Uzbekistan key to U.S. investment in Central Asia – Rubio

Photo: the telegram channel of the Head of Presidential Administration Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 19. Uzbekistan offers significant opportunities for U.S. investment, and American companies are expected to announce concrete business deals following a regional business forum in Samarkand on October 19, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

According to a statement by the U.S. Department of State, Rubio described Uzbekistan as a key country in Central Asia, citing its population, economic development, and potential for further growth.

“Uzbekistan is key and a cornerstone. I mean, it’s the most populous country,” Rubio said during a press briefing in Samarkand on October 19.

He also cited Uzbekistan’s annual gross domestic product growth of nearly 8%, describing the pace of expansion as remarkable and expressing hope that the trend would continue.

He also pointed to the country’s tourism sector and potential to expand air connectivity with the United States, saying discussions were underway about a possible direct flight from Miami. He noted that Uzbekistan already has direct flights from other international destinations.

The secretary of state said the U.S. delegation included representatives of about 200 American companies interested in exploring business opportunities in Uzbekistan.

“We’ll have some concrete deals to announce, meaning companies that are going to be doing business here that are being welcomed here and that are excited about doing business here,” Rubio said, adding that announcements were expected at the end of the forum.

He described the business engagement as the beginning of a broader effort to strengthen economic ties between the United States and Central Asia.

“This is not the end. This is the beginning,” Rubio said.

Rubio also acknowledged that Central Asia had not received the level of attention from U.S. policymakers over the past two decades that he believed it deserved, adding that Washington’s engagement with the region was changing.

The visit included a ministerial meeting in the C5+1 format, which brings together the United States and five Central Asian countries, as well as bilateral talks with Uzbek officials.

Asked about the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump visiting Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Rubio said he could not comment on the president’s schedule but that Washington hoped to make such a visit possible in the coming year.

Rubio said the U.S.-Uzbekistan relationship was increasingly defined by economic opportunities, with cooperation in trade and investment expected to strengthen ties between the two countries.