The EU and Central Asia: constructing partnerships on Europe’s periphery?

Central Asia's geopolitical significance, proximity to major powers, and abundant mineral resources make it a region of strategic importance. However, it has received limited attention from policymakers and scholars. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by analysing official discourses of the European Union (EU), Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, specifically focusing on the notion of partnership and its implications for their relationships. As such, this thesis aims to investigate the following questions: How is the notion of partnership constructed in the EU and Central Asia discourses? How does the concept of partnership vary among Central Asian states? The study makes theoretical and empirical contributions. The theoretical contribution of this thesis is twofold. First, it diverges from existing works that discuss specific policy areas, means and deliverables by examining the conceptual foundations in EU-Central Asia relations, which have thus far been overlooked. Second, it contributes to the theorisation of partnership by moving away from studies that overemphasise the role of power rooted in the donor/receiver nature of relations of the EU with third regions. Instead, this research challenges the prevailing notion that the asymmetric nature of EU-Central Asia relations is the primary determinant shaping the interactions of these actors. More specifically, in the case of the EU, the construction of partnership and its approach to Central Asia is increasingly determined by its geopolitical consideration vis-à-vis other dominant actors, namely, China and Russia. In the case of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the study underscores the decisive role played by the policies of their political elites and the economic trajectories these nations embark on in shaping the partnership-building process with the EU. Empirically, through first-hand interviews with the officials of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the EU, this thesis offers a fine-grained analysis of growing EU – Central Asia relations by exploring partnership dynamics.