Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The United States has proposed deploying American small modular nuclear reactors in Uzbekistan as part of broader cooperation on energy and infrastructure, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Speaking at a meeting of the American-Uzbek Business and Investment Council in Samarkand on 19 October, Rubio identified nuclear energy and the modernisation of energy networks as important areas of bilateral cooperation.
The two countries are also working on upgrading electricity grids and gas distribution infrastructure to meet Uzbekistan's growing energy needs, Rubio said.
He outlined several other areas of potential economic cooperation, including the development and processing of critical minerals, the aviation industry, quantum technologies, digitalisation and agriculture.
According to Rubio, American companies are already involved in modernising Uzbekistan's critical minerals extraction and processing industries.
In the aviation sector, Boeing and GE Aerospace supply engines and components and provide training for specialists, he said.
The meeting also addressed investment ties between the two countries. Rubio said Uzbekistan's AKFA Group would invest US$80 million in establishing a manufacturing facility in the US state of Kentucky.
Washington intends to strengthen economic ties with Tashkent through cooperation among government institutions, private businesses and universities.
Rubio stressed that expanding cooperation through these channels remains one of the priorities of the bilateral partnership.
