Samarkand, Uzbekistan – 4 April 2025

At the outset of his address at the Central Asia–European Union Summit, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, for the warm hospitality and excellent organisation of the event. He also extended his appreciation to President of the European Council António Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the Heads of State of Central Asia for their ongoing commitment to strengthening comprehensive cooperation.

The President of Kazakhstan emphasised that, amid rapid geopolitical shifts and global challenges, the expansion of interregional partnerships has become increasingly relevant and strategically vital.

President Tokayev presented his vision for a long-term agenda aimed at deepening cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union.

He underscored the importance of enhancing trade and economic relations, noting that Kazakhstan is prepared to increase exports to the EU across 175 commodity items worth over $2 billion. To support the financing of such projects, he encouraged European businesses to make greater use of the Astana International Financial Centre.

Energy cooperation featured prominently in the President’s remarks.

“Kazakhstan remains a reliable supplier of hydrocarbons to Europe, currently accounting for around 13% of the European Union’s total oil imports—most of which is transported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC).

We greatly value the EU’s support in ensuring the stable and long-term operation of this consortium, while simultaneously advancing alternative transport routes for raw materials.

Kazakhstan is actively developing projects in renewable energy and sustainable fuels, increasing capacity in wind and solar power, and collaborating with long-standing partners—such as Total, Eni, Svevind, and other European companies—on the production of green hydrogen. In partnership with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, we have also launched a large-scale initiative to construct a green energy transmission corridor across the Caspian Sea, with the goal of supplying clean energy to European markets,” the President stated.

He also identified cooperation on rare earth materials as a strategically significant area. Kazakhstan currently produces 19 of the 34 raw materials considered critical for the EU economy, including uranium, titanium, copper, lithium, cobalt, and tungsten. The country, in collaboration with the EBRD, is engaged in projects focused on geological exploration and the adoption of advanced, sustainable mining practices.

In this context, President Tokayev proposed establishing a Regional Centre for Rare Earth Metals Research in Astana. This centre would serve as a key resource for enterprises and investors, providing up-to-date information on deposits, technologies, and development strategies.

The President further argued that, with appropriate infrastructure and coordinated regional action, Central Asia could become a flourishing transit hub facilitating efficient supply chains between East and West. Last year, container traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route rose by 62%, reaching 4.5 million tonnes. The target is to increase this volume to 10 million tonnes by 2027. In this regard, President Tokayev expressed support for the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to enhance sustainable transport connectivity in the region.

Kazakhstan is also advancing major decarbonisation initiatives. The President noted that the country plays a crucial role in global clean energy supply, providing approximately 40% of the world’s nuclear fuel. He highlighted the establishment of a Regional Project Office on Climate Change and Green Energy in Kazakhstan last year.

Turning to digital technology and artificial intelligence, President Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s substantial investments in these fields.

“Earlier this year, we established the International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence under the President. Kazakhstan is implementing a programme to train 100,000 IT specialists and is building a high-tech innovation centre in Astana, Alem.AI, to promote innovation, start-ups, and research.

We have also launched a dedicated Venture Fund to accelerate AI development. Through the Team Europe initiative, the EU has supported regional collaboration in digital technology. Kazakhstan is open to deeper cooperation and knowledge exchange. In this regard, I propose establishing a Central Asia–EU Innovation Campus based at the Astana Hub,” he said.

The President noted that the EU has long been a key partner for Kazakhstan in science and education.

“Our countries work closely through Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and other joint initiatives. The opening of more than 30 branches of foreign universities in Kazakhstan has enhanced access to world-class academic knowledge.

We are eager to expand grant and scholarship programmes—many of which are already being implemented in partnership with EU member states. We propose further development of Erasmus+ for Central Asia, with a focus on training specialists in high-priority areas such as artificial intelligence, water resource management, biotechnology, and more,” the President added.

In his concluding remarks, President Tokayev emphasised the importance of international peace and security as a cornerstone of sustainable development. He reiterated Kazakhstan’s commitment to a balanced foreign policy and its readiness to deepen cooperation with all interested states and international organisations, including the European Union.

Acknowledging increasing global instability, he stressed the need for restraint and responsible action in assessing the complex events shaping the world today. Marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, he called on all countries to uphold the UN Charter and the universally recognised principles of international law, while also expressing support for the efforts of Secretary-General António Guterres.

President Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan’s consistent stance in favour of peaceful conflict resolution:

“Kazakhstan has always advocated for diplomacy and dialogue. We therefore welcome the commencement of negotiations regarding Ukraine and remain hopeful for a positive outcome, despite the evident complexity of the situation,” he said.

He concluded by thanking all participants and European partners for supporting Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish a UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. He noted that this centre would play an important role in promoting the global 2030 Agenda and addressing pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges across the region.

The summit also featured addresses from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President António Costa of the European Council, President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, President Emomali Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan, and President Odile Renaud-Basso of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-pretoria/press/news/details/980483?lang=kk