Central Asia

Due to Central Asia's strategic and geopolitical location, its proximity to Afghanistan, as well as its role for energy security, the five countries of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - have increasing importance for Europe. The region faces a number of problems, including security threats from Islamistic fundamentalism, terrorism and drug smuggling. Challenges also arise in the areas of sustainable development, poverty reduction, democratization, rule of law and good governance, and human rights.

The EU adopted a new Central Asia Strategy on 17 June 2019, which serves as an overall framework for the EU's enhanced engagement in the region. The new EU strategy envisages focusing EU engagement on three areas:

• Partnership for Resilience
• Partnership for Prosperity
• Investing in Regional Cooperation.

Austria has expressed its interest in this region by opening an Embassy in Astana in autumn 2007. The Austrian Embassy in Astana covers Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Responsibility for Turkmenistan lies with the Austrian Embassy in Baku. The Austrian Embassy for Uzbekistan is located in Vienna. Austrians are also active in the EU and UN representations and OSCE offices in Central Asia.

As far as concrete projects are concerned, Austria is particularly active in the field of border security and border management (CABSI and CABMI, support for the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe). Austria is also working to expand bilateral economic relations with the countries of Central Asia. Austria is also active in the field of training, for example through training programs at the Diplomatic Academy.