Foreign Secretary travels to Central Asia and Mongolia in landmark visit to region    

The Foreign Secretary will visit Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to as part of government ambition to increase engagement with this pivotal region of the world. He will meet leaders across the region to deepen cooperation on shared challenges, from counter-terrorism to climate change.  

He will support global opportunities for young people, by ensuring that English language teachers across the region will have access to tailored British Council English language teaching materials. He will double the amount of funding for Chevening scholarships, so more people can study at Britain’s world-class universities.  

He will support British business to create jobs and growth from Bridgend to Bishkek. He will show that British business provides the sustainable, quality investment that can drive growth without compromising the region’s hard won sovereignty.   

The Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said:      

We live in a contested, competitive world. If you want to protect and promote British interests you need to get out there and compete.    

Central Asia is at the epicentre of some of the biggest challenges we face and it’s vital for the UK and the region that we drive forward its future prosperity.

The Foreign Secretary will anchor top-level relationships between the UK and Central Asian states and Mongolia, solidifying our role as a long-term partner in the region. He will advance discussions on sanctions circumvention, human rights and reform.    

He will use the visit to announce £50 million new development funding for the Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood region over the next 3 years. UK funding will not only boost regional growth and economic resilience but build trade and cooperation between our countries, making the region and the UK safer and more prosperous.   

During the visit, the Foreign Secretary will visit an array of important sites including a hydro-electric project in Tajikistan, a canal irrigation site in Kyrgyzstan and a cultural site in Mongolia.    

David Cameron is the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan and the first to Uzbekistan since 1997. It is also the first visit to Mongolia at this level in over decade. This week’s visit underlines the UK government’s ambition to increase engagement with this pivotal region, and is a crucial moment to drive forward British values, build our geopolitical relationship and deliver opportunities for people in the region and the UK.