ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 15. The 20th ministerial meeting between representatives of the EU and Central Asia will take place in Ashgabat on March 4, Trend reports, citing Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The preparatory meeting will focus on preparations for the first EU–Central Asia Summit.
The summit is scheduled for April 3–4, 2025, in Samarkand under the chairmanship of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, with leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in attendance. The EU will be represented by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"The first EU–Central Asia summit will confirm our commitment to working together for stability, security, and sustainable development, in full compliance with international law," said António Costa in this regard. In such a way, the main areas of expanding cooperation include security, the economy, transport, digital connectivity, energy, and strategic raw materials.
At a press conference on January 24, 2025, reviewing the outcomes of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the EU in 2024 and outlining prospects for joint activities in 2025, officials noted that Turkmenistan places great importance on political-diplomatic, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian cooperation with the EU.
The EU is the second-largest trading partner of the region and the largest investor, accounting for more than 40% of all investments in Central Asia. But in reality, the EU still does not cooperate with Turkmenistan in lots of areas and the vivid example is the fact that the EU has agreed on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (EPCA) with all Central Asian countries except Turkmenistan.