The first EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan saw European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveil a €12bn clean energy package aimed at promoting the region as a clean energy hub. She highlighted the potential for wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy sources in Central Asia, emphasizing the opportunity to produce clean energy for both domestic use and export, including the production of clean hydrogen. The investment package will support new projects in Central Asia, with a focus on leveraging the region's abundant critical raw materials. Challenges like infrastructure for green hydrogen production and production costs are being addressed through initiatives such as private funding forums and European agency funding. Projects are already in progress, such as a green hydrogen project in Kazakhstan and a pilot hydrogen generation facility in Uzbekistan. The European Union's funding call covers a range of energy infrastructure projects, including hydrogen, to support the region's transition to cleaner energy sources.