US Secretary of State announces plans to visit Central Asian states

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he intends to visit all five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—over the coming year, as part of a broader US initiative to strengthen ties with the resource-rich region.

His remarks came during a reception at the State Department attended by the foreign ministers of the Central Asian states, Reuters reports.

“The opportunities are amazing—business opportunities. Many ways to partner there,” said Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who, alongside Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India and Trump’s special envoy to Central Asia, recently visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to prepare agreements to be announced during the leaders’ upcoming visit to Washington. 

Rubio underscored the alignment of US and Central Asian interests in developing the region’s natural resources. “You are looking to take the resources … that God has blessed your nations with, and turn them into responsible development that allow you to diversify your economies,” he said. “I personally intend to visit in the coming year—all five [countries]. So I know it would probably be a week-long trip. We’ve got to work on that and make that happen together.”

The US push coincides with a planned meeting in Washington on November 6 between President Donald Trump and the five Central Asian leaders, which is expected to focus on rare earth minerals, energy resources, and other economic opportunities.

Senator James Risch, a Republican, who also addressed the reception, announced his intention to introduce legislation aimed at repealing the Jackson–Vanik trade rules, Cold War-era restrictions on US trade with non-market economies, potentially paving the way for expanded commercial engagement with the region.

Rich in minerals and energy, the five predominantly Muslim countries of Central Asia maintain strong economic ties with Russia, their former Soviet ruler, while China also exerts significant commercial influence.

By Vafa Guliyeva