German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed a bilateral agreement on migration with Uzbekistan on Sunday during his three-day visit to Central Asia.
The agreement was signed in the ancient city of Samarkand and is intended to facilitate the arrival of skilled workers from Uzbekistan to Germany, particularly in the health and care sector.
It will also speed up the repatriation of Uzbeks in Germany who do not have legal residency. Of the 13,700 Uzbeks living in the country, only about 200 are expected to be eligible for repatriation.
Bilateral agreements are an important part of the German coalition government’s migration policy. The most recent example was in Berlin on Friday, with the visit of Kenyan President William Ruto.
Scholz’s tour of Samarkand, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a key stop on the Silk Road, began with a stroll through the Registan public square, followed by a visit to the 17th-century Tilla Kari Mosque.
He will then travel to Kazakhstan, the largest country and strongest economy in the region, on Monday and Tuesday.
There, the Chancellor will attend a summit with the region’s five former Soviet republics, including Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, all of which are heavily influenced by heavyweights Russia and China.
Scholz wants to expand relations with the countries in Central Asia and last year entered into a strategic partnership with them in the areas of economy, energy, climate and environment.
In Kazakhstan, talks will focus on oil and gas supplies to Germany and sanctions against Russia, as Astana is accused of being able to circumvent trade restrictions.
Since the outbreak of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine in February 2022, Germany has been trying to diversify its relations in the region. Previously, the countries focused mainly on economic ties with Russia and China.
