Scholz seeks allies in Central Asia as first chancellor to visit region in decades
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is stepping up his outreach to Central Asia, seeking economic synergies and geopolitical coordination as he becomes the first chancellor in decades to visit the region.
Scholz is due to land in Uzbekistan on Sunday (15 September) and travel on to Kazakhstan on Monday – making him the first chancellor to visit Uzbekistan in 22 years (and the second ever), as well as the first head of government to visit Kazakhstan in 11 years.
During his three-day trip, Scholz is expected to take part in the six-way ‘Central Asia Meeting’ with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirgizia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, known in Germany as the Z5. This is the second edition of a summit that was launched last year in Berlin.
The new interest in the region aligns with Scholz’s emphasis on seeking closer ties with smaller countries, as Germany’s over-reliance on large countries such as the US, China, and Russia has caused problems. Scholz has repeatedly stated that he is preparing for a world that “will become multipolar.”
The Z5 countries have become an unusual focus of Scholz’s diplomatic outreach, which includes more prominent emerging economies such as Brazil, India, and several African countries.
In September 2023, Central Asia became the first region – not a country – with which Germany entered a regional partnership, according to a government source.
Of particular interest to Germany are the energy and economic sectors.
“For us, it means an opportunity to replace Russian oil. Of course, it is also clear that the gas reserves in the region will also be addressed,” a government source said, referring specifically to Kazakhstan. Speaking of Uzbekistan, the source said it had “developed positively economically.”
The German government is also due to sign a migration deal with Tashkent this week, which is expected to be particularly important for recruiting skilled workers in Germany.
Old Soviet expertise
Another critical area is geopolitics, where the five countries historically and geographically close to Russia have so far refused to openly take sides on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By keeping their land borders open to Russia – unlike EU countries bordering the country at war with Ukraine – they have also been accused of serving as loopholes for Moscow to evade sanctions.
However, for Germany, the experience in dealing with Russia is paramount, as the careers of many of the leaders now in key positions in the former Soviet republics are linked to Soviet Russia.
“What will be very interesting for the chancellor is to hear from his partners in confidential conversations about how they assess the situation and how they assess developments in Russia,” the German government source said.
Sanctions would be addressed “appropriately”, but the aim would not be “public lip service” from the leaders, the source added.
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