Uzbek President Outlines New Priorities for Economic Cooperation with the United States

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the opening of the second session of the Uzbek-American Business and Investment Council on 19 October in Samarkand. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy of the US President Sergio Gor, and representatives of leading American companies and banks also took part.

In his speech, Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbek-American relations have reached a qualitatively new level, thanks largely to the personal attention and support of US President Donald Trump. Priority areas for further partnership include processing critical minerals, building a reliable energy system, creating data centres, and introducing artificial intelligence.

Ahead of the session, a package of 54 agreements and initiatives worth about $12 billion was prepared, and a comprehensive action programme will be developed to implement them. Three priorities were named: predictable conditions for American investors, a "plug and play" model with fully prepared projects, and joint development of new industries. A programme for trade, investment and technology cooperation until 2035 was proposed.