BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 3. The EU will launch a new strategic partnership with Central Asia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, Trend reports.
"We are in Samarkand for the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit. Tomorrow, we will launch a new Strategic Partnership with Central Asia. It means we can rely on each other. And in today’s world, this matters more than ever," she wrote in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the first EU-Central Asia summit is kicking off tomorrow in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. President of the European Council António Costa will attend the event along with Ursula von der Leyen.
This summit is part of the EU’s broader efforts to deepen its relations with Central Asia, as outlined in the 2019 EU strategy on Central Asia and the 2023 joint roadmap. These evolving ties have grown in strategic importance, with both sides keen to advance cooperation on a variety of issues.