Name: EU–Central Asia cooperation expands as Síkela visit seals major deals
Uploaded: 2025-12-09T08:57:55.720Z
Duration: 1 min 40 s
Description: European Commissioner Jozef Síkela has concluded a visit to Central Asia, securing major agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy. The deals focus on connectivity, energy, and sustainable development.

European Commissioner Jozef Síkela has concluded a visit to Central Asia, securing major agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy. The deals focus on connectivity, energy, and sustainable development.

Budapest

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela visited five Central Asian countries to promote the European Union's Global Gateway Strategy, which aims to mobilize 300 billion euro in investments worldwide. The visit focused on strengthening cooperation in transport, critical raw materials, digital connectivity, and sustainable energy.

During the trip, Sikela witnessed the signing of a 200 million euro loan agreement in Kazakhstan and facilitated additional agreements in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Discussions also addressed the Trans-Caspian transport corridor and preparations for the first EU-Central Asia summit, scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan in April.

EU–Central Asia cooperation expands as Síkela visit seals major deals

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikula visited five Central Asian countries as part of the European Union's effort to deepen its cooperation with Central Asia. His main goal to advance the Global Gateway Strategy, an initiative aimed at mobilizing 300 billion euro of investments globally. In Central Asia it focuses on four key areas, transport, critical raw materials, digital connectivity and sustainable energy. There is a huge untapped potential. We already have a pretty good base. We want to not only increase our presence but we want to contribute to the economic development of the whole region. Commissioner Sikula's visit was also marked by the signing of multiple contracts. In Kazakhstan he witnessed the signing of a 200 million euro framework loan agreement between the European Investment Bank and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan. And this visit in the region should basically not only underline the importance of the region and the importance of the European and Central Asia connections but this is also about concrete things like today's signature of two major agreements. In Turkmenistan discussion centered on the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, a key trade route linking Central Asia and Europe. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan focused on expanding hydropower and renewable energy while Uzbekistan signed two major agreements to improve connectivity especially in rural areas. Beyond economic ties the purpose of Sikula's visit was also to discuss the preparation of the first EU-Central Asia summit which will take place in Uzbekistan in April.

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