Cooperation between Central Asia and Germany is entering a new stage, with a growing focus on sustainable development, connectivity and regional integration. This was highlighted during the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the “Central Asia – Germany” format, which was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Arman Issetov, DKNews.kz reports.
The meeting brought together senior representatives from the foreign ministries of Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, underscoring the importance of this dialogue platform for both the region and Europe.
Key areas on the agenda
During the meeting, participants held substantive discussions on the current state of regional cooperation and its future prospects. The talks focused on several strategic areas:
- trade and economic cooperation,
- transport and logistics connectivity,
- environmental and climate issues,
- humanitarian cooperation.
These sectors are increasingly seen as critical for Central Asia’s long-term development and its integration into global economic and transport networks.
Cooperation reaches a new level
In his remarks, Arman Issetov noted that relations between Central Asian countries and Germany have significantly intensified in recent years.
“In recent years, cooperation between the Central Asian countries and Germany has reached a new level,” the Deputy Foreign Minister said.
According to him, the parties have now identified priority sectors for launching new cooperation initiatives, particularly in the areas of sustainable development and enhanced regional connectivity.
Germany is viewed by many in the region as a key European partner, offering expertise in green technologies, infrastructure development, transport solutions and environmental policy.
Why this format matters
Experts note that the “Central Asia – Germany” format allows regional countries to engage with Berlin not individually, but as a coordinated regional group. This approach strengthens Central Asia’s position in dialogue with European partners and opens the door to larger, cross-border projects.
For Kazakhstan, participation in this format aligns with its broader foreign policy goal of promoting regional cooperation while strengthening ties with the European Union and its leading economies.
Dialogue to continue
At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants agreed to maintain working contacts on all relevant issues, signaling that discussions will continue at both political and expert levels.
The meeting once again confirmed that the “Central Asia – Germany” platform is evolving from a dialogue forum into a practical mechanism for advancing concrete cooperation initiatives between the region and one of Europe’s key partners.
