On February 8, the U.S. Department of State hosted the inaugural meeting of the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue (CMD) alongside senior officials from all five Central Asian countries. The event represented the first step in implementing the CMD, announced in September during U.S. President Joe Biden’s historic summit with the Central Asian heads of state … Read more
On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of State hosted the inaugural meeting of the Critical Minerals Dialogue (CMD) in the C5+1 format, chaired by Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez. The initiative to hold a dialogue on critical minerals was announced by the presidents of the United States, … Read more
An interesting development is occurring in Central Asia. Over the past year, leaders from Western states have visited the region to meet with representatives from the five Central Asian states. Others welcomed Central Asian delegations to their countries. These events occur at a time when there may be a power shift in the region. Since … Read more
Mere days before Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Kazakhstan, a U.S. official passed through first, once again demonstrating the breadth of Kazakhstan’s partnerships and the increased rate of diplomatic passage through Central Asia these days. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu is traveling to Kazakhstan, … Read more
Advertisement In the wake of last month’s meeting by U.S. President Joe Biden with the five leaders of Central Asia, under the flag of the C5+1, USAID Administrator Samantha Power headed to Samarkand this week for the first C5+1 Regional Connectivity Ministerial. Two headline items were the announcement of an additional $14.3 million in regional … Read more
Advertisement On September 19, U.S. President Joe Biden met with the presidents of the five Central Asian nations – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – a major upgrade in the United States’ relationship with the region. Geopolitics (i.e. Russia and China), the specter of instability (the region has seen several incidents of mass violence … Read more
From left: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, U.S. President Joe Biden, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan attend the C5+1 presidential summit in New York, U.S., Sep. 19, 2023. Credit: Official White House photo Advertisement U.S. President Joe Biden met … Read more
Advertisement Central Asia is seldom a top priority for U.S. foreign policy. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States was one of the first countries to recognize the five newly independent states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. For most of the 21st century, however, Central Asia largely served as a … Read more
Advertisement As the United States elevates its presence and strategic partnerships in key arenas of the world such as Central Asia, it’s imperative for U.S. policymakers and the court of public opinion to look to Uzbekistan as a bedrock partner in the region. Since 2016, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has led an ambitious nation-state transformation … Read more
Advertisement In the last year, there’s been a steady stream of U.S. officials filtering through Central Asia. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu stopped in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in April, followed that same month by Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Elizabeth Rosenberg from the Treasury Department, and … Read more