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By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Issues of regional cooperation and the elimination of security challenges, integration, investment attraction and sustainable development of the Central Asian region were discussed on November 26.

In Brussels, a meeting was held between the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Central Asian countries and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

During the meeting, the meeting participants discussed a wide range of issues, including the preparation of a new EU Strategy for Central Asia.

The parties spoke in favor of developing partnerships on climate change mitigation, environmental protection and water management.

The ministers stressed the need to continue mutually beneficial cooperation of the countries of the region with the EU in order to strengthen the economic, transit, transport, agricultural and energy potential of the countries of Central Asia, improve the investment climate, ensure sustainable development of the region, effectively manage borders, expand human potential and support small and medium-sized businesses.

Following the meeting, the ministers adopted a joint communique.

The process of building diplomatic relations between the EU and the states of Central Asia began in 1991. The political and legal basis for relations between the EU and the countries of Central Asia was laid on December 31, 1991, when the EU, in a joint statement, recognized the newly independent countries that appeared on the political map of the world.

The EU-Central Asia relations are being developed under the EU strategy for Central Asia, signed in 2007 and reviewed in 2015.

Regional programs within the strategy are effective in the field of stability and security, sustainable economic development and poverty reduction, as well as regional cooperation both within the region and between the EU and Central Asia.

Countries of Central Asia have become significant partners of the EU. Ten years after the adoption of the Central Asia strategy, and more than 25 years after the five countries became independent, the progress achieved in developing the EU's relations with Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as with the Central Asian region as a whole.

Among priority directions of cooperation between the EU and five countries of Central Asia are energy and water resources, transportation, small and medium businesses, border management and fight against drugs, education and science, as well as environmental protection.

Since 2007, the EU has allocated more than one billion euros for the implementation of various regional programs and projects in concrete countries.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

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