EUSR`s Opening Speech at the Second Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia

Esteemed Ministers, 

Distinguished Representatives,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honor to address you today and there is no more fitting venue to discuss interregional connectivity than here in Uzbekistan, which once stood at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. 

Uzbekistan, and Central Asia as a region have, for centuries, functioned as a vital bridge for trade, culture, and religion, linking different worlds.

I am pleased to note that today this region is once again emerging as a key crossing point of trade routes.

Allow me to underline the great importance the European Union attaches to the issue of connectivity between Europe and Central Asia. 

In a world where the geopolitical order is evolving rapidly, and where multilateralism and peace are being tested by growing fragmentation, the exploitation of vulnerabilities, and the spread of conflicts, Europe must rely on trustworthy and diversified partnerships to enhance resilience and safeguard economic security.

The EU’s international investment strategy, called Global Gateway, strengthens regional and subregional integration by fostering sustainable infrastructure and human connections. In South Asia and Central Asia, Global Gateway acts as a catalyst for economic resilience, climate adaptation, and people-centred development, aligning with local priorities.

In this regard, the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor is a regional flagship initiative under the Global Gateway strategy. 

It aims at establishing a modern, competitive, and efficient route connecting Europe and Asia in no more than 15 days.     

 At the Global Gateway Investors Forum in January 2024 on EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity (attended by some 600 government and private-sector representatives from Central Asia, EU Member States, international financial institutions (IFIs)), participants announced a collective commitment of 10 billion EUR to support sustainable transport connectivity investments along the Middle Corridor. 

One quarter of this amount had already been invested by November 2025, when the TCTC and Connectivity Investors Forum took place here in Tashkent, in the presence of Commissioners Sikela and Kos.

To effectively advance the connectivity agenda with Central Asia, we have committed to a 360-degree approach, combing hard and soft infrastructure to ensure that investments are supported by an enabling environment. 

As an example of the hard infrastructure component, I would like to recall the rehabilitation of the Nukus highway with the support of the EIB and Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as modernisation of the Aktau Port – a joint project of the EU and the EBRD.

From the European perspective, the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor is a perfect link to the wider connectivity agenda in the region. The EU’s investment in the TCTC is directly benefiting landlocked Central Asian states, while offering also South Asian countries alternative access to European markets.

Alconnectivity is not merely about transportation and trade route. Its significance extends beyond commerce, serving as an instrument of sustainable development. 

For that reason, the EU is very much focused on supporting the Rogun and Kambarata Hydropower plants, as a part of the Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate. This initiative was officially launched in 2022 to support climate resilience, cooperation, and a just energy transition in the region.

Now, allow me to come back to our ancient Silk Road. 

Peoples along the Silk Road spoke panoply of languages and dialects yet they were able to understand each other since they shared a common goal to create prosperity.

This convinces me that here, similar to our ancestors, we can find a shared language to foster meaningful discussions on connectivity and the development of new interregional routes.

Let this Dialogue be based on the language of inclusion, common understanding and respect. 

I wish you all fruitful discussions. 

Thank you.