At Friday’s first EU-Central Asia summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the European Union and five Central Asian countries agreed to develop a strategic partnership. The existing partnerships with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were highlighted, while new deals with Uzbekistan will follow this year and with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan next year. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa met with the heads of the Central Asian countries – Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Uzbekistan), Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan), Sadyr Japarov (Kyrgyzstan), Emomalī Rahmon (Tajikistan) and Serdar Berdimuhamedov (Turkmenistan).