Conference on “Central Asia and Europe: a New Economic Partnership for the 21st Century” in the Federal Foreign Office

On 13 November 2007, the Federal Foreign Office together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is hosting a high-level economic conference in the Weltsaal of the Federal Foreign Office entitled “Central Asia and Europe: a New Economic Partnership for the 21st Century”.

Federal Foreign Minister Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier and UNECE Executive Secretary Dr Marek Belka will open the conference.

The guest of honour at the conference is His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV who, along with Dr Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, will give one of the opening addresses.

Some 150 participants from business and politics are expected to attend the conference. High-level ministerial delegations from the five Central Asian states as well as Azerbaijan and Afghanistan will meet leading business figures. Representatives of the Federal Government, the European Union, the United Nations, international financial institutions and development cooperation organizations will travel to Berlin.

Central Asia is increasingly becoming a focus of European and international politics. The European Union also has a clear interest in deeper partnership with the Central Asian states. That is why the Federal Government launched an EU Central Asian Strategy during its Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2007. This is the first paper which identifies the political contours for increased European engagement in Central Asia.

The EU’s commitment embraces inter alia initiatives focusing on the rule of law, education, human rights and regional cooperation. In the economic sphere, renewing the traditional links between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road is to help develop the economic potential of the Central Asia states.

Promoting economic development, trade, investment and regional economic integration plays a key role when it comes to stabilizing the region and developing well-anchored societies in Central Asia. European businesses can make a key contribution here. Even today, the EU is the largest export market for Central Asia and an important source of foreign direct investment.

As well as by the UNECE, the Conference is also being supported by the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and InWEnt Capacity Building International, Germany. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is working successfully with the Federal Government on many development projects mainly in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Additional information: On 14 November 2007, the Federal Foreign Office is playing host to the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) whose Governing Council will meet at ministerial level in Berlin.

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