Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 30 September 2020, an international online conference on the topic "Central Asia and the EU: multilateral cooperation to achieve sustainable development of the Eurasian region".

At the event organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan together with the German office of the Konrad Adenauer in Central Asia, was attended by representatives of foreign affairs agencies, heads and leading experts of analytical and research centers of the EU, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

The participants in the dialogue exchanged views on the state and prospects for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the Central Asian countries and the EU in ensuring security and sustainable development of the Eurasian region, enhancing multilateral interaction in the Afghan direction.

Speaking at the conference, A. Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted that today Central Asia is a kind of exemplary model of multilateral cooperation, is turning into a region of opportunities, its investment, tourist attractiveness and economic power are growing.

According to the expert, thanks to multilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, consideration of each other’s interests and mutual benefit, an atmosphere of mutual trust has formed in Central Asia, a systemic dialogue is maintained, and mutually beneficial cooperation is developing. Thus, compared to 2016, the inflow of foreign direct investment to Central Asia increased by 40%, amounting to US$37.6 billion in 2019.The volumes of foreign trade of CA countries with third countries in 2019 increased by 56% and reached US$168 billion The number of tourists visiting the Central Asian countries in 2019 exceeded 18 million. This is 93% more than in 2016. As a result, the volume of the region’s GDP is also growing. In 2019, regional GDP grew by 19.6% compared to 2016 and amounted to US$302.8 billion.

At the same time, referring to the UN forecasts, the expert noted that mutually beneficial cooperation in the region will increase the regional GDP in the next ten years by two times.

As A. Nematov emphasized, against the background of a decrease in production and consumption in all countries of the world, disruption of global production chains, the Central Asian and EU countries need to consolidate efforts to expand trade and economic ties and investment cooperation, strengthen energy and transport interconnection. The geostrategic location at the “junction” of Europe and Asia, the resource and human potential of Central Asia, according to the representative of IISI, makes the region attractive as a key link in global chains of production and supply of competitive goods to the EU markets.

In this regard, he pointed to the timeliness and relevance of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev to create a Regional Center for the Development of Transport and Communication Interconnection under the auspices of the UN. This will create a common platform for the formation of a single, ramified and outwardly integrated transport space in Central Asia, its connection with the Trans-European transport network, which will significantly strengthen the relationship between Asia and Europe.

Speaking with support for multilateral cooperation, the head of the Central Asia unit of the European External Relations Service B. Yaroshevich noted that the European Union welcomes the new dynamics of regional cooperation in Central Asia, is actively restructuring its foreign policy taking into account the new realities in the region. According to him, the adoption of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia and the Strategy for the development of interconnection between Europe and Asia testifies to the firm intention of the European Union to move to the practical implementation of the existing potential of mutually beneficial multilateral cooperation, both in Central Asia and between the European Union and the region.

Authorized representative of the Foundation. Konrad Adenauer on Central Asia R. Heine pointed out that the current stage of interregional interaction between the Central Asian countries and the EU is characterized by a significant strengthening of mutual understanding, the growing intensity of official contacts and the formation of institutional foundations for cooperation. The growing regional rapprochement of the Central Asian states and the improvement of the general climate of political relations in the region play a key role in strengthening these trends.

At the same time, as R. Heine noted, the adoption of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia, the regular nature of the ministerial conference "EU and CA", the increase in the budgets of such programs as "Horizon", "Erasmus", the launch of the "Green Central Asia" initiative show that that the interaction of the CA countries and the EU has reached a higher level of development.

According to the head of the ISMI Center B. Mustafayev, in the context of a pandemic, it is important not only to preserve, but also to increase the results achieved in relations between the CA countries and the EU. First of all, it is necessary to consolidate efforts for the practical and continuous implementation of the new EU strategy for Central Asia.

As B. Mustafayev noted, one of the key directions is to intensify cooperation in the field of combating the negative consequences of global climate change. Central Asia is one of the regions most prone to environmental disasters. Moreover, the most negative consequences are observed in the Aral Sea zone.

The expert drew the attention of the conference participants to the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to adopt a special resolution of the UN General Assembly on declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies. In his opinion, this resolution can become the basis for combining the common efforts of the EU and Central Asia in mitigating the negative consequences of the Aral Sea disaster, which have a transboundary character.

M. Laumulin, Chief Researcher at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, stressed that when implementing the new Strategy in Central Asia, the European Union should take into account those colossal changes in interstate relations in Central Asia that have been taking place in recent years in the spheres of politics, economy and culture. but "do not move on the rolled rails." As promising areas, the Kazakh expert pointed to the attraction of technology and investment in the fields of transport, energy and economy, in which the EU has advanced experience.

According to K. Toktorbaev, a researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies of Kyrgyzstan, by introducing well-known European technologies and "know-how" in Central Asia, Europe can contribute to the disclosure of the trade, economic and investment potential of the region. According to him, Central Asia has not only mineral resources, but also great opportunities for the export of goods with high added value.

According to the leading researcher of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan A. Umarov, against the background of the inter-Afghan negotiations, the solution of socio-economic problems in Afghanistan is becoming the most urgent task. In this regard, the expert called on EU representatives to join the economic, transport, infrastructure and social projects implemented by Uzbekistan in Afghanistan. Joint social and infrastructural programs in the Islamic republic will have a significant impact on improving the socio-economic situation on the ground, will form the social base of the peaceful political process, A. Umarov noted.

In this regard, the expert believes, it is important for the countries of Central Asia and the EU to unite efforts to promote the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev, put forward at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, to create a permanent committee on Afghanistan under the Organization. This, in his words, will be an important step in supporting the continuity and sustainability of the peace process in Afghanistan and the return of the country’s economy to peaceful development.

Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Afghanistan D. Moradian, who is directly involved in the inter-Afghan talks in Doha, noted the significant contribution of the Central Asian countries to the advancement of the peace process in Afghanistan and the restoration of the country’s peaceful economy. According to the expert, the approaches of the Central Asian states and the EU to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan based on the democratic principles of the country’s development meet the interests of the Afghan people and will contribute to ensuring sustainable and long-term peace in Afghanistan.