António Costa visits Uzbekistan ahead of historic EU-Central Asia Summit
Local
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02 April 4914
António Costa, President of the European Council, has arrived in Uzbekistan to participate in the first “Central Asia – European Union” summit, which is scheduled to take place in the city of Samarkand on April 3–4. This was announced by Bekzod Hidoyatov, Press Secretary to Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister.
Today, April 2, António Costa arrived in Uzbekistan to take part in the summit chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The high-ranking guest was welcomed at Samarkand International Airport by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov of Uzbekistan and other officials. Following a brief exchange, Costa departed for his next destination by the program of his visit.
The first-ever summit between the European Union and Central Asia will be held on April 3–4 in Samarkand, chaired by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan will also be in attendance. Additionally, the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Center will host the inaugural Samarkand Climate Forum on April 4–5. Participants will include leaders from Central Asian nations, representatives of the EU, the UN, international financial institutions, and prominent environmental organizations.
During the summit, the European Union is expected to reaffirm its commitment to expanding cooperation in mutually beneficial areas, including transport and digital connectivity, critical raw materials, economic and security partnerships, and the energy transition.
In preparation for the summit, temporary road closures into Samarkand were announced. Furthermore, a short academic break from April 1–5 has been granted to select universities in the city.
