The first EU-Central Asia Summit, held in Samarkand on 4 April, marked a further political upgrade in relations between the European Union and the five republics of Central Asia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa engaged with the political leadership of the Central Asian states with the aim of strengthening cooperation and establishing a strategic partnership. This partnership seeks to deliver mutual benefits through a shared commitment to maintaining peace and security and promoting sustainable development (EU Commission, 1st European Union Central Asia Summit, EU Press Release, April 4, 2025).
Diversification has emerged as a central priority, laying the groundwork for enhanced bilateral cooperation. Central Asian countries are actively pursuing new export routes and fostering partnership with additional international actors, with the objective of attracting investment to develop infrastructure and exploit critical mineral reserves. Currently, diversification constitutes a key strategic objective for the EU as well, particularly in collaboration with Central Asian republics in the energy sector and infrastructure connectivity. This includes the promotion of alternative supply chains for critical raw materials (CRMs) independent of Chinese control, and the development of east-west transport corridors that bypass Russian territory.
During the summit, representatives of EU and Central Asia discussed the key priorities shaping their bilateral relationship, including connectivity, CRMs, trade and investment, climate change, water, transport, and energy. In this context, the Council and the European Commission announced a €12 billion assistance package, under the Global Gateway initiative, to support infrastructure and development projects across the region. Cooperation in the field of CRMs and rare earths currently constitutes a strategic objective for the EU. Brussels aims to support Central Asian efforts to harness the region’s considerable mineral potential, with the dual goal of becoming the primary market for these resources and meeting the benchmarks set out in the EU Critical Raw Mineral Act (2023), particularly the objective of reducing dependence on supply chains dominated by China.
This prospective role for Central Asia has gained further legitimacy following a major announcement by the Kazakh government during the summit regarding the discovery of new mineral deposits exceeding 20 million tonnes. Should these estimates be confirmed, Kazakhstan could possess the world’s third-largest reserves of rare earth elements, strategic minerals essentials for manufacturing components used in both advanced technological devices and green technologies, such as electric vehicle batteries, lasers, and catalytic converters (Kazakhstan makes bombshell announcement in advance of Central Asia-European Union summit, Eurasianet, April 3, 2025).
In the area of connectivity, the shared EU-Central Asia priority centres on the implementation of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, also known as the Middle Corridor, which aims to establish an alternative east-west trade route that traverses the entirety of Central Asian territory, thereby avoiding transit through Russian and operating in cooperation with Azerbaijan. Recent declarations by Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in support of the corridor’s development have been positively received by the EU, further reinforcing Kazakhstan’s existing commitment, which currently constitutes the most viable pathway for linking the eastern and western shores of the Caspian Sea.
The summit also provided an opportunity for bilateral meetings between EU representatives and the presidents of Central Asian states. During these discussions, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reiterated his country’s intention to sign the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with the EU, an instrument designed to strengthen bilateral ties and so far, signed only by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. He also announced the forthcoming opening of a European Investment Bank (EIB) regional office in Tashkent, which is expected to serve as a catalyst for investments in infrastructure and green economy projects (President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, A regional office of the European Investment Bank to open in Uzbekistan, April 3, 2025).
The first EU-Central Asia Summit provided a renewed opportunity to deepen an increasingly promising dialogue between the two sides, offering meaningful prospects for future cooperation. Given that nearly half of the EU’s Investment Package is earmarked for projects related to CRMs and connectivity, the European priorities are clearly delineated, and they closely align with the strategic objectives articulated by the Central Asian presidents.
Nevertheless, both the EU and the Central Asian states must remain mindful of China’s predominant role in the region, particularly in the realms of trade, investment in connectivity infrastructure, and the mineral extraction sector. In this context, a cooperative approach involving Beijing may yield more constructive outcomes than a stance based on open competition.
