U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan backed closer trade, transport and minerals cooperation at an Oct. 19 C5+1 summit in Samarkand, as Uzbekistan announced a $12 billion business package with the United States.
The six governments’ joint statement called for developing the Trans-Caspian Trade Route and improving transport links and customs procedures. It also called for more trade and industrial cooperation across Central Asia. The statement described the route as a way to strengthen trade and investment between the region and the United States.
Critical minerals, energy and technology were also on the agenda. Rubio held separate meetings with regional counterparts. Uzbekistan said its package included 54 agreements and initiatives in areas such as transport, energy infrastructure, minerals, finance and digital technology.
The value of the package should be treated with care. A recent review by The Times of Central Asia noted that some initiatives may still depend on financing or implementation. The review also said public information does not itemize the full total.
More than 400 companies from the United States, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries took part in the parallel business program, according to Uzbekistan’s investment ministry. The summit statement sets out shared priorities. But announcing broad goals does not itself show that regional projects have been funded or completed.