Experts and diplomats in Brussels discuss Kazakhstan’s role in developing cooperation in EU-Central Asia Format
The current state and prospects for strengthening the cooperation between Central Asia and European Union and Kazakhstan’s contribution to this engagement was discussed in the EU headquarters, El.kz cites MFA.
The conference titled “How the European Union is advancing its agenda in Central Asia – Kazakhstan’s role in interregional cooperation” was organized by a leading local news agency “EURACTIV” to respond to the growing interest of the European institutions and expert community in Brussels to Central Asia to address common energy, transport and logistics and climate challenges.
Director for Middle East, Asia and Pacific of DG INTPA at European Commission Peteris Ustubs, Director of the European Institute for Asian Studies Lin Goethals, Secretary-General of the EUROUZ Oybek Shaykhov, Associate Professor and co-coordinator of the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies of the Ghent University Fabienne Bossuyt and Deputy Head of the Mission of Kazakhstan to the European Union Timur Sultangozhin spoke at the event.
Georgi Gotev, moderator of the discussion and senior correspondent of EURACTIV, began the debate by sharing his impressions of the Astana International Forum of June 8-9, 2023. He emphasized the concern expressed by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev about the 2C warming and climate change in Central Asia, which would have dire consequences for the environment in the region. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of joint efforts.
Participants stated that recently the countries of Central Asia and the EU have noticeably intensified interaction in a number of directions, which is also reflected in the positive dynamics of political dialogue at the highest and high level.
Director Ustubs noted the complex, “multi-layered” character of EU-Central Asia relations, covering issues of transport, “green” and energy connectivity, as well as the positive role of regional cooperation and the demand for innovative approaches and technologies to address the challenges facing the region. According to the speaker, the dynamic cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan in the development of critical raw materials, as well as the announced launch of consultations on EU visa facilitation for Kazakhstanis, open up opportunities to expand dialogue with the rest of Central Asia.
The EU, like other major partners in the region, has its own legitimate interests in Central Asia, and they should be promoted in balance with the position of the region’s countries, says Goethals. In the context of the important topic of climate change for Europe as well, she pointed out Kazakhstan’s declared commitment to achieve by 2030 the 15-percent target of renewable energy in the country’s energy balance which opens up the potential for cooperation under different EU strategies, including “Global Gateway”.
According to Bossuyt, the Central Asian countries protect their interests pragmatically in their relations with external powers and the development of cooperation with the EU has an important place in their foreign policy. In order to realize the potential for multidimensional cooperation, she urged the EU to consider ways of further rapprochement with the countries of the region. For example, visa liberalization would be a breakthrough in relations, says the speaker.
Secretary-General Shoikhov emphasized the importance of the active involvement of private business in the development of cooperation between the EU and Central Asia, which would help add a practical dimension to the political dialogue of the format.
“Kazakhstan is actively developing the transport infrastructure of the Trans-Caspian route and is working to increase exports of finished products to the EU. The results of this work have a favourable impact on the promotion of interregional partnership and its further expansion”, Sultangozhin says.
He stressed the importance of effective promotion of human contacts between the EU and Central Asian countries through the development of joint educational and scientific programs and facilitation of visa regime for mutual travel. According to him, the principle “less barriers, more access” should contribute to strengthening technological cooperation and expanding the contribution of small and medium businesses to trade and investment exchange between the EU and the region.
Overall, according to the participants of the conference, it allowed for a meaningful discussion of a number of important areas of cooperation between the EU and Central Asian countries, as well as the prospects for their further implementation in the context of current regional and geopolitical trends.
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