Uzbekistan signed an agreement to expand cooperation with U.S. company Traxys and exchanged copies of a framework agreement with the Colorado School of Mines during the C5+1 Business Forum, as the country seeks to attract investment and strengthen technological and scientific cooperation in its mining industry.
The agreements were among the outcomes of more than 30 meetings held by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology with representatives of international companies, financial institutions and educational organizations.
Participants included Powerscape Global, Dynamic Aviation, Vast Resources, Caterpillar, JPMorgan Chase, FLSmidth and Trafigura.
The discussions covered foreign investment and international financing for strategic mining projects, scientific and technical cooperation, specialist training and professional development.
The parties also explored expanding processing capacity for critical minerals, iron and coal, localizing the production of foreign equipment, introducing advanced technologies and developing geological exploration.
The ministry briefed international partners on reforms to subsoil-use legislation, investment conditions and procedures for allocating subsoil plots through electronic auctions.
The framework agreement between the Center of Excellence in Mining and Geology LLC and the Colorado School of Mines provides for joint research projects and the development of national specialists’ expertise.
Following the meetings, the parties identified promising areas for further cooperation and agreed on next steps for joint investment, technological, scientific and educational projects.
Earlier, Uzbekistan signed 54 trade, investment and technology cooperation agreements worth a potential $12bn during U.S. delegation-related business events in Samarkand. The agreements cover industry, infrastructure, critical minerals, finance, digital technologies, agriculture, healthcare and education. Companies involved include GE Aerospace, Wabtec, Franklin Templeton, Citigroup, BlackRock, ReElement Technologies, Traxys and Trafigura.