OSCE Permanent Council No. 1517 Vienna, 10 April 2025

1. The European Union welcomes the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit, held on 4 April in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and the strong political will expressed at the highest level to deepen inter-regional political dialogue and cooperation with the five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In this regard, we express our gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan for successfully hosting the Summit.

2. The EU was represented by the European Council President, António Costa, and the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. The EU is committed to deepening cooperation with Central Asia, in an evolving global and regional geopolitical landscape, in line with the 2019 EU Strategy on Central Asia and the 2023 Joint Roadmap for Deepening Ties between the EU and Central Asia. In this regard, we welcome the progress achieved and the agreement to upgrade relations between the European Union and Central Asia to a strategic partnership, as highlighted in the Joint Declaration following the Summit. 

3. The EU-Central Asia Summit served as a key opportunity to set the strategic orientation, and agree on the way forward for closer cooperation, and present concrete actions that illustrate the mutual commitment between the two regions to:

   i) strengthen multilateral cooperation to address global and regional challenges; 

   ii) deepen cooperation to address common security challenges; 

   iii) enhance economic ties, trade and investments; 

   iv) engage on energy, climate-neutral economy, and connectivity under the Global Gateway, and cooperate on the European Green Deal, as well as 

   v) strengthen people-to-people contacts and mobility. 

4. We also welcome the shared commitment expressed in the Joint Declaration to regional and global stability, particularly concerning Afghanistan and Ukraine, and to the promotion and protection of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. We emphasise the importance of achieving, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, while upholding the OSCE principles. 

5. Moreover, during the Summit, efforts towards strengthening economic ties and sustainable transport connectivity, through initiatives under the Global Gateway Strategy and progress on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, were highlighted. In this regard, the EU launched a €12 billion investment package aimed at strengthening transport links and deepening cooperation on critical raw materials, digital connectivity, water, and energy. 

6. To boost cooperation on energy and the green transition, the Summit underscored the shared EU-Central Asia commitment to sustainable value chains for critical raw materials, including the increasing involvement of the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in projects related to energy, water management, connectivity, transport and critical raw materials in the region. We also welcome the agreement at the Summit to step up joint actions in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.  

7. In this context, Presidents Costa and von der Leyen also participated in the Samarkand International Climate Forum, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to addressing regional and global threats posed by climate change and cooperating on the green transition and sustainable development.

8. In conclusion, we look forward to continued engagement with our Central Asian partners, building a future based on mutual, long-lasting benefits, and shared prosperity. The EU remains a reliable, forward-looking partner for Central Asia.

Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.