EU seals new Central Asia partnership deal as debut Samarkand summit ends
The EU has announced a new strategic partnership with countries in Central Asia at the conclusion of a debut summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.
The first EU-Central Asia summit saw European Council president António Costa EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen hold two days of talks with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The summit took place amid a turbulent geopolitical and economic climate, a day after US President Donald Trump announced a raft of global trade tariffs on several countries, including allies like the EU and the UK, rattling markets and drawing criticism from world leaders.
Marking 30 years since diplomatic relations were established, António Costa emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation.
"In today's international context, the importance of a functioning, rules-based multilateral order cannot be overstated. Our meeting today encourages even more European Union Central Asia cooperation in multilateral fora, reinforcing our shared commitment to a peaceful world and prosperous global order," he said.
Costa also addressed common security challenges, pointing out multiple threats, notably terrorism, violent extremism and drug trafficking which risks spilling over into both Central Asia and Europe.
Ursula von der Leyen outlined the potential benefits of stronger ties.
"Your strategic location can open global trade routes and investment flows. And these new investments will enhance sovereignty. They will strengthen your economies. And most importantly, they will make new friendships," she said.
Von der Leyen said that she believes the partnership will lead to new opportunities in sectors such as energy, tourism, trade and transport as she announced a €12 billion investment package for the region.
"This will bring together investments from our European Union and Member States. We call it a Team Europe approach. And it will launch a new pipeline of projects to Central Asia. This is truly the start of a new era in our ancient friendship,” she said.
What is the EU's investment package for?The new package will finance projects in transport (€3 billion), critical raw materials (€2.5 billion), water, energy and climate (€6.4 billion), as well as digital connectivity - some of which have already been greenlit and allocated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Access to clean energy and rare earths is critical for the EU as it seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and boost its autonomy in strategic sectors.
But sizeable shares of the global mining, processing and recycling of some of the critical raw materials, like lithium, that are indispensable to the development of renewable energy, everyday items as well as defence systems, are controlled by China, from which the EU wants to 'decouple' due to its aggressive and protectionist trade and foreign policy practices.
Central Asia holds large deposits, including 38.6% of the world's manganese ore, 30.07% of chromium, 20% of lead, 12.6% of zinc, and 8.7% of titanium.
Customized/OEM/ODM Service
HomSolar Supports Lifepo4 battery pack customization/OEM/ODM service, welcome to contact us and tell us your needs.
HomSolar: Your One-stop LiFePO4 Battery Pack & ESS Solution Manufacturer
Our line of LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries offer a solution to demanding applications that require a lighter weight, longer life, and higher capacity battery. Features include advanced battery management systems (BMS), Bluetooth® communication and active intelligent monitoring.
Customised Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Casing
ABS plastic housing, aluminium housing, stainless steel housing and iron housing are available, and can also be designed and customised according to your needs.
HomSolar Smart BMS
Intelligent Battery Management System for HomSolar Energy Storage System. Bluetooth, temperature sensor, LCD display, CAN interface, UART interface also available.
Terminals & Plugs Can Be Customized
A wide range of terminals and plugs can be customised to suit the application needs of your battery products.
Well-designed Solutions for Energy Storage Systems
We will design the perfect energy storage system solution according to your needs, so that you can easily solve the specific industry applications of battery products.
About Our Battery Cells
Our energy storage system products use brand new grade A LiFePO4 cells with a battery lifespan of more than 4,000 charge/discharge cycles.
Applications in Different Industries
We supply customized & OEM battery pack, assemble cells with wiring, fuse and plastic cover, all the cell wires connected to PCB plug or built BMS.
Applications: E-bike, Electric Scooter, Golf Carts, RV, Electric Wheelchair, Electric Tools, Robot Cleaner, Robot Sweeper, Solar Energy Storage System, Emergency Light, Solar Power Light, Medical Equipment, UPS Backup Power Supply.
We can provide you with customized services. We have the ability to provide a vertical supply chain, from single cells to pack/module and to a complete power solution with BMS, etc.
HomSolar (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd
