2023, the Central Asian leaders and the President of the European Council held their first-ever high-level meetings, which led to the development of a joint roadmap to deepen ties between the EU and Central Asia.
The inaugural EU-Central Asia leaders’ summit is scheduled for 2024, aiming to formalize cooperation at the highest political level and align the EU’s political influence in the region with its role as a major donor and investor.