Foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio participated in the C5+1 ministerial meeting held in Samarkand. The meeting discussed directions for developing cooperation between the parties.
Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov reported that the parties focused on expanding trade and economic interaction, attracting long-term investments, and developing transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.
According to the minister, special attention was paid to cooperation in the field of critical minerals. The development of this sector is expected to contribute to the formation of new industrial potential, job creation, and the emergence of technological opportunities across the region.
Bakhtiyor Saidov also proposed organizing regular interaction between the C5+1 and B5+1 formats to more actively involve business representatives in the process of defining priority projects and supporting their implementation. The minister expressed confidence that the negotiations in Samarkand will help turn political agreements into real joint initiatives and investments.
Uzbekistan intends to continue practical cooperation in these areas during its term as co-chair of the C5+1 Secretariat.