The 10th meeting of the High-Level Political and Security Dialogue between Central Asia and the European Union took place in Astana on June 13, 2023. The meeting was held at the level of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs of the European External Action Service. The delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic was led by Mr Aibek Moldogaziev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In the framework of the agenda, the participants exchanged views on a wide range of issues of interregional cooperation, as well as regional and global dynamics of events, including the situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Special attention was paid to security challenges, including the fight against terrorism, extremism, radicalism, drug trafficking, cybercrime, climate change, as well as food, energy security and the impact of sanctions on the socio-economic dynamics of the region.

The parties discussed the implementation of the agreements reached following the Second Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the President of the European Council, held on June 2, 2023 in Cholpon-Ata of the Kyrgyz Republic. To this end, the participants continued to prepare a Joint Roadmap for deepening ties between Central Asia and the European Union, as well as the next meetings and events at the highest and high levels.

The Kyrgyz delegation emphasized the importance of strengthening both intra-regional and inter-regional dialogue and practical interaction in the field of trade, transport, communications, digitalization, education, science, environmental agenda and energy.

Deputy Minister Moldogaziev also met with Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS Mr Enrique Mora, with whom he discussed the current state and prospects of the Kyrgyz-European bilateral cooperation.

During a substantive conversation, the parties compared notes on further steps to strengthen cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the EU. It involves joint plans to implement the outcomes of the visit of the President of the European Council Mr Charles Michel, to the Kyrgyz Republic on June 3, 2023 on issues of mutual trade, investment attraction, green economy, education, withdrawal of the Kyrgyz Republic from the list of banned EU airlines and visa facilitation for citizens of Kyrgyzstan.