On 27th March, 20th Ministerial meeting held in Ashgabat, and chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, that is participated the Foreign Ministers of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
The European Union and the five Central Asian countries reaffirmed their strong political commitment to strengthening engagement and deepening cooperation during the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting.
The Ministerial meeting was an opportunity to assess the implementation of the five key areas of the EU-Central Asia Roadmap for Deepening Ties between the EU and Central Asia that endorsed in October 2023.
Participants reaffirmed the EU’s and Central Asian countries’ determination to uphold the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of international law, particularly the respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States.
The importance of deeper cooperation in addressing common security challenges, and regional security concerns such as developments in Afghanistan were discussed.
Preparations for the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit, on 4 April 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan were also discussed. The Summit will confirm the political resolve for closer strategic cooperation between the two regions at the highest political level.
During her visit, HR/VP Kallas met with President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and held discussions focusing on strengthening cooperation in areas such as energy, connectivity, sustainable development, and education. She also addressed the regional security situation, emphasizing the importance of defending international law and the territorial integrity of countries while advocating for solutions through dialogue and negotiations. In his turn, President Berdimuhamedov confirmed his participation in the upcoming European Union–Central Asia Summit. Additionally, HR/VP Kallas met with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov to summarize the discussions at the Ministerial meeting, explore future cooperation, and advance preparations for the Samarkand Summit.
