C5+1: A New Stage in Uzbekistan–US Partnership

Uzbekistan and the United States are steadily expanding cooperation in investment, innovation, trade and human capital. The visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Samarkand, where a delegation of about 200 American business representatives is taking part in numerous events, reflects this focus.

The C5+1 platform, founded in 2015 and bringing together five Central Asian states and the United States, has become an important mechanism of multilateral dialogue over the past decade. Presidential meetings in New York in 2023 and Washington in 2025 gave practical cooperation a significant boost.

Mineral extraction and deep processing is a promising area, based on memoranda signed in September 2024 and February 2026. Energy, the digital economy, transport, aviation, financial services and agriculture are also priorities. Charos Jumanazarova, a doctoral student at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, said that moving from political agreements to concrete economic projects is particularly important. The Uzbekistan–America Business and Investment Council, set up last November, supports joint projects.