As part of his trip to Central Asia, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the Central Asian heads of state and government in Astana yesterday. As in previous bilateral meetings, the Z5+1 summit primarily focused on deepening economic cooperation, as well as security and migration issues. In their joint declaration, the heads of state and government emphasised the importance of civil society contacts between Germany and Central Asian countries, and expressed their support for the Partnership Forum Germany-Central Asia organised by the West-Eastern Encounters Foundation in Berlin in November 2024.
The diverse program included panel discussions, workshops, and interactive formats such as a World Café and a networking fair, focusing on topics such as education, culture, environmental protection, and inclusive civil society engagement. The Partnership Forum provided important momentum for collaboration between civil societies in Germany and Central Asia, serving as a platform to strengthen existing partnerships and initiate new cooperations. It was organized by the Stiftung West-Östliche Begegnungen with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.
We thank all participants and partners for their commitment and look forward to further developing the outcomes of this first forum in the future!
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Photos (c) Sandra Kühnapfel