EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting to be Held in Ashgabat
Ashgabat, The Gulf Observer: A ministerial meeting of representatives from the European Union and Central Asian countries will take place in Ashgabat on March 4, 2025, marking a significant step in the lead-up to the first EU-Central Asia summit. The summit, scheduled for April 3-4, 2025, in Samarkand, will be held under the presidency of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to Turkmenistan’s official media.
The meeting in Ashgabat will bring together leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the EU, represented by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The summit will provide a platform to strengthen EU engagement with Central Asia, focusing on key areas such as security, economic cooperation, transport, digitalization, energy, and strategic raw materials.
Turkmenistan plays an active role in collaboration with the EU across political-diplomatic, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres. Within the Central Asia – European Union framework, Turkmenistan is involved in projects in transport, ecology, energy, and education.
In 2025, Ashgabat will host several other important international events aimed at advancing political and economic relations with the European Union. These include the Interparliamentary Dialogue, the 20th meeting of foreign ministers from Central Asian countries and the EU, and a visit from European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen to Turkmenistan.
