The files we follow : Influence diplomacies in Central Asia
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From September 15 to 17, 2024, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Central Asia, marking the first visit by a German official in 14 years. On the agenda of this “5+1” summit, a format created in 2023 to strengthen ties between Germany and Central Asia, were key topics such as raw materials, energy transition, and technological investments.
Welcomed on September 15 by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Olaf Scholz used his visit to Samarkand to address critical points. The first concerned securing Germany’s supply of raw materials and reducing its dependence on Russian oil and gas. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been forced to seek alternative partners, as Russia accounted for 50% to 75% of its gas imports. The Uzbek president saw this as an opportunity to attract investors from Europe’s largest economy, proposing the development of Uzbekistan’s infrastructure in exchange for access to largely underexploited hydrocarbon deposits.
On the diplomatic front, Uzbekistan’s pragmatism offers Tashkent a lever in its bilateral discussions with Berlin. Germany does not recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan, preventing it from opening discussions about the repatriation of Afghans who have illegally entered German territory. In exchange for easing the rules that allow Uzbek workers to work in Germany, Uzbekistan has offered to act as an intermediary to receive and transfer Afghan delinquents whom Germany wishes to deport to Afghanistan.
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