BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 19. Central Asian
countries and the United States discussed prospects for expanding
cooperation in critical minerals and infrastructure development at
a ministerial meeting held in Samarkand on October 19 within the
C5+1 format.
This was stated by Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, Bakhtiyor
Saidov, in a post on his Telegram channel following a meeting
between the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and U.S.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The discussions focused on strengthening regional economic
cooperation and translating political agreements into concrete
investment projects. Participants explored opportunities to develop
industrial capacity, create jobs, and expand technological
capabilities across Central Asia, with particular attention to
critical minerals.
Saidov proposed establishing regular dialogue between the C5+1
diplomatic format and the B5+1 business platform to engage
private-sector representatives in identifying priority projects and
supporting their implementation.
Such cooperation could strengthen links between government-level
discussions and business initiatives, helping companies identify
investment opportunities and advance joint projects across the
region.
Saidov also said Uzbekistan was ready to continue practical
cooperation in these areas during its co-chairmanship of the C5+1
Secretariat.
The C5+1 format brings together the United States and five
Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — to discuss regional cooperation and
shared economic and security priorities. The B5+1 platform
facilitates dialogue between businesses and governments in Central
Asia.
