22 November 2023. 

Excellences, Deputy ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, 

I am pleased that today we take stock of the DARYA program and gain new impetus to implement our joint vision for an inclusive and quality education.

I thank the European Training Foundation for organising this High-Level Group meeting, providing a platform for the stakeholders to engage and also give this project a political momentum. EU values our strong and successful cooperation with ETF to enhance strategic impact of EU’s action in the region for the benefit of our partner countries.  

I am glad that amid the geopolitical challenges, we have been able to raise the frequency and level of our engagement and strengthened the cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union across a number of topics.

Our mutual interest to cooperate was also clearly visible during the first EU-Central Asia Ministerial in the presence of the 27 Foreign Ministers of our Member States and Central Asian Foreign Ministers in Luxemburg on 23 October.  We are also on the way to organise first full-fledged EU-Central Asia Summit next year.

Turning to today’s event:

We have a strong cooperation on education, which is one of the European Union’s priority areas in the region and a central pillar for future developments, especially considering Central Asia’s young and vibrantly growing societies.

The EU’s commitment was incorporated in 2019 Strategy and is reinforced in the Joint Roadmap of deepening Ties between the EU and Central Asia adopted at the recent Ministerial. Through joint initiatives we not only share educational best practices and enhance academic mobility, but also cultivate a diverse and skilled workforce capable of navigating global challenges.

In this process, national ownership and leadership of modernization and reform in the individual countries is a crucial prerequisite of success and I am glad that over the years national education systems in Central Asia are undergoing reform process, and education has been streamlined in the national development strategies and plans.

The EU has committed itself to build capacity of Central Asian countries to offer modern and inclusive curricula that respond to the needs of the labour market and contribute to the promotion of the values of democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms, intercultural dialogue as well as to people-to-people contacts. We use several instruments to support these aims:

• the international dimension of Erasmus+,
• two bilateral programs on education in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan,
• as well as budget support for education to the Kyrgyz Republic,
• and budget support in Tajikistan to advance vocational education and training.
• This is further complemented by bilateral EU Member State involvement,
• and also regionally now, with DARYA project.

With these and other activities, the EU actively contributes to strengthening the overall resilience of the Central Asian countries and helping to address such cross-cutting challenges as unemployment, radicalisation, migration, and also to combat gender stereotypes and supporting girls to take up non-traditional pathways of education and jobs.

We also consider education as part of our response to other societal and global challenges – namely the digital and green transition, two further EU priorities. Hearing young voices, including in policy choices and empowering youth to become active is important.

DARYA is a unique, regional project which focuses on the youth of all five Central Asian counties, and supports inclusive teaching and learning, and developing labour market relevant skills. It is highly relevant bearing in mind that Central Asian population is among the youngest in the world.

And as EU – Central Asia cooperation is focusing more on trade, infrastructure investment, economic empowerment, I think it is safe to say that developing the quality and inclusiveness of education gives Central Asia an opportunity to unleash the significant potentials of its young and growing societies, also allowing the developments of new industries and markets.

Dear all, I wish I could be present with you today and I wish you fruitful two days of discussions!