Sun Sep 15 13:17:19 UTC 2024: ## German Chancellor Scholz Begins Central Asia Tour Amidst Migration, Oil, and Russia Tensions
**Samarkand, Uzbekistan:** German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Uzbekistan on Sunday for the first leg of a three-day trip to Central Asia. The trip aims to bolster Germany’s relations with the region and address key issues such as migration, oil and gas supplies, and the ongoing tensions with Russia.
Scholz’s visit to Uzbekistan will see the signing of agreements facilitating the migration of skilled Uzbek workers to Germany and the repatriation of Uzbeks needing to leave the country.
The chancellor is set to visit the historic city of Samarkand, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before moving on to Kazakhstan, the region’s largest economy, on Monday. In Kazakhstan, Scholz will participate in a summit with the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
Discussions with Kazakhstan will focus on oil and gas supplies to Germany, a crucial aspect of the country’s efforts to diversify its energy sources following the war in Ukraine. The meeting will also address sanctions targeting Russia, as Astana has been accused of facilitating the circumvention of trade restrictions.
This tour represents a significant push by Germany to deepen its relationships with Central Asia, a region previously heavily reliant on economic ties with Russia and China. The trip comes amidst Germany’s efforts to reduce its dependence on Russia and establish new partnerships in the face of the war in Ukraine.
First Piper 