Name: New agreements signal deepening EU–Central Asia economic ties
Uploaded: 2025-11-28T08:49:52.097Z
Duration: 3 min 5 s
Description: The EU-Central Asia Economic Forum in Tashkent this week delivered new investments and six major deals, boosting cooperation in trade, green energy, and critical minerals.

The EU-Central Asia Economic Forum in Tashkent this week delivered new investments and six major deals, boosting cooperation in trade, green energy, and critical minerals.

Tashkent

The third EU-Central Asia Economic Forum, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, highlighted the growing economic partnership between the European Union and Central Asian countries. The event, attended by EU Commissioners Joseph Sikila and Marta Kos, resulted in new agreements and initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable development, job creation, and increased economic security for both regions.

Key deliverables from the forum included programs supporting geodata, green energy, and border management, as well as renewed investment commitments. Bilateral trade between the EU and Uzbekistan has quadrupled over the past seven years, with the EU remaining Uzbekistan's largest investor. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development allocated significant funding to the region, emphasizing decarbonisation, private sector growth, and economic governance.

New agreements signal deepening EU–Central Asia economic ties

Another step forward in the fast-growing partnership between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia was made during the third EU-Central Asia Economic Forum that took place in Uzbekistan's capital, Tashkent. Following this year's EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, the ministerial meeting in Ashkabad and President Shavkat Merzioev's visit to Brussels, the forum became the latest milestone in a year that has elevated cooperation to a new strategic level. The European delegation was led by EU Commissioners Joseph Sikila and Marta Kos. This event is a precondition for the success of both Europe here in the region, for Central Asia for more business with Europe, and for both basically joint projects which will on one side help to create a sustainable future, to create jobs, to create value chains and more wealth in the region of Central Asia, and on the other side to increase the economic security and resilience for Europe. Among the forum's key deliverables were the Data for CRMA geodata program, the Secure and Grow CRMA initiatives, the RLC afforestation project, and renewal support for the long-running BOMCA and CIDAP programs, strengthening border management and efforts to combat drug trafficking across the region. There were a lot of B2B and G2B projects. I believe that companies have made a lot of investments. These are critical minerals in the field of green energy and pharmaceuticals. We are working towards achieving the highest possible value in Central Asia. Bilateral trade between EU and Uzbekistan has quadrupled over the past seven years, reaching 54 billion euros. The EU remains Uzbekistan's largest investor. In 2024, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development allocated two billion euros to Central Asia, including 805 million euros to Uzbekistan. Our activity in Uzbekistan is really determined by a strategy which hinges really on our engagement in the private sector in particular. But actually there are three pillars to that. There is decarbonisation, so green transition, private sector development with a strong focus on inclusion and creation of jobs, and economic governance. EU and Central Asia Economic Partnership stands at a pivotal juncture. From the discussions on strengthening regional connectivity to exploring sustainable investment opportunities, it's evident that both regions have an incredible opportunity to shape the future of trade, innovation and development. Sarna Zarachman-Golova, Euronews, Tashkent.

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