Central Asian countries embark on strategic pivot towards Europe

Following years of reform and European assistance, the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - are embarking on a strategic pivot towards Europe.

The EU is seeking reliable partners in the current rapidly changing geopolitical reality. This is for political and also economic reasons, such as trade, investment and energy.

On Thursday and Friday, the Uzbek city of Samarkand will host the first-ever high level meeting between the EU and the Central Asian countries.

In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Uzbekistan's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the summit's host, called the gathering a "historic chance" for the region.

He said that over the past seven years, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled and now totals €54 billion.

Over 1,000 companies with European capital are already working in Uzbekistan with a joint investment project portfolio of €30 billion.

Speaking to Euronews, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov described it as "truly a historic moment for Central Asia."

"We've been independent for 34 years. We celebrated this as a new step," he said.

"Where the current world order is being shaken with these great tectonic shifts in geopolitics, we need reliable partners."

A major area of cooperation lies in the ongoing project to create a Green Strategic Corridor through the Caspian and Black Seas to Europe.  

The implementation of this initiative will lay a solid foundation for what both sides are looking for; mutually beneficial energy connectivity.