Seven pointers for the new EUSR for Central Asia

The position of European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia is key for EU-Central Asia relations. The EU’s visibility in the region remains modest, and the EUSR plays a central role, not only as the primary point of contact between the Central Asian countries and EU institutions, but also as the embodiment of and main driving force behind the EU’s strategy for the region.

Over the last six years, Peter Burian (a Slovak national) and his rotating team fulfilled this mandate in a noticeably active, compelling, and effective manner, leaving a positive legacy. Ambassador Burian was a regular traveller to the region and trusted listener to official and civil society concerns alike, both in Central Asia and in Europe. Arguably, his biggest achievement was guiding the process of developing a new EU strategy for Central Asia that replaced the initial 2007 document. 

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