EU-Central Asia Meeting on Afghanistan Held in Almaty, Regional Connectivity Corridors in Spotlight

On 14 June, the meeting of European Union and Central Asian Special Representatives for Afghanistan was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. As a vital hub linking Europe and Asia and extending its influence to South Asia, Central Asian states and the EU held in-depth discussions on three major themes: the evolving situation in Afghanistan, regional security governance and the development of cross-border transport corridors. The dialogue stands out as a notable event amid recent geopolitical exchanges across Europe and Asia.

Located in the heart of Asia, Afghanistan’s stability exerts a direct impact on the security landscape of Central Asia and neighbouring regions. Protracted internal challenges, latent security threats and lingering humanitarian issues have long posed shared difficulties for all countries in the area. During the meeting, participants conducted comprehensive exchanges on the current security and humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan. All delegates agreed that peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan cannot be achieved by a single country or force alone. Only through multilateral cooperation and joint regional efforts can steady progress be made to stabilise the situation. All parties reaffirmed their commitment to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, voiced support for Afghanistan to pursue a development path suited to its national conditions, and called on the international community to scale up humanitarian assistance to ease the hardships of the Afghan people.

Regional security topped the agenda of the talks. Multiple Central Asian countries share borders with Afghanistan, where issues such as border management, extremist risks and cross-border mobility are closely intertwined. Local unrest can easily spill over across boundaries. Drawing on regional realities, participating sides shared practical experience in border control, risk early warning and joint prevention. They agreed to further deepen information sharing and practical cooperation on security matters, establish regular communication channels, and jointly reinforce regional security defences to curb the cross-border spread of risks and safeguard overall regional stability.

The planning and implementation of cross-border transport corridors was another key focus. Leveraging Afghanistan’s geographical location, the development of a transport network connecting Central Asia, Afghanistan and South Asia will boost logistics, trade and people-to-people exchanges, and reshape the economic circulation pattern across inland Eurasia. The parties exchanged views on route planning, infrastructure integration, customs facilitation and trade linkages, and agreed to accelerate the delivery of relevant projects to remove bottlenecks in regional economic circulation. This north-south transport corridor is widely regarded as a key initiative to unlock the potential of inland economies and deepen cross-regional economic and trade cooperation.

The EU spoke highly of Kazakhstan’s constructive role in Afghanistan-related affairs over the years. As a responsible regional power, Kazakhstan has continuously delivered humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and launched a host of education support programmes to improve local livelihoods and nurture talent. Furthermore, Kazakhstan has actively promoted integration within Central Asia and cross-regional collaboration, acting as an important bridge for regional integration. Its pragmatic efforts have won wide recognition from the EU and all participating parties.

Against the backdrop of shifting geopolitics, Central Asia’s geographical and strategic importance continues to grow. The Almaty meeting has further strengthened cooperation between the EU and Central Asian nations, and set clear directions for addressing Afghanistan-related challenges, advancing regional security collaboration and pushing forward cross-border corridor projects. As consensus translates into concrete actions, ties between Central Asia, Afghanistan, South Asia and Europe will grow increasingly close. A regional community characterised by security, smooth connectivity and shared prosperity is steadily turning from vision into reality.

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