The EU’s and China’s development assistance towards Central Asia: low versus contested impact

This article offers an explorative comparative analysis of the impact of the European Union (EU)’s and China’s development assistance towards Central Asia. Drawing on document analysis and in-depth interviews with stakeholders, the article explores to what extent the assistance provided by the EU and China has an impact on the ground. The article concludes that the EU’s development assistance to Central Asia fails to have a significant impact, despite the EU having spent a considerable amount of funding in the region throughout the past two decades. In turn, China’s foreign aid to Central Asia is more pervasive, and has a tangible impact on the ground. However, the positive impact of China’s assistance, not least improved living standards as a result of enhanced transport and electricity infrastructure, is being offset by the negative implications of its increased involvement, including deepening economic and financial dependency.