Washington / Tashkent– April 12, 2025 – In a major boost to its foreign policy pivot toward Central Asia, the United States has signed multiple agreements with Uzbekistan aimed at exploring, extracting, and processing critical minerals, while also laying the groundwork for future cooperation in nuclear energy.
According to a detailed report by Eurasianet, the deals were finalized following a series of high-level meetings in Washington involving officials from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade (MIIT) and top U.S. business leaders.
Strategic US-Uzbek Deals on Critical Minerals
The Uzbek government confirmed on April 9 that the agreements include the transfer of advanced U.S. technologies to Uzbekistan and the training of local specialists in mineral processing and value-added extraction.
“The agreements were formalized by contracts,” stated the Uzbek government, adding that “a manager was assigned to each project.”
The deals were signed during an official visit led by Uzbek Investment Minister Laziz Kudratov, whose delegation engaged with U.S. companies across the mining, hospitality, and food sectors. Uzbek officials presented investment proposals and emphasized the country’s investor-friendly reforms.
According to the government’s statement, “companies praised the reforms in Uzbekistan” and noted successful experiences of American firms operating in the country. The U.S. firms also “expressed a willingness to enhance cooperation.”
Key agreement areas include:
- Exploration and extraction of critical minerals
- Construction of High-Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) complexes
- Technology transfer for value-added mineral processing
- Advanced training of Uzbek specialists in mining and energy
Tourism Projects Also Underway
In addition to mining and energy, Uzbekistan also secured commitments in the tourism sector, including hotel construction.
“Deadlines for implementing new tourism sector projects, specifically the construction of hotels, have also been agreed upon,” the statement confirmed.
US Eyes Role in Uzbekistan’s Nuclear Energy Plan
The minerals deal comes amid growing dialogue on civil nuclear cooperation. On April 9, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, where safe nuclear technologies were a key topic.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized bilateral engagement in “critical minerals and other sectors,” and added that Washington will support Tashkent in “the modernization of safe nuclear technologies.”
While Uzbekistan already has a deal with Russia’s Rosatom to construct its first nuclear plant, officials in Tashkent have publicly expressed a desire to diversify their nuclear partnerships — opening a door for U.S. participation.
High-Level Security Talks and Regional Commitments
Two days earlier, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Abdulaziz Kamilov, Deputy Chair of Uzbekistan’s National Security Council. Their discussions spanned nuclear cooperation, critical minerals, and counterterrorism. The U.S. delegation also expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s cooperation on illegal immigration and regional security.
WTO Membership Support as Leverage
Per Eurasianet, the U.S. has also offered to support Uzbekistan’s bid for World Trade Organization (WTO) membership as a long-term incentive to deepen economic and strategic ties — especially in the rare earths and clean energy sectors.
China’s Parallel Investments in Uzbek Energy
Even as Washington intensifies its footprint, China remains a powerful player in Uzbekistan’s energy future. Two Chinese companies recently inked deals to build a 1.5-gigawatt solar and wind farm — with financing support from Beijing.
This indicates that Tashkent is executing a multi-vector energy strategy, balancing U.S., Russian, and Chinese partnerships across different sectors.
Kazakhstan Also on US Radar for Critical Minerals
U.S. engagement in Central Asia isn’t limited to Uzbekistan. At a mining summit in Astana, U.S. Ambassador Deborah Robinson reaffirmed:
“We are committed to cooperating with Kazakhstan in this vital sector to facilitate investment, apply advanced technology, and strengthen economic and strategic ties,” per a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Disclaimer: This is a developing story and may be updated as more information becomes available.
Inputs for this report have been sourced from Eurasianet and the official statement released by the Government of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade (MIIT).
