EU-Central Asia: 20th Ministerial Meeting Europe Ready to Invest €10 Billion in the Middle Corridor

On March 27, the 20th EU–Central Asia Ministerial Meeting took place in Ashgabat.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, along with the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The European Union and the five Central Asian countries reaffirmed their strong political commitment to strengthening engagement and deepening cooperation. The participants discussed a wide range of issues related to multilateral cooperation in political-diplomatic, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

The European delegation was led by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas.

The parties exchanged views on the development of trade, economic, and investment cooperation, with a special focus on expanding transport and digital connectivity—particularly within the framework of the EU’s “Global Gateway” strategy aimed at achieving digital, energy, and environmental transformations.

The meeting also covered partnerships for the adoption of alternative energy sources and the development of a “green” economy, taking into account Turkmenistan’s initiative to establish a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia, headquartered in Ashgabat.

Additionally, it was announced that European and international financial institutions are ready to invest over €10 billion in the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. This was stated by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas at a press conference in Ashgabat, as reported by Turkmenportal (turkmenportal.com). According to her, the project is a priority.

The ministers acknowledged the success of the Global Gateway Investors Forum, held in Brussels in January 2024, and welcomed the readiness of European and international financial institutions to invest €10 billion in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route—the Middle Corridor. They emphasized the importance of this corridor for enhancing connectivity between Central Asia and Europe, as well as for stimulating regional economic growth.

The discussions also included preparations for the first-ever EU–Central Asia Summit, scheduled for April 4, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The summit will confirm the political commitment to closer strategic cooperation between the two regions at the highest political level.

The participants also reaffirmed the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijan and Georgia for the development of regional trade and logistics.

The ministerial meeting provided an opportunity to assess the implementation of the five key directions of the EU–Central Asia Roadmap for deepening ties between the EU and Central Asia, which was approved in October 2023.

As part of the meeting, a parallel event was organized under the title “International Year of Peace and Trust: Deepening Cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union,” in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolution proclaiming 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust.