On Saturday July 6 and Sunday July 7, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, will travel to Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, according to the EU Delegation to Tajikistan.
The primary focus of the visit is the 15th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting, to take place in Bishkek on July 7, providing an opportunity to present and discuss the implementation of the new EU Strategy on Central Asia, which was adopted by the Commission on 15 May and the Foreign Affairs Council on June 17.
This new Strategy, updating the first EU strategy on Central Asia of 2007, reflects the new dynamics that have developed in the region in recent years, the new momentum in regional cooperation, and the fast development of initiatives aiming to connect Europe and Asia across the region.
Ahead of the Ministerial Meeting, on July 6, Federica Mogherini will travel to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where she will meet with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and sign the establishment agreement of an EU Delegation in Turkmenistan. Europe by Satellite will provide coverage of the joint press conference that follows the signature. She will also meet with Gulshat Mammedova, the Speaker of the Mejlis.
In Bishkek, the High Representative/Vice-President will meet with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Together with Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Federica Mogherini will witness the initialing of a new EU-Kyrgyzstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement before holding a joint press conference. She will deliver the closing remarks at the first-ever EU-Central Asia Forum, which brings together representatives of Central Asian and European civil societies to give them a voice in the development of the EU-Central Asia partnership.
On July 7, she will co-chair the EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting, with the participation of the five Foreign Ministers in the region. It will provide an opportunity to convey a strong message of EU commitment to a region that has become increasingly important and in which recent developments have created new opportunities for EU engagement. At the end of the Ministerial Meeting, High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and Foreign Minister Aidarbekov will hold a joint press conference.
While in Bishkek she will also meet with women Members of Parliament and diplomats in the Diplomatic Academy.
