During a reception at the State Department on November 5, where U.S. Secretary, Marco Rubio hosted the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, Rubio made the announcement. Rubio highlighted that the planned tour is another element of a wider plan to marry U.S. interests to the interests of Central Asian states. As the central Asians develop their resource sectors, the U.S. wants to assist them.
Taking the resources that God has blessed the nations with
The United States wants to assist the nations to develop their resources and achieve the goal of sustainable economic growth Rubio expects. He stated:
“You are looking to take the resources that God has blessed your nations with and turn them into responsible development that allows you to diversify your economies.”
Rubio explained that the trip will constitute a week-long, “personal commitment” to substantive engagement with each of the five Central Asian states.
The announcement was made after the landmark Washington summit, over which President Donald Trump presided, that included all 5 Central Asian Presidents.
Discussions included focus on cooperation over the the especially critical minerals and rare earth
Regarding the critical minerals and rare earths, Trump explains:
“More and more, they are tied to the geopolitical competition of the world.”
He also referred to Central Asia as an extremely wealthy region wherein critical minerals serve as a priority connected to the economic security of the United States.
Western countries seek to partner with Central Asia to avoid the economic influence of Russia and the supply chains of China, especially for resources like uranium and critical minerals.
Critical minerals cooperation between Kazakhstan and the U.S.
A recent example of the growing diplomatic-economic relationship is a memorandum on critical minerals cooperation between Kazakhstan and the US, and over a billion-dollar investment from US-based Cove Capital to develop tungsten deposits in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda Region.
These examples continue a recent trend of translating diplomatic relations into meaningful economic activity.
“Personal engagement,” pushed by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, was also an approximate response when he said the “amazing” opportunities for Trump’s personal push were business opportunities. Landau also highlighted recent agreements during the U.S. official trips to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The diplomatic charm offensive also encompasses legislative initiatives
Senator James Risch’s announced plan to initiate the repeal of the Cold War’s Jackson-Vanik trade amendment also signaled offensive actions. Risch’s plan, along with Trump’s comments on trade with Central Asia, would likely open opportunities for the U.S. to invest in Central Asia.
The U.S.’s efforts to invest more in Central Asia face practical checks.
- The 5 Central Asian nations economically depend on and are tied to Russia due to their heavy reliance on historical and modern development.
- China’s current heightened investments are also due to China’s Belt and Road initiatives.
The latest attempts from Washington aim to provide a foundation of free governance and corporate partnership in C5+1. The C5+1 framework is meant to massively switch the focus of U.S. corporate governance partnerships.
Leaders in Central Asia see this visit as an opportunity to bring in new investments
C5+1 is meant to encourage U.S. partnerships in direct control investment, as well as free governance and corporate partnerships.
Leaders are taking advantage of the visit to also bring in new investments, upgrade their resource industries, and gain more independence in a region that has always been influenced by other countries.
In an era of increasing global competition over resources, Western interest in Central Asia is more than a diplomatic overture. It is a calculated shift in strategy to protect the economic future of the United States. This helps in promoting development and security in one of the world’s most resource-abundant regions.
