Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The United States intends to compete more actively for economic opportunities in Central Asia, a region with significant reserves of critical minerals, US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor has said ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the region, the South China Morning Post reported.
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on 15 October, Gor described the upcoming C5+1 meeting in Samarkand as an opportunity to showcase American technology and innovation to Central Asian countries. He said Rubio would be accompanied by representatives of more than 200 US companies interested in exploring cooperation opportunities with countries in the region.
Gor emphasised that Central Asia has substantial reserves of critical minerals whose potential remains underdeveloped. US companies, he said, can offer the technologies and solutions needed to tap these resources, while regional countries are seeking reliable partners.
“We want to be able to compete,” the diplomat said, without directly mentioning China, which has a significant presence in the region’s mining sector.
He also noted that Central Asian countries are sovereign states and can independently choose the areas of international cooperation that best serve their interests.
Rubio is expected to meet in Samarkand with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The main topics will include strengthening regional economic connectivity and enhancing energy security. According to the US State Department, the visit aims to advance trade and economic ties between Washington and the countries of the region.
The C5+1 format has been in operation since 2015 and serves as the main platform for collective dialogue between the United States and the five Central Asian countries. In November last year, US President Donald Trump hosted the region’s leaders at the White House for the first summit under this format.
Washington is seeking to strengthen supply chains and reduce its dependence on China, particularly in clean energy and defence. According to the US Department of Commerce, Central Asia has substantial reserves of several critical minerals, including manganese, titanium and cobalt. These resources are used in clean energy technologies, electric vehicle manufacturing and the development of artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, China is expanding its economic and political presence in the region. In 2023, Beijing launched a mechanism for holding China–Central Asia summits every two years. The first summit took place in China, while the second was held in Astana last year. The parties are developing cooperation in security, law enforcement, defence and renewable energy.
Gor acknowledged that Washington had previously paid insufficient attention to Central Asia, focusing instead on the Middle East and East Asia. He said countries in the region were interested in strengthening relations with the United States.
Another sign of Washington’s growing interest in the region is the invitation extended to the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to attend the G20 summit scheduled for December in Miami. According to the South China Morning Post, this would mark the first time Central Asian leaders have been invited to such a summit in the United States.
