Central Asia-Europe Relations: A New Chapter with President Tokayev

Strengthening Kazakhstan-Slovenia Partnership

• 💡 Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar's visit to Kazakhstan aimed to expand bilateral partnership, with Slovenia already investing nearly $200 million US and 19 companies operating in Kazakhstan.
• 🎯 Both nations committed to new projects in mining, green energy, nuclear industry, digitalization, innovation, healthcare, and tourism, emphasizing the need for an active intergovernmental commission and business council.
• 🧠 Slovenia offers significant expertise in AI, IT, biomedicine, and bioinformatics, with the Joseph Stefan Institute being a leading research institution, fostering joint research and academic mobility.

Kazakhstan's Role as a Eurasian Hub

• 🚀 Kazakhstan, as the largest economy in Central Asia, achieved 4.8% economic growth in 2024 and aims to be a leading trade and logistics hub of Eurasia.
• 📈 The country provides direct access to a market of 1.5 billion consumers across the Eurasian Economic Union, Central Asia, and China, handling 90% of overland trade between Europe and China.
• ✅ Kazakhstan is a reliable supplier of hydrocarbons to Europe, accounting for about 13% of the EU's total oil imports, primarily through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.

EU-Central Asia Summit and Economic Ties

• 🤝 The first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand focused on deepening cooperation in energy, infrastructure, logistics, and AI, with the EU being Kazakhstan's largest trade and investment partner.
• 💰 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to invest €2 billion in green transition programs in Kazakhstan, in addition to existing financing for 25 projects.
• 📊 The EU announced a €12 billion Global Gateway investment package to support projects in energy, logistics, and technology, aiming for a strategic partnership between the regions.

Addressing Climate Change and Green Transition

• ⚠️ Central Asia faces severe climate change impacts, with temperatures rising twice the global average, leading to melting glaciers, desertification, and a 30% decline in water availability per capita over 20 years.
• 🌱 Kazakhstan highlights its huge potential in green energy transition and calls for international support in water-saving technologies, smart irrigation, and hydrological monitoring.
• 🌍 The country is establishing an International Biodiversity Fund and aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, requiring significant international investment to cover estimated costs of $600 billion.