The author writes:

• There are multiple pragmatic steps the West can and should undertake to substantially augment its role in Central Asia. 

  • Unleash the region’s energy resources potential for its use by European countries.
  • Both the European Union and the United States should compete with China to develop the region’s infrastructure, based on European world-class engineering and using Western financial resources, which exceed those of the Chinese.
  • Developing a strategic doctrine of substituting the commodities imports previously arriving in European Union member states from Russia, with commodities originating in Central Asia.
  • Establishing an EU/US–Central Asia high-level coordination center that can take over the agendas of the numerous bilateral summits held between Western policymakers and Central Asian leaders, and organize uninterrupted follow-up activities aimed at increasing Western presence in the region, including military cooperation.
  • Increasing the region’s presence in global politics.
  • Western powers should team up with local authorities to promote modern education and science, technology, economics, law, and other disciplines in Central Asia.
  • Western countries, and especially chambers of commerce, need to address the needs of local entrepreneurs trying to combat corruption, strengthen the rule of law, and adopt international business models and standards

  Read the full article on Institut français des relations internationales website.

The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author. Photo by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria shared under a public licence.