Roundtable: EU-Central Asia Strategy in a New Geopolitical Environment: Is There a Need For an Update?

By the end of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU in June 2024, it will be five years since the EU launched a new strategy for Central Asia. Since then, fundamental changes have taken place with NATO’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover, and Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. These events have significantly changed the security and geopolitical situation in Central Asia. Both the EU – including the EU member states – and the Central Asian countries have expressed a clear interest in further strengthening and deepening the partnership between the EU and Central Asian countries, in areas like connectivity and resources.

During the two sessions, participants assessed the implementation of the 2019 EU strategy and discussed potential updates. They explored the impact of recent geopolitical shifts on EU-Central Asia relations, identified new opportunities for deepening the partnership, and examined the limitations of the relationship. The discussion also focused on areas where the 2019 strategy may need revisions or enhancements.

Programme:

PANEL 1: TAKING STOCK OF THE 2019 STRATEGY: ASSESSING ITS SUCCESSES AND FAILURES

• Sarah Rinaldi European Commission
• Jos Boonstra, Centre for European Security Studies / EUCAM
• Oybek Shaykhov, The Europe-Uzbekistan Association for Economic Cooperation
• Zhanibek Arynov, Nazarbayev University
• Chair: Fabienne Bossuyt, Ghent University

PANEL 2: IDENTIFYING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT FOR EU-CENTRAL ASIA RELATIONS

• Dietmar Krissler, European External Action Service
• Nargiza Muratalieva, American University of Central Asia
• Temur Umarov, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
• Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, European Neighbourhood Council
• Chair: Stefan Meister, German Council on Foreign Relations