Askar Alimzhanov
On October 25, U.S. Special Representative for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau arrived in Tashkent on an official visit. The visit to Central Asia was not publicly scheduled in advance, with news of the trip only emerging a few days beforehand. In Uzbekistan, the high-ranking visitors were received with full state honors. A motorcycle escort and blocked roads in the capital are typically reserved for visits by heads of state.
Although the American delegationโs visit to Uzbekistan ended by Monday evening, local media coverage remained scant. Apart from posts on the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistanโs Telegram channel, almost no media outlets covered the event. On the evening of October 25, Gor and Landau held productive talks with representatives of U.S. companies about numerous opportunities to strengthen mutual prosperity. Afterwards, they traveled to Samarkand, where they toured the city often referred to as the pearl of Central Asia.
On October 26, the visitors held fruitful talks with Foreign Minister Saidov, thanking him for his leadership and hospitality throughout the visit. His efforts, they noted, are elevating the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Uzbekistan to a new level. The delegation also held โproductiveโ talks with Ministers Bobir Islamov and Laziz Kudratov on expanding trade and investment ties.
By Monday evening, Gor and Landau had arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan. As the largest city in the country, Almaty is also one of Central Asiaโs key business hubs. According to sources, the agenda in Kazakhstan includes meetings with business leaders and a cultural program. As in Uzbekistan, there was no official information about the visit released on Monday. This may, however, be because Monday was a national holiday โ Republic Day โ an event which President Donald Trump extended his congratulations to mark, stating that โโThe United States values โโour close economic and security ties with Kazakhstan and looks forward to further strengthening our expanded strategic partnership in the coming year.โ Secretary of State Marco Rubio also sent his โcongratulations to the people of Kazakhstan.โ
By all indications, the lightning-fast visit by the senior U.S. delegation is linked to the recently announced C5+1 summit in Washington on November 6.
Beyond cultural sightseeing, the talks reportedly covered cooperation in rare earth mineral processing and other sensitive areas. Recently, U.S. interest in the countries of the region has expanded significantly. While China and, traditionally, Russia are considered the main players in the region, Europe and the U.S. are increasingly seeking a firmer foothold in Central Asiaโs strategic landscape. Recent global conflicts have exposed major powersโ dependence on raw materials and logistics routes. The search for new corridors and suppliers now seems both logical and urgent. Sanctions on Russia have also had a direct impact on regional economies, requiring swift responses.
The C5+1 format presents an ideal framework for launching coordinated political and business cooperation. Yet, itโs essential to recognize the significant disparities among Central Asian countries. Kazakhstan is the regionโs financial heavyweight. According to the IMF, Kazakhstanโs GDP per capita stands at $14,720, compared to $10,800 in Turkmenistan, $3,650 in Uzbekistan, $2,790 in Kyrgyzstan, and $1,640 in Tajikistan. Kazakhstanโs figure surpasses even that of China ($13,810) and Brazil ($10,580).
Geographically, Kazakhstan also serves as the main gateway to Central Asia. The core route of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (TITR or Middle Corridor) passes directly through Kazakhstan. A substantial portion of Chinaโs โBelt and Roadโ initiative, launched by Xi Jinping in 2013, also runs through the country. In terms of natural resources, Kazakhstan has no regional competitors. Beyond oil and gas, itโs worth noting that Kazakhstan is the worldโs top uranium producer, accounting for about 42% of global output. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are still classified as ODA recipients โ countries receiving official development assistance to foster economic growth and improve living standards.
In this context, President Tokayevโs statement to Minval Politika supporting Azerbaijanโs participation in the upcoming Central AsiaโU.S. summit as a country that is โbecoming a regional transport, logistics, and energy powerhouseโ appears especially persuasive. Azerbaijanโs inclusion in the C5+1 framework could significantly enhance the regionโs economic capacity.
