President of the European Council Charles Michel was in Cholpon-Ata on June 3, a resort town in Kyrgyzstan as part of the second European Union-Central Asia Summit to strengthen ties between the block and the region, especially in trade, security and climate change prevention.
Michel said that the EU supports the region’s efforts for green transaction and started funding a new EU programme, the Support to Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia that should help European companies entering the region in clean energy transition and decarbonisation projects.
The Council President was speaking next to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Nurmuhammet Amannepesov.
Another aspect that Michel emphasized was security cooperation. He expressed satisfaction at progresses made by regional initiatives like the Central Asia Drug Action Programme or the Border Management Programme in Central Asia. The two partners are also in active talks over Afghanistan and security threats that can come out of that country.
According to Michel, the EU is “a reliable and predictable partner” for Central Asia and ensured that the block wants to remain close to it in the long run.
